Luke 24:13-35
By Mari Anne Andersen
January 2021
Happy New Year!
On January 6, 2021, I sent out Part 1 of the Word I sensed the Lord gave me for this New Year and some of the unfolding areas in our nation. (Here is the link to “A Year for Our Pursuit of Truth as We Journey on the Road to Emmaus Part 1” so that you can review it or read it for the first time: http://www.freedomhouseministry.com/a-year-for-our-pursuit-of-truth-as-we-journey-on-the-road-to-emmaus/ This is now, Part 2 of the “Pursuit of Truth as we Journey on the Road to Emmaus.” I believe, in 2021 it will be to pursue truth from the inside out (Psalm 51:6) and to walk on the Road with Jesus to Emmaus (Luke 24).
The Road to Emmaus is a call, I believe, to pursue deeper truths, deeper insights, and deeper revelations in our walk with Jesus EVEN WHEN we cannot recognize Him as He is working behind the scenes, particularly when everything looks bleak, gloomy, and depressing. On this journey to Emmaus, Jesus, wants to open our eyes so that we can see the resurrected Savior and His promises of hope, life, and liberty and to open the eyes of our understanding to the greater good and greater glory of things to come in our lives, our family’s lives, and in our nation’s life.
The Emmaus Road really speaks about trusting Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our Redeemer, and the Lifter of Our Heads. It’s about trusting Him even when we don’t understand, don’t see things working (just yet). I believe we are all in a “Life Lesson” of trust and truth that God is at work and that He has a plan in ALL things for 2021, particularly when we don’t see the evidence of His promises (just yet). Please read Luke 24:13-35 (NIV) as I will just speak into some of these verses.
Luke 24:13-16
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.
We see the two unknown disciples who did not recognize Jesus, who were in distress, pain, and confusion by what had just taken place regarding Jesus’ crucifixion. They were deeply perplexed and in pain because they thought there would be a different outcome. My question is: “Why were they kept from recognizing Jesus?” Why would Jesus do that? Currently in your present situations, be they spiritual, physical, emotional, familial, and/or political, we may not always understand what God is doing; we can’t recognize the signs God has given us because the outcomes look so different (for now).
So, it was the same way when the two disciples began to share with Jesus about Jesus—who He was: a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death and to be crucified. But these disciples had hoped and even anticipated that He was the promised one who was going to redeem Israel. (Luke 24:20-21)
Sometimes, my friends, we don’t always recognize and understand the things God is doing behind the scenes because things are in disguise or in hiding (for a time). We are encountering difficult and challenging situations presently and our circumstances can cause us to feel painful, dreadful, and doubtful. PLEASE, PLEASE know God is at work because God’s plans, purposes, and promises are that He will make a way where there seems to be NO way, He will complete what He has started, He knows the beginning from the end, and He knows the plans and ways to prosper us and give us hope and a future.
Luke 24:25-26
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
What Jesus did with the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus was unfold and describe to them how the prophets and Scriptures had predicted what would happen. What the two disciples did was listen intently, earnestly, and honestly to Jesus, as truth from the Old Testament about the Messiah was being revealed and unsealed slowly once again. I believe they were being fed personally and intimately with faith and truth by The Truth Giver Himself. Yet, the full revelation of who they were talking to at that moment was not yet recognizable.
I believe wholeheartedly, God the Father is calling each of us to a deeper and more intimate relationship with The Truth Giver Himself in these days. We need to see His Word opening for us as sons and daughters and not just to rely on others but to walk with Jesus ourselves more closely than ever on our personal Road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:29-30
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.
To “urge,” is another word for to implore, plead, and beseech. They clearly wanted Jesus to stay and sup with them as it was late, as night was approaching, but also because they perhaps sensed something special about this mystery man. What powerful words spoken in this verse! This is what WE, The People should be doing—urging Jesus to stay with us in and during this dark time, so that we can have communion (unity and intimacy) with Him. That meal and that bread literally became the Bread of Life to these sad, disappointed, and discouraged disciples, turning their mourning into gladness and giving them joy for their sorrow and turning their grief into gladness. What a meal to partake of! We need to see Him—Jesus—and focus on His resurrection glory and power so our hearts, like these two disciples, will burn within us as revelation deepens into our spirit of the resurrected power and authority we have on this side of Eternity.
