Reflecting God - "Invisible Companion" The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for New Year's Day, Friday, 1 January 2016 – Embrace Holy Living - Luke 24:13-27

Reflecting God - "Invisible Companion" The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for New Year's Day, Friday, 1 January 2016 – Embrace Holy Living - Luke 24:13-27RG AUDIO 010116

Luke 24:13 That same day, two of them were going toward a village about seven miles from Yerushalayim called Amma’us, 14 and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Yeshua himself came up and walked along with them, 16 but something kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you talking about with each other as you walk along?” They stopped short, their faces downcast; 18 and one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only person staying in Yerushalayim that doesn’t know the things that have been going on there the last few days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. They said to him, “The things about Yeshua from Natzeret. He was a prophet and proved it by the things he did and said before God and all the people. 20 Our head cohanim and our leaders handed him over, so that he could be sentenced to death and executed on a stake as a criminal. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra’el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened; 22 and this morning, some of the women astounded us. They were at the tomb early 23 and couldn’t find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he’s alive! 24 Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”

25 He said to them, “Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?” 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.

"Invisible Companion" by Author: Sherri Langton
When I went through chemotherapy for lymphoma three years ago, I vowed to lean on the Lord and grow closer to Him. I had to lean hard. Side effects and roller-coaster emotions clouded my thinking. Each morning, I read my devotional book, but the words didn’t penetrate much. When I prayed, I felt as though I were talking to myself. “Where are You, Lord?” Once treatments ended and my head cleared, I realized Jesus had been with me all along, listening to my feeble prayers and offering grace in my weakness.
After His resurrection, Jesus walked along with two disciples traveling to Emmaus, but they didn’t recognize Him either. They too had roller-coaster emotions: Jesus had been brutally crucified, and now His body was missing from the tomb. Talking on and on, the two didn’t recognize that the risen Lord himself was with them.
How patient Jesus is with us! Circumstances may inundate us and mask the Savior’s presence, but by faith we know that He walks with us, step for step.
Hymn for Today: "EMMAUS" by Mrs. H. K. Spaeth (1871 Adapted)

O Lord, our God, arise

O Lord our God arise,

The cause of truth maintain,

And wide o'er all the peopled world

Extend her blessèd reign.

"Emmaus Road" by Brenton Prigge

1. On that dry Emmaus road

heavy hearts still keening

Once the answers seemed so close

on the brink of meaning

Meet us here, Jesus, Lord!

Walk with us, we urge you

Oh, how slow we are to see,

Open up your Scriptures

2. Jesus, speak to us your truth

How our hearts are burning!

Keep us on Emmaus' road

Keep us ever learning

Meet us here, Jesus, Lord!

Walk with us, we urge you.

Oh, how slow we are to see,

Open up your Scriptures

3. Feed us with your Word, O Lord,

Our hearts need it daily

Feed us with the Bread of Life

Feed us, precious Saviour

Stay with us, Jesus, Lord!

Stay with us, we urge you.

Oh, how slow we are to see,

Open up your Scriptures

4. Now we go to tell the world

we must share the good news:

It is True! The Saviour lives!

Have you heard the good news?

Go with us, Jesus, Lord!

Strengthen us, we pray you.

Oh, how slow we are to go,

Send us with you Gospel.

Thought for Today:

"Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself." Luke 24:27

Please pray:

For the understanding of the Hebrew Scripture about the writings about the Presence of the Messiah in the world.
---------------------