Having a Talk with Jesus

Thought: Having a talk with Jesus

Text: Rev 1:17, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.  He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid.  I am the first and the last, and the Living one.  I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Intro: When was the last time you met a person who was dead but is alive again?  Let me put it a little softer.  Think of a time when you were reunited to an old friend whom you hadn’t seen for years but they came back to you in person.  How did you act?   Ho hum, Happy or crazy elated?

    Crazy right?  You may have acted like you had to catch up on all the things they had done and let them know about the good, bad and ugly of your own life as well.   In other words, your life was enriched and renewed by the reconnection of your friend. 

    The time period before the Pentecost is to be a time when Jesus continued to reveal to those who followed him that he was back from the dead.  We are 16 days out from the Day of Resurrection and we remember that Jesus was still in the task of loving His disciples.  Remember the first day of the resurrection, Mary and the other ladies went to the tomb.  They expected to see the body of the Lord there but they got an amazing surprise.  They met Jesus and immediately went to tell the disciples.   But I would like to mention another account

Luke 24:13   “Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia (about 7 miles) from Jerusalem.  They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened.  While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went with them.  But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”

     

Discussion:   As you may know the story, you know that they were sad because of the crucifixion of Jesus.  They thought that God had disappointed them and failed their expectations.  They were sad because they thought that Jesus was going to put Israel back into the place of glory and excellence as it was in the days of David and Solomon.  When they had pride and strength to comfort their hearts even when it faced a troubled day. 

That day was not the day that God failed their expectations but the day that God blew their expectations off the map of speculation and exceeded anything they could grasp or even imagine.  God brought back Jesus from the dead!  Just think.  This man whom they saw on the cross and crucified now was again alive.  This is not like when we hear stories about Elvis, that he perished in his hotel room or through some rumor that he succumbed to an overdose of drugs and a hard life.  But more like the shooting of President Kennedy who was killed in national view with many thousands to witness.  But now is back.  Alive Again?

     It is very common to get bogged down into the problems, sinfulness and treachery of the state of mankind today but if you believe that Jesus is alive.  Just have a little talk with him and he will exceed what ever expectations you may have had.  Many believers think about the problems of the world and become stuck..  it traumatizes them into a state of confusion to where they do nothing but just what is needed at the moment.  But remember Jesus is Alive!   The very one whom was seen to have failed their expectations still exceeds our expectations, or does he?  Have you spoken to Jesus lately to hash out the experiences of life yet?  Have you turned to the one who said, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”  Have you turned to the one who asked these believers, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”

      I like to point out the phrase ‘as you walk’ or ‘as you go’.  It is used many times in scripture to connotate ‘as you are living’.  Like Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in the first sentence, “ I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called.”  Paul clearly was talking about the life of the believer and their calling or ‘actions’ as believers.  The question to the disciples was, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?” I’m sure the words, “I thought He would…” or “we expected that He would be the answer to…” Came up in this talk.

 But God had Bigger Plans!

     As you read along in the story of these two disappointed disciples, you will find that their little talk with Jesus broke through many of their expectations and ultimately made them go back to Jerusalem to find out the rest of the story. 

      Conclusion:  How about you today?  Are you stuck in the mud of your own expectations about what you wanted Jesus to do?   Are you stifled in what you expected God to perform?    Just a little talk with Jesus will reaffirm His devotion, ability and sovereignty in your life.  Many people miss the power and majesty of Jesus because they are looking beyond the resurrection as if it happens every day.  But this is a silly and stupid approach. 

God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son, Yes the same Jesus who was crucified, dead and buried is back now Alive and Revealed to you to live a life of being continuously surprised by what God can do.  

 Blessing:  May God bless you to know His presence, peace and safety as you seek to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to our world.  May there be a fusillade of grace, by way of direction, connecting, and compassion that grant you success in your efforts to offer support and hope to patients and their families in the future. Amen