Be a risk-taker and history-maker

Life is full of opportunities to be with Jesus and to be like Jesus if we will only open our hearts to Him.

In the midst of recent protests and rioting in the downtown streets of Little Rock, Arkansas, one young black man chose to take the initiative despite the fears he was facing. He walked around the perimeter of an area being patrolled by police to get a head count of the number of officers around, went to the local donut shop down the street, and purchased enough individual bags of donuts for every officer. Joe Cline overcame several obstacles and, one by one, handed out the donuts to the officers. In the current climate of the nation, it was a big risk for Joe to do this, but the reward was worth even more. Officer Rossum received this kind gesture with overwhelming gratitude; she posted it to social media, and it received a lot of attention even from the news media.

If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves so overloaded with fear, anxiety, busyness, or even apathy that we miss opportunities to take the initiative to do things for the kingdom of God—great or small. We can be looking directly at a God-moment but pass right by it because our hearts are not receptive to the small voice of the Holy Spirit guiding and directing us.

The two men on the road to Emmaus, though they didn’t recognize Jesus at first, felt something in their hearts burning as Jesus talked to them. They took the initiative and as verse 29 tells us they “begged [Jesus]” to stay. They took a risk in asking this Man to stay with them because of the nudge they felt in their heart.

The Bible is full of risk-takers. What will it take for each of us to make the most of our moments with Jesus?

POINT 1: Start with the Heart.

Luke doesn’t mention this until the end of this passage, but in verse 32 the men discussed how their hearts burned as Jesus expounded on the Scriptures. If we’re going to have intimate moments with Jesus, our hearts have to be open to what He wants to say to us and to what He wants to do in and through us.

Why did their hearts burn?

Because God looks at the heart of man, not the outer appearance according to 1 Samuel 16:7. No doubt Cleopas and his friend felt the tangible conviction and affirmation from God Himself while talking with Jesus. Their hearts were probably racing as they heard from Jesus the words that they knew to be true and as conviction set in from their disbelief.

Because they were in the presence of something (i.e., Someone) bigger than themselves. Goosebumps, chill bumps, Holy Ghost hairs—it’s more than just a feeling. It’s a sensation that something greater than you is close by. The anointing that Jesus spoke with was palpable. It was tangible. There was no denying that the Anointed One was speaking to them.

Because Jesus was declaring the Word and according to Hebrews 4:12, “the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

APPLICATION:

It is possible to “turn off” that voice inside your heart guiding and directing you. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it is possible. So, how do we keep our hearts from becoming cold? Three things I recommend: daily interaction with Jesus, instant obedience, and an accountability partner.

POINT 2: Take Action Based on Faith.

At the beginning of this interaction, the two men were not in a place of faith. As Jesus talked with them, their faith began to rise. The fact that Jesus wasn’t in the grave should have led to more people having faith that He was alive and should have encouraged Jesus’ followers to wait for what would be next. Instead, these guys were walking away from Jerusalem and the empty grave. They were moving from the epicenter of what Jesus was doing to an unknown place. Their faith was weary, but it took a 180 degree turn as Jesus began talking about the prophecies concerning Himself.

This rise in faith led to action.

Why did they act?

Because they believed. They believed because they heard. They heard because the Word was speaking the Word! Romans 10:17 declares, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

Because they were desperate. Luke 24:17 reminds us that the men were downcast. They were frustrated with the current situation. They were desperate for an answer, to understand why things had ended the way they had. Have you ever acted out of desperation? Have you ever thrown a prayer up to heaven as a last-ditch effort to get an answer? That’s why these guys pleaded with Jesus to stay with them instead of continuing on. They saw in Jesus a glimpse of hope and they had to do something to hold on to that.

Because they were challenged. The words of Jesus recorded in this passage are challenging to them. He calls them foolish and slow to believe. The desire to do more and go further with this Man, Jesus, drew them to more. This wasn’t a challenge that offended them. It was a challenge that caused them to rise and take note of what was going on. Jesus was like a good coach—He put a challenge in front of His players and inspired them to believe they could achieve the goal.

ILLUSTRATION:

(Share a story with the question line: Have you ever been in a service where someone was instantly healed, and it caused you to want to be prayed for?)

APPLICATION:

Simply put, “Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (James 2:17). I don’t want to be held accountable for believing in something but then not acting on it. (As another example, tell the story of Rahab in Joshua 2. What would have happened if Rahab had believed that her family could be saved based on her conversation with the Israelites, but didn’t do her part to help them?)

POINT 3: Let Your Encounter Lead to a Testimony.

Verse 33 is the epitome of the excitement Christians should have after an encounter with Jesus. Notice the shift: Earlier in the passage the men were just taking a seven-mile stroll to another town, but now there is an urgency. They have big news and it has to be shared now!

Why did they share?

They were compelled to encourage their friends. It is obvious that these two men had a personal connection with the disciples as they were able to find them. There is no greater joy than the joy of having good news to share with others. This isn’t a moment of, “Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” This is a celebration of the best news ever. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. The person you put all of your stock in had died but now is alive. All your hopes had disappeared, but you’re now reflated. Why not share this news with your friends?

It was personal. The Lord and Savior, the Messiah, the Son of the Most High God, Jesus Himself, took time to walk and talk with Cleopas and his friend. One of Jesus’ first appearances after the Resurrection was with them. How exciting! However, until our connection with Jesus becomes personal, we likely won’t be excited about it. We may share something from time to time about someone else’s exciting news, but when it’s our news we talk about it and post it everywhere. We want people to know about our victories and successes.

APPLICATION:

This is why it is so important for each of us to have personal encounters with Jesus on a regular basis. If we don’t, we can forget that incredible feeling of excitement about the goodness and greatness of God. The boldness that a new believer has after accepting Jesus into their heart is attractive and contagious. Their passion is tangible, but it shouldn’t be lost only days or weeks after salvation. This is why we must continue to go back to the well of eternal life to draw from Jesus strength and energy to continue on our journey.

CLOSING CHALLENGE/APPLICATION:

When we’re given the opportunity to have an encounter with Jesus, what will we do about it? Will we act boldly to “beg Jesus” to stay with us?