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Have you ever thought you knew something to be true then your understanding was hit by light and realised you didn’t know as much as you thought ??? YEP I’ve been there more times than I wanted.
This happened to the two travelling on the road to Emmaus after the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.
You can read the full account Luke 24.
Jesus joined the two on their walk… they did not know He was Jesus. Luke 24:18-19 KJV
[18] And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? [19] And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
They were talking to a stranger telling Him of the things that happened to Jesus. This is huge !!!! They profess to know Jesus… they know His story, yet here is Jesus walking with them, not for just 5 minutes. This walk went for some miles. Long enough for this stranger to them to expound every prophetic word about himself written from Moses to now !!! That was some long sermon. Have you ever read all the prophetic words down the ages ??? You though church service was long !!!
Still after receiving a full days sermon on Jesus Himself by Himself, was still hidden to the two of Who He really was… Information about Jesus will never cause you to know Him..
It will be the same at the end of the age when the door is shut and many will be relying on their knowledge about him to enter into eternity..
Matthew 25:10-12 KJV
[10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. [11] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. [12] But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Matthew 7:22-23 KJV
[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Knowledge is great, but it didn’t help the two on the road to Emmaus. They lived in His time. Witnessed the works, the miracles, were possibly at the crucifixion.. walking with someone else’s revelation is still only knowledge to the hearer.
Jesus continued to walk until the two invited him to abide.
Luke 24:28-29 KJV
[28] And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. [29] But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
I love the wording.. abide to stay (in a given place state relation or expectancy): - abide continue dwell endure be present remain stand tarry (for) X thine own.
John 15:4,6-8 NKJV
[4] Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [6] If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. [8] By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Can I suggest to you that Jesus at that moment before His invite, presented the opportunity to abide, even though He had expounded a full day on prophetic scriptures….
Can I also suggest we too have been given many opportunities to abide further, invite Jesus to abide, yet have not recognised that opportunity.
Imagine at this point on their journey.. by evening, more than likely tired hungry and looking forward their favourite show on YouTube is about to go live, the replay of the miracles of Jesus.. do they really want to entertain this stranger??? He had already talked their ears off…
At this juncture what would you do??? Invite the stranger in??? Or say your polite good buys it was nice walking with you… again let me remind you, they were filled with knowledge and were probably mentally tired as well..
what do you do when your tired??? Let me ask you in a different way,,, what do you do when you have had a full week, then Sunday church goes way too long??? Do you invite anyone to lunch???
I remember the best times in God were the after church hang outs…
Well this was an after sermon hang out opportunity.. Jesus did not invite himself. He won’t invite himself to your place. He will send labourers to tell you about himself, you’ll get knowledge of Him. But it’s up to you to invite Him to abide….
Notice the two travellers still did not know Jesus until He had been invited to stay, then when He blessed and broke bread handing it to them, their eyes opened…
Luke 24:30-31 NKJV
[30] Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. [31] Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
There will be a burning in your heart as knowledge about Jesus is delivered to you.. but it’s not until He blessed and breaks bread from your invite to abide do you really know Him.
Breaking bread is the early church doctrinal foundation that is being restored to His church. Acts 2:42 NKJV
[42] And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Fellowship with each other, and breaking of bread has the ability to supernatural draw what was knowledge into revelation. Acts 2:46-47 NKJV
[46] So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
There is a supernatural cleansing in the fellowship.
1 John 1:6-7 NKJV
[6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Paul’s famous all night sermon included the breaking of bread, which followed the miracle of raising the dead.
Acts 20:7-12 NKJV
[7] Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. [8] There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. [9] And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. [10] But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him." [11] Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. [12] And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
Jesus was revealed to the two immediately after receiving the blessed broken bread… And demonstrated to us the power of this practice as crucial to knowing Him rather than knowing about Him.
The Church in Ephesus had let this practice go until Jesus reminded them Revelation 2:2-5 NKJV
[2] "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; [3] and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. [4] Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. [5] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent.
What was the FIRST WORKS???
Jesus introduced and demonstrated the breaking of Bread when ever they met as the final practice before going to the cross.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NKJV
[23] For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; [24] and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." [25] In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NKJV
[27] Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [29] For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
Discernment was added to the two travellers that evening as Jesus blessed and broke the bread.. their eyes opened, their hearts rejoiced, they were full of the revelation that they were with Jesus Himself. So great was the impact they did not wind down to a Netflix movie!!!
The power of breaking bread became their message !!! So full of promise, power, discernment they immediately went in the night to tell the disciples of their encounter with the risen Jesus.
Luke 24:33-35 NKJV
[33] So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, [34] saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" [35] And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
They returned to Jerusalem which was a full sermons distance of all the prophetic scriptures said of Jesus !!! The astounding thing in my mind is that sleep is not a common practice for the early disciples !!! The two travellers found these disciples awake and testifying how Jesus had also appeared to Peter.
Notice the message they proclaimed Luke 24:35 NKJV
[35] And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
Jesus is still making himself known as we break bread together.
He is the bread of life John 6:48-51 NKJV
[48] I am the bread of life. [49] Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. [50] This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
Matthew 4:4 NKJV
[4] But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
I pray your eyes are opened as you recognise and take up every opportunity to invite Jesus ( and His body ) to abide, break bread.