Walking Our Emmaus Road with Jesus - Day 128 Through the Bible

Below the cabin - pieces of wood and rocks transformed by owner and nationally-acclaimed "Trashformation" artist, Rolf Holmquist - near Mt. Celo Church.  He uses found, discarded, and salvaged objects to create works of art.

My Lessons and Applications from Today's Readings

For those of us who are becoming discouraged with trying our best, "behaving wisely", having divinely blessed results, and still enduring persecution...when enough is never enough in the world's eyes...as we are walking our road with Jesus...these brief character studies of Saul, David, Jesus and the Disciples may illumine our own experiences and give us persevering courage.

Saul (1 Sam 18 and 19) - a humble youth, chosen by God, anointed with the Holy Spirit, corrupted by wealth and power.  From the reticent anointed king (focus on God, his prophet and Israel) - hiding to avoid detection - from "Who am I to be called to this?" to a focus only on himself and against his "perceived" enemy, David.  We now see King Saul on his decline...rejected by God for disobedience and obfuscation when confronted with his sin rather than repenting...the Spirit of God has left him...the LORD has sent a distressing spirit on him.  Saul tries to kill David, manipulates his son, daughter and servants to kill David, sends David out against the Philistines to be killed, marries David into his family so the daughter can manipulate him for her father.  

My Lessons and Applications: Jealousy, rage, manipulation, deceit, anger, hatred against his own family, no thought of Israel's good... these are the manifestations of the life no longer focused on God, no longer empowered or protected by the Holy Spirit...so blind to the truth of his own depraved soul that he now blames and accuses others, even his own daughter:  "Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away like this, so he has escaped?"  The deception is his; the "enemy" is a loyal friend and servant. I believe this is the predominant spirit in the world today with the same negative, destroying end results. "Search me, O God, and know my heart;
 Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,
 And lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24)

David  (1 Sam) - "a man after God's own heart", chosen by God, anointed by the Holy Spirit, humble before God and his king Saul, patient for over a decade in receiving the kingship for which he has already been anointed, a loyal friend to Jonathan, Saul, his fighting men, and above all, to God. While not a man without sin, David is quick to confess, repent and change.  He endures constant, unrelenting death threats, plotting and lies against himself yet maintains his loyalty to Saul, preserving his life.  He spends his time in exile drawing near to God.  He writes the achingly beautiful psalms in prayer, praise and petition to God that thousands of years later still sing our own souls.

Jesus (the Gospels and the Prophets) - Focus was always on God - on His Will.  Our Savior endured unimaginable persecution, hatred, and crucifixion...yet the only sinless Man...healed the sick, cast out demons, restored the brokenhearted, brought eternal salvation to souls through His great sacrifice... and yet today He is still mocked, ridiculed, rejected by many...but loved, worshipped, and honored now and in eternity by those of us who love Him above all.

My Lessons and Applications:  David is often seen as "a type of Christ" by Biblical scholars.  In our readings today, we see the similarity in suffering for righteousness sake but being persecuted, accused, plotted against for his life that is empowered by and blessed by God.  But God...also protects David and protected Christ until the time for His final mission became necessary.  George Whitfield said, "Our lives are immortal until our work on earth is done."  These are encouraging reminders to us: "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin."

How to Know Jesus - His Disciples Then and Now (Luke 24: 1-35) Note on the Road to Emmaus story and the Resurrection account:  1) Jesus Himself drew near to AND went with them WHILE a) they talked together of all these things (about Jesus) which had happened b) as they conversed, c) as they reasoned.  2) AS HE expounded Scripture to them in all the things concerning Himself, a) they constrained him to abide with them, b) so He went in to stay with them, c) He sat with them, communed with them, broke bread and gave it to them, 3) THEN their eyes were opened, 4) THEN they knew Him, 5) Then He vanished from their sight and they talked to one another, a) of how their hearts burned within them while He talked with them on the road b) and while He opened the Scriptures to them.  6) They rose up...that very hour...and told the others...the things that had happened on the road...how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

My Lessons and Applications: - Along our own Emmaus roads...our journey in life...we plead with Jesus to abide with us...to teach us from His Word...to expound Scripture to us...to tell us all the things concerning Him...to break bread with us...commune with us...open our eyes.  Then we must...we will...go and tell others all these things He made known to us.