Ultimately it is not about our present uncertain situations, but who is redeemer, savior, deliverer overall. Who is ruling in our hearts and lives in times of disappointment and uncertainty and what does He want to reveal to us? It’s ultimately about Who walks with us every day on our unpredictable, uncertain roads of life and Who sups with us at our daily tables. This has always been and always will be—Jesus Christ, our Messiah—the one unchanging and dependable person we can count on.
Luke 24:31-32
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?” (capitalization added)
We too must be looking into the “Scriptures” to hear from the Lord. In doing that, we will see Jesus in His glorious, wondrous, and hopeful resurrection. The more we understand God’s Word, the more our hearts will hunger and thirst for His Truth and Presence. We will see from Heaven’s perspective and not from our limited viewpoint that gives way to disunity, division, and doubt.
What a spectacular Life Lesson for each of us to hold near and dear in our hearts—a burning passionate heart for Jesus in the midst of loss, disappointment, and disillusionment. God comes suddenly in these times of great perplexity and great pain because He wants to walk, talk as well as remind us of His promises in His Word. He wants to sup with us at His table of Presence to have our hearts burn with great and deep truths of faith and trust.
When we journey on our Emmaus Road, we can expect Jesus to act in His perfect timing based on His revelation of who He is and what His resurrection represents here and now. Triumph and victory only come from having a resurrected mentality, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). As we are walking with Jesus in all of our life circumstances, our hearts will be burning with fresh revelation from His Word!
That is what happened on the Road to Emmaus, my friends.
My Friends, Here’s What’s Happening at Freedom House:
- Prayer Counseling: God is greatly blessing our prayer counseling of individuals, couples, and children from around the globe. Jesus is revealing Himself to these folks who have wounded hearts, meeting them on their Emmaus Roads of grief, losses, and disappointments.
- Teaching & Preaching: On January 31st, over Zoom Tommy and I will be teaching/ preaching on the Prophetic at a House Church in Bloomington, IL. Please pray for us.
- Upcoming Zoom Teaching: On February 28th, over Zoom Tommy and I will be teaching on: “Lord, Is that You?” Open to all. Look for details in your Inbox in early February.
- FHM Schools Resuming 2021: New Dates will soon be up on the FHM Website/Calendar for our Schools which will resume live September 2021 running through April 2022. As in previous years, we will meet at Kingsland Properties in Carol Stream, IL.
- YouTube Messages Coming: I am working on YouTube messages entitled: “The Emmaus Road with Mari Anne.” These will be a few minutes of sharing God’s wisdom, truth, and love, journeying together with the Holy Spirit.
- Staff Training: I’ll be preparing a Staff Training and Spiritual Refreshment time for FHM Staff and Small Group Leaders coming this Spring, also meeting at Kingsland Properties.
- New Head Intercessor: God has brought us our new Head Intercessor, who will be following in Rose Marie’s footsteps, retrieving prayer request phone messages and getting them out to the appropriate Intercessor to pray. She will also have brief but poignant teachings periodically on Zoom. More about this in our next article, but you or someone you know can call 708-656-3658 and leave a prayer request.
Thankful for Your Donation to FHM:
Your thoughtful and prayer-filled donation of any amount during this ongoing pandemic season means so much to us. We do not take it for granted, to say the least. We continue to proclaim His faithfulness to the perplexed, the fearful, and the wounded hearts that come to us for prayer ministry. Your financial support enables us to walk with so many on their own lonely, lost, deserted Emmaus Road. The Holy Spirit opens their eyes to Jesus so that their hearts burn within them, and they can depart rejoicing in resurrection life and victory. Without your support, we couldn’t do what God has called us to do.
YOU CAN DONATE NOW:
OR:
Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262
With My Burning Heart of Love & Thankfulness,
Mari Anne Andersen
Director, Freedom House Ministry