I Need to Listen to the Voice of Jesus

Advent & Christmas

December 15, 2023

I Need to Listen to the Voice of Jesus 

Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

Luke 24:31

Read: Luke 24:13-35

I noted in yesterday’s meditation that many of Jesus’ followers turned away from him because they didn’t think Jesus was living up to their expectations. Some of the followers who didn’t turn away from Jesus were discouraged after Jesus’ crucifixion and thought he wasn’t the Messiah he claimed to be. They didn’t think their Messiah could be crucified; therefore, Jesus’ mission had ended in failure. “We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel” is how the disciples on the road to Emmaus put it. (v.21) They couldn’t see Jesus for who he was because the whole counsel of scripture was not the rule of their faith and life. (See my meditation