With Holy Week and Easter in the rearview mirror, Christians all over the country find themselves returning to normal life and gearing up for summer. We’ve celebrated the completion of God’s Divine Plan through Jesus. We’ve been refreshed on the Good News of everlasting life and the Way to it. We may have even convinced that person we’ve been meaning to get to church to walk through the doors. Now we find ourselves moving into the quiet season of the Christian calendar with only Pentecost left ahead.
This often leaves us pondering the question, “What next?”
After Christ was resurrected, He began to walk the Earth in His new, glorified body. The Gospels record His interactions during this time, leading up to the ascension.
They detail Jesus’ parting words and directions now that victory has been achieved.
One remarkable story from this time is recorded in Luke 24 and is often referred
to as “The Road to Emmaus.” In this event, the disciple Cleopas, as well as another unnamed disciple, are discussing the recent events when they encounter what they believe to be a stranger on their seven-mile walk.
The Stranger curiously inquires about their conversation and the sadness surrounding it. They detail Jesus and the execution that He endured. Afterwards, they explain the empty tomb and their confusion surrounding it. The Stranger, frustrated at their lack of understanding of their own Scripture, begins His next teaching.
“He said to them, “Foolish people, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things to enter into his glory?” Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27) While the disciples thought their lack of peace was a result of external circumstances, they were quickly taught that the missing piece was internal — a lack of understanding.
Soon, it would be revealed to the disciples that they had, in fact, been walking and learning from Jesus Himself. Had their worldview been Scriptural rather than dependent on the words of men, the Road to Emmaus would have been a celebration instead of a contemplation. Today, we are often perplexed at how to spend our time, money, and energy. Like the disciples, we can feel like we are at the mercy of the world and forget that we live in the mercy of the living God.
So, how do we become more like our Messiah and less like the pre-Pentecost disciples? We learn from His instruction, we seek out our Scriptures, and all the things concerning Him. The Old Testament writings that we are so blessed to hold in our hands today are the Scriptures in which Christ referenced prior to the composition of the Gospels.
Beginning with the writings of Moses (Genesis onward), we uncover God’s all-encompassing plan for our salvation. The answers you seek are waiting for you in your Bible. Now the question is, are you ready to learn about His Story? If you do, I’m confident He will also reveal what you need to know about yours.
