If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:15

Volume 13, Episode X

October 2012

Luke 24:25-26 And He said to them, O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?

In our previous newsletters we discussed spiritual disciplines, intimacy with the Holy Spirit, and spiritual Christian meditation. Now I feel led to go in the same direction but from a different angle. I would like to present you with a challenge by posing this question: Who is Jesus for you?

Who is

for you?

Lets PRAY: For all the students/disciples currently enrolled in the ADT offered by URFM. For the NEW seed of Spiritual Formation to find good soil and to grow exponentially. For NEW provisions to continue the Great Commission God called us to do. For the NEW students ready to enroll into the ADT. Amen!

Before I went to the Seattle & Portland area, during the first half of September, the Holy Spirit impressed deeply onto my heart the passage from Luke 24:13-33. Based on the impression I had that night I am going to share with you some thoughts and ideas. My insistent and fervent prayer is that our hearts will start burning within us as it did within those two disciples on the Emmaus Road almost two thousand years ago. I also hope that as the result of the burning caused by the revealed (rhema) Word of God we too will leave our place of familiarity and become committed followers of Christ like those two disciples did. If you want to fully understand what I am going to share please read Luke 24:1-12 which provides the context of the story of the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. After the first part of Luke 24, Dr. Luke goes into the story related to our main passage: And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem (Luke 24:13). Of course the NEWS of the DAY was what just took place in Jerusalem the CRUCIFIXION of Jesus. Luke writes, And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place (Luke 24:14). Lets imagine, for the duration of this newsletter, that we are eyewitnesses to the events on Emmaus road. If, according to Luke 24:13, they had to travel about seven miles, then lets imagine seven (7) milestones on the road. Lets imagine that we are so close to them that we hear and see everything that happened with those two disciples almost two thousand years ago. MILESTONE # I Jesus as a STRANGER: It is easy to observe that right in this context, a STRANGER jumps in the middle of their crisis. Luke writes, While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them (Luke 24:15). First APPLICATION: Jesus comes along. I am not sure what particular road you are traveling now. I am not sure what your personal confusion is all about it. But I know one thing for sure. Jesus is near. Jesus has an answer for you. More than this JESUS is the ANSWER. It is interesting that Luke reports For your PRAYERS during my that, . . . their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him (Luke 24:16). mission TRIP (29 Aug 18 Sept Many times Jesus is among us 2012), Seattle, WA & Portland, incognito. So we need a spiritual surOR. I had a blessed time!!! gery to be performed so our eyes can recognize Him. No wonder Paul is praying for the believers in Ephesus so that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, . . . (Eph. 1:18). The reality is that many of us today

Luke 24:32 They said to one another, Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?

Thank you!!!:

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VOLUME 13, EPISODE X

need that surgery so we can see Jesus for WHO HE really IS. Thank God that Jesus is in charge of all the spiritual surgeries we need. But, we will notice later, in their case He could not OPERATE without being INVITED. Let our PRAYER be the same: O, Spirit of God, open our eyes so we can see Jesus with clarity in the most mundane activities of our lives. MILESTONE # II Jesus as an INTERVENER: Christ knows HOW and WHEN to intervene, and, let me assure you He will intervene. Luke writes, And He said to them, What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking? And they stood still, looking sad (Luke 24:17). Second APPLICATION: Jesus is an intervener into our lives when we feel sad. I am not sure what sadness you carry in your hart. I am not aware of what is causing you to be discouraged. But I know a Person who knows all about it Christ. Jesus knows about it, and He will intervene. MILESTONE # III Jesus as a bible TEACHER: Luke writes, And He said to them, What things? (Luke 24:19a). Do you notice? Jesus knows HOW to ASK the right question! His question What things? acted like a tear gas grenade. It generated a long and deep discussion a bible study of almost two hours. Cleopas, took the initiative and spilled his guts in front of the STRANGER. They told the stranger everything, including their perception about these events and about Jesus. (See Luke 24:19b-24). Can you imagine this? Jesus, the main character of all these events the two disciples were explaining, was right there along the same road with them. This ignited the stranger to explain to them what follows in Luke 14:25-27: . . . O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory? Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. Third APPLICATION: This is a simple and straightforward application. When the student is ready the teacher appears. Isnt this WONDERFUL??? MILESTONE # IV Jesus as a GUEST: I love this part of the story! Luke writes, And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over. So He went in to stay with them (Luke 24:2829). Have you noticed another thing? At this stage in the processJesus does NOT force Himself into deeper intimacy with us He acted as though He were going farther (v. 29). Did you DONATE ONLINE see that? Isnt this beautiful??? I love it!!! Fourth APPLICATION: At this stage, Christ comes ONLY when INVITED. Are you ready to INVITE Him to be part of a DEEPER level of FELLOWSHIP? Would you be ready to invite Him as your special GUEST? I pray that you do.

MILESTONE # V Jesus as a HOST: This becomes even more interesting! Luke writes, When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them (Luke 24:30). What strikes me is that Jesus KNOWS how to turn the table around. Of course, you know that Jesus cannot be just a guest in our lives. Right?

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Fifth APPLICATION: It is so CRUCIAL in our walk as believers to invite Christ into our lives if we truly desire to KNOW Him better. But be aware! When we do that He turns things around. When invited, Jesus beIf you are interested in becoming comes a HOST instead of just a GUEST. At this stage, He is READY to take us to a HIGEHR more like Jesus, URFM offers level. (To be continued . . .)

ADT

With LOVE in HIS Service,

Advanced Discipleship Training

Valy Vaduva
Valy Vaduva

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