The mystery of our everyday lives is that Jesus is with us, but we often don’t recognize Him. This is the way that many of us have walked for a long time, without even realizing that Jesus was—is with us—and He will be with us until the end of our lives if we allow Him. Many times we face challenges in this life, challenges that turn the direction of our destiny completely. When I think of my life before knowing Christ, my dear Lord and Saviour, reviewing scenes from my past I can see that Jesus was always at my side, leading me kindly, patiently and lovingly towards the way of victory. You see, discouragement comes because we have expectations and when our expectations are not fulfilled, we are led to disappointment. But should that be the case? Many times when things do not go our way we are filled with sorrow and disappointment, sometimes with bitterness, asking, “Why, why me Lord?”

With God’s help, in this article, I would like to point out the hope that we have in Christ, no matter what the future brings into our lives, no matter what the circumstances will be, but rather what does matter is to be anchored in Christ, waiting patiently for Him—even when it seems that our prayers are not answered immediately, even when it seems that there is not any hope left, even when our family and friends forsake us. Because discouragement and disappointment, my friends, are dangerous tools that Satan uses in order to deceive us and to cause us to depart us from our loving Father and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Discouragement and disappointment can cause us to walk away from the fellowship of believers and finally from Christ, questioning God’s care, making people live in the past time of their failure. I have seen and met people in my Christian life’s journey that have fallen by these dangerous extremes. Let us keep in mind the reason that I talk about this story–it is not by complaining about the circumstances in this life to which we can be brought about, but rather to see the solutions in Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Let’s go back, back in history almost 2000 years ago and see how two disciples were journeying on the road to Emmaus. They were confused and did not know what was going on. Here are two people—Cleopas and the other unidentified brother of whom we  hear of only in Luke’s Gospel. They were followers of Christ, but not from His 11 disciples.

I invite you to sit comfortably, take your Bible, open your heart and let’s go on a journey with Jesus that brings joy, peace and confidence in spite of many disappointments or discouragements this life can bring, my friends. When Jesus reigns in our lives, His presence can transform defeat into victory, the presence of Jesus can transform sadness into singing, the presence of Jesus, my friends, can transform darkness into light. He does it; I have seen it so many times in my life and in the lives of others. Don’t you want this kind of experience with Jesus and learn how to be victorious? I certainly want it and I know you want it also.

Open your Bible with me, please, to Luke 24 where our story starts. Let us read verse 13. “And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs.” Emmaus was a village located about 7 miles (11 km) from Jerusalem. The Emmaus road can be any road of your life, of my life; it can be any circumstance of your life or my life. The Emmaus road represents the story of our lives on this planet earth and how we can meet Jesus. This appearance of Jesus to the two disciples going to Emmaus, happened the same day that He rose from the dead. The story tells us about these two followers of Christ as coming from Jerusalem and on their journey towards Emmaus, they were concerned about Jesus on that dark Friday afternoon and what happened to Him. Their hopes were dashed on that Friday when they saw, for the last time, that bleeding, wounded body on the cross; they saw how Jesus breathed His last breath and heard those words from the lips of Jesus, “It is finished.” What could you expect from a dead man? What can a dead man do for you? Their hopes were crushed when they saw Jesus’ body put in a tomb that Friday afternoon before sunset. Not only the disciples but also other people who witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross were thinking that Jesus was a failure. From a human perspective if you and I were there that day we would have also said that Jesus was a failure. What do you think Caiaphas the high priest, Pilate, Herod and the closest friends of Jesus said that Friday afternoon when Jesus hung on the cross? Do you think they saw it as a solution to the problem of sin? Not at all. They thought Jesus was indeed a failure.

But Hallelujah, praise God that early on Sunday morning Jesus had risen from the dead. The death of Christ on the cross was foretold throughout the Scriptures since Adam and Eve sinned against God through their disobedience. God gave them the assurance of their salvation through the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, even there in the garden of Eden, their home (Genesis 3:15). People in Jesus’ time did not have the New Testament but they had the Old Testament promises regarding the Messiah who was to come. They had Jesus Himself among them and they did not believe Him though He performed so many miracles. As the Bible states, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” John 1:11

As they were walking together, Cleopas and his friend spoke about what had happened to Jesus. “And they talked together of all these things which had happened.” Luke 24:14. When we are concerned about our salvation, when we show interest in heavenly things, Jesus is always with us. There is no greater joy in heaven than when a sinner turns away from his sin, seeking help in Jesus, and when this is experienced in someone’s life the most important conversation is always about the Saviour, Jesus. Those who are indifferent to salvation are in great danger. I have met people in my missionary work who said, “I do not want to have anything to do with your Jesus and His salvation. I do not care about heaven, because if this or that is not there, I won’t be happy,” they say.

I want to relate the story of the two men walking to Emmaus to the time when my lovely Grandmother died almost 17 years ago. As I went home with a broken heart because of the death of my beloved Grandma, I started questioning God’s care and love for us. I remember as I went home from that sad event I asked God where my Grandma will be, paradise or hell.  It was all I knew at that time. Since then I have learned that God is a wonderful, compassionate and loving Father. He never lets us down when we go through the trials and disappointments of this life; He never lets us down when we lose someone beloved; He never lets us down when our hearts are broken, my brothers and sisters, dear friends. This is what had happened to these two sincere followers of Christ. We can say that these two people came from a funeral also; they came from the funeral of the One in whom they put all their hope and trust. Here were two men who were very sad, walking home from Jerusalem. They were sad because their friend and Saviour Jesus had been killed and they did not understand it.

