Imagine

Imagine the scene for a moment.  You and your friends have spent 3 years following the leadership of a spiritual man.  During that time, you saw and heard things that made you believe that he was everything he claimed to say about himself.  He was the Messiah, no doubt.  It was all true und you had witnessed it.  You yourself have actually done amazing things like the time he sent you and your friends out to do ministry.  While you were in the cities of Israel, you healed people, preached, raised people from the dead, and even cast out demons.  Your life would be forever different, wouldn’t it?

Imagine that you had just a couple of days before this spiritual leader was arrested, tried, and sentenced to die between two thieves.  You saw him hanging there.  You saw him hang his head and die.  You knew that some of your friends and acquaintances buried him in a tomb just before the Sabbath was to start.  Now it is two days later and some of these same friends have come to you with the news that this man’s tomb was now empty, the body was gone, and some of them even claimed to have seen him and talked with him.  Could it be true?

Imagine you are walking on a road with a friend as you together are going to a village outside of Jerusalem.  You and he cannot talk about anything but the last several days and 3 years.  You would say something then he would say something and the whole time you are absolutely astounded at the events in Jerusalem and how now, the death of this man has changed your life.  In the midst of the conversation, someone joins you on the road and innocently asks, “What are you talking about?”  You and your friend stop and look at him with sad looks and can’t believe this person has not heard of the events of the last days.  The whole city of Jerusalem is abuzz with the news, so how could this person not know.  Do they live in a cave? 

You briefly tell the story to the stranger to catch him up and it is obvious in your words and body language that you are devastated by what has happened.  To your surprise the fellow traveler begins to speak the story of God from Moses to all the prophets.  For about 5 miles or so he clearly speaks of the Messiah and you are moved by the man’s knowledge and understanding of the scripture.  You are so moved that you ask the man to stay with you in Emmaus since the day was late.

Imagine you are in a room and eating bread and the man takes the bread, blesses and breaks it, then hands some to you.  In that moment you see clearly, the stranger is Jesus and you have spent several hours of your day with him and did not even know it.  This you now know – Jesus is alive.

You turn to your friend and tell him how you felt during the time with Jesus.  While Jesus spoke of all the truths from Moses to the prophets, your heart burned and was alive as you came to a better realization that everything about Jesus was completely true and you were a witness.  You did not imagine it, for it was true.

 How can one sleep after this, so you and your friend arise immediately, no longer tired and go the 7 miles back to Jerusalem and found the 11 Apostles and you tell them that you have encountered the risen Christ.

 This story is found in Luke 24:13-35 and is an encounter of these men had with Jesus not long after he rose from the dead.  This is the one event that shows Jesus is above all religious leaders in the history of the world.  He conquered death and the grave and lives still.  That is why he is unique and above all.