Seeing Jesus

Luke 24:13-16
“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.” (The Message)

Jesus had been crucified and the lives of his disciples were shattered. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, it did not compute with their theology of the Messiah who was coming to deliver Israel. To them all hope was gone. But along with all the confusing events of the crucifixion of Christ, just that morning some women who had gone to the tomb came back and reported that the tomb was empty and they had seen Jesus. Luke 24:11 says “But they (the disciples) did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Peter and John went down to the tomb and found it was empty “and wondered what had happened.” So the two disciples on the way to Emmaus “were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened” when Jesus comes alongside and begins explaining from Scripture all that had happened. But in the King James it says “their eyes were holden,” so they didn’t recognize Him.

What an amazing thing that they did not recognize the face or the voice of the one that they had walked with for three and a half years! Even after Jesus in detail shows them from Scripture that He was to die and rise again, they did not understand the marvelous revelation teaching that only the Master Teacher could give. What kept the disciples from seeing Jesus and understanding the Scriptures that He so wonderfully opened up to them? I would like to look at two reasons they did not see Jesus.

They did not see Jesus because of their crisis. In their minds, Jesus was dead and gone. All hope had been taken away from them. Because of their circumstances, it was impossible for them to even imagine that it was Jesus walking beside them. Secondly, they could not see Jesus because of their beliefs based on their theology and experience. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, they could not believe that the Messiah would die such a horrible death and then rise from the dead. It did not conform to their understanding of Messiah.

We too often fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and crisis. We pray and read the Scriptures, but we do not see Jesus in the Scripture or how the Scripture applies to our situation. The Holy Spirit, the great teacher, is walking right beside us trying to give us a God perspective for our situation, but we cannot see how Jesus could be in what we are going through. We are busy blaming ourselves, blaming others, or trying to figure out in our finite minds why we are going through what we are going through. We may even be reasoning among ourselves trying to figure it out. Sometimes our theology and experience stand right in our way. The promises of God and the answers are in the Scripture, but it does not line up with what we believe. So we fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and gain His perspective and solution to what we are facing.

Today, I want to encourage you that Jesus is walking right beside you in whatever challenge you are facing. He has a word for you if you will set aside your thoughts and emotions and listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit speaking to you.

Andy Clark