These men were speaking about Jesus. What is your conversation all about, my brother, my sister, dear friend? Do you and I show an interest in the salvation which was provided by Jesus on the cross? Are we conversing about Jesus at the place we work, at the college we attend? Let us start our journey by putting ourselves in the shoes of these two followers of Christ. They were on the way, walking and speaking about the events they had seen concerning the One they put all their trust in terms of salvation. Were they deceived? Were they to give up hope so easily? We read in Luke 24:15 “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.” From this story I want you to understand at least four very important steps in our spiritual journey.

The first point I want you to meditate upon is that Jesus is seeking us. Although these two men knew who Jesus was they were not able to cope with this situation and they did not recognize Him when He drew near to them while walking. They knew a lot about Jesus; they had seen and had been witnesses of Jesus’ miracles, although, as the Bible says in Luke 24:16, “their eyes were restrained.” I believe there are several reasons why they did not recognize Jesus. Here are two major problems they faced—one is their poor faith, and secondly the events did not happen the way they expected. I have seen God’s working many times in my life, which are contrary to my expectations. For example, I have never thought that I and my family would be in missionary work in Canada. I said, “there are so many other places in the world where I can work for You, Lord, and You want me to go to Canada? No, this is absurd. Don’t You see, some people do not want me there. How can I go there then?” The Lord said, “You are not good for these people but you are good for Me, will you go there?” Indeed we came and we believe God sent us here.

Do you converse with God? Do you know when He speaks to you? Do you follow His way of working even when you do not see what His expectations are for you? My dear friend, be of good courage, take it to your heart because when God speaks we should move and say, “yes Lord, here I am, send me,” and He will do the rest. I really like this promise found in Isaiah 43:1, “But now thus saith The Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art Mine.” It is clear that God calls us; He seeks us where we are and He tells us, “Come and follow Me.”

The second point I want you to meditate upon is that Jesus opens our eyes. Yes, my friends, without the Comforter whom Jesus promised to us, we cannot see how horrible sin is. The Comforter or the Holy Spirit convinces us about three important things we need in order to be saved. Let us read about it in John 16:8 “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”  This is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of The Godhead. You and I cannot repent by ourselves if the Holy Spirit does not work in our hearts in order to produce repentance. Jesus said, “without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. Jesus sends His representative on earth, the Holy Spirit, not only to convince us of sin, righteousness and judgment  but also to stay with us and give us power to overcome sin in this life while we wait for Jesus’ second coming, my friends. Praise God I am not alone in this battle; praise God we passed from condemnation to life, praise God one day everything will come to an end, my brethren. Sorrow, death, defeat will come to an end. No more pain, no more crying, no more disappointment. Jesus is coming again just as He promised. Did you receive the gift of repentance? Have you confessed and abandoned all kind of sin? Can you and I say today, “Yes Jesus, I am prepared, You may come?”

The third point I want you to meditate upon is that Jesus reveals Himself. As we walk with Jesus we receive a revelation of what He is. In our story from Luke 24 we see Jesus is interested in us when we are interested in Him. The two men were speaking about Jesus and as they were speaking Jesus reveals Himself to them, opening the Scriptures unto them, telling the things concerning Him. We do not know the Scripture verses He used but we can guess the possible quotations He used such as Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 18:15; going on through Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 53, perhaps Zachariah 12:10—and so He opened their eyes, showing them the Scriptures. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27. So, Jesus can be revealed when we study the Bible and its prophesies. Jesus said in John 5:39 “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” And further on Jesus said in John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” Do you know Jesus? Have you received Him?

The last point I want to talk about is that when we discover God’s love manifested through His Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour, we are moved by such a spirit that cannot be quenched. I want to say that when we met Christ, in our hearts rises a missionary spirit which cannot be stopped. Every day is renewed by nourishment from the Scriptures through prayer and daily consecration; we reach a high personal experience with Christ that makes us want to share with everyone we meet, the good news of salvation. The Spirit of Prophecy says regarding this in the following words I want you to meditate upon today. “Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. No sooner does he come to know the Saviour than he desires to make others acquainted with Him. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. In doing this work a greater blessing is received than if we work merely to benefit ourselves. It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we are brought near to the Saviour.” —The Ministry of Healing, p.102–103 (emphasis mine)

The journey to Emmaus is both a literal and a spiritual journey. On one hand it recounts the story of two disciples who, after the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, walked seven miles from Jerusalem to their village of Emmaus. On the other hand, it outlines for us the journey that we all take from not recognizing Jesus, to understanding what the Scriptures say about Him, to recognizing Him for who He is, and finally to giving witness of what we have experienced.

My dear brethren, dear friends let us ask some questions here, do you know Jesus  today? Have your eyes ever been opened to who He is and what He has done for you? Do you know that He walks with you and talks with you? Can you testify to His presence in your life? Do you have fellowship with Him? Has your experience with Him been so real, so moving, so life changing that it has caused you to tell others about Him?  I wish I could always experience Jesus’ love in my life and never forget what He has done for me because we are motivated by such a love that cannot be described in mere words but only the person who has experienced salvation in Christ can speak, trusting in and eagerly awaiting Jesus’ coming. Let us be in this class that know Jesus personally and experience daily His immeasurable love is my wish and prayer. Amen!

In Christ,

Nicholas Anca