Something about me that you probably don’t know is I am in my 30th year as a Boy Scout Leader. I have been on many, many hikes. Typically, on those you reach a point of weariness, fatigue, and even exhaustion where you can’t lift one foot in front of the other. Add afternoon heat, dust, sun, and you fall into a state of “when are we going to get there?!” To far to return, to tired to continue, you just force yourself to go on hoping to see the end of the trail on the horizon.
Well just imagine such a hike and under similar conditions after you had just witnessed one of your best friends get killed! Not just killed but murdered after a sham trail on trumped up charges and a brutal beating. Take all the physical circumstances of the hike and add the confusion, anger, and dejection. Now that would be a tough hike! Well, there is such a hike outlined in the scripture. It happened the 3rd day after the crucifixion of Jesus.
“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 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?”
“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. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 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. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 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.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 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?”
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” Luke 24:13-35NIV
Well the reality of this life is we are all on that “journey of about 7 miles”. We are confused, parched, and exhausted. Life just doesn’t seem to have any meaning or purpose and the reality of this world seems to be that life is cheap, a commodity for power brokers and the wealthy to manipulate to their own ends. Then one day, someone draws near to us on the journey and calls to us, and as we turn our hearts and minds to the message, something amazing happens! We get a case of “holy heartburn” as He opens the scriptures to us! And when we get it, that laborious journey of 7 miles is but an instant as we hurry to tell the Good News to others.
Oh, if you’ve ever felt that “holy heartburn” you know it for sure. It’s a place so deep inside of you that nothing has ever touched before. For those who have never experienced that “holy heartburn” then my prayer this Easter Day is that God would incline their ears to His Sprit. I promise He’s called to them before and still does and He’s not going to give up on them even when they have given up on Him and ignored Him, the price that was paid was too much for that.
In Christ, Your Deacon,
Brad Pack
