Found by Jesus: The Road to Emmaus

The hardest truth for most of us to accept is that we're just not as amazing and special as we think we are. We are sinners. That's the bottom line. Straight. No chaser. We are sinners. And if we live in sin, we will die in sin. But because of the grace of our savior, we can find forgiveness for our sins and walk a new path of holiness and righteousness, a path that leads to everlasting life. [00:30:24] (46 seconds)  #GraceAndRepentance

How must it have been for them to see the death of their savior played out right before their eyes? Death at its most brutal and visceral and final. As you can imagine, it threw them for a loop. It shook them to their core. How could it not? But three days later, the women who had gone to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with perfume and spices told all the disciples that they had encountered angels who told them Jesus was alive. [00:24:52] (45 seconds)  #EmptyTombWitness

The troubles of this life are not an indication that God's plan for us is going wrong. They're part of the plan, and God uses them to test us and change us and perfect us. Yes. Even in tough times, we know he works out all things for our good because his plan is a plan of salvation. It has been in effect from the very beginning, and it is continuing to work even now. God is good all the time. [00:33:21] (40 seconds)  #GodsPlanThroughTrials

They had to go back to Jerusalem and tell the other disciples everything that had happened. Never mind that they just walked seven miles to get to Emmaus. Their faith and hope had been restored. They would soar on wings like eagles that day. They would not grow weary. Never mind that it was already the end of the day, and they would likely be walking back in darkness. Jesus had found them and opened the scriptures to them, and they would be walking in the light the rest of their lives. [00:28:57] (41 seconds)  #WalkingInHisLight

There's nothing in this life that causes more disruption and confusion than death. Death breaks great plans and can break great movements because the vision often dies with the visionary. But there are things that transcend death, and these things come from above. Love transcends death. Grace transcends death. Salvation transcends death. Today's passage is about how a risen Jesus brought hope back to life for two of his disciples who had lost their way. [00:20:22] (57 seconds)  #LoveTranscendsDeath

When we see our brothers and sisters in Nigeria being slaughtered, it might cause us to wonder where is our savior. As I said at the start, nothing hits harder than death. We instinctually rebel against death. Our bodies are programmed on a subconscious level to fight for life with everything we have. And we have to know this is because we were not made to die. We were made to live. [00:37:10] (37 seconds)  #WeWereMadeToLive

Second takeaway is our savior lives. Our savior lives. One of the things I love about this passage is the fact that Cleopas and that other disciple didn't find Jesus. Jesus found them. How amazing is that? They were lamenting a crucified Jesus and had given up on them. We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel, but when they needed him, Jesus showed up. [00:34:02] (42 seconds)  #FoundByJesus

And we have to know this is because we were not made to die. We were made to live. Our creator is not a God of death. He is a God of life, and he wants life for each and every one of us. Everlasting life. He sent his son to die for us that we might live. And he raised him to life so that we would know that we too can overcome sin and death. [00:37:39] (36 seconds)  #GodIsLife