Day One – “Flash Point”

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:05:27 -0400
flash-point-filled-with-joy-and-clothed-with-power, luke

Luke 24:13-35

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Reflection:

Two of them were walking and talking about everything that had happened, and were wondering what it all meant. They had spent so much time with Jesus and hoped that He was the One, but instead He was crucified. In the midst of their confusion and uncertainty, Jesus walks with them, joining in their discussion and shows them through the Scripture everything that was to happen actually did. They were coming out of the cloud of unbelief into the Son’s light. Once they saw the bread broken by the Lord, they can see and their hearts burn with the truth that they’ve just encountered. As soon as it happened, they go and tell the other disciples, that the rumors of the Lord being raised from the dead and alive are true!

Response:

That’s what flash point does. In that moment, we walk from doubt and confusion into truth and clarity. We go from unbelief to faith. We go from hopelessness to hope and confidence because in that moment we are sure our Lord has risen. Let’s together thank God that He has brought us to flash point! Let’s also ask God that we will be filled like the two disciples to go and tell others that Jesus has risen, He’s alive and share the truth that we have received so others will experience flash point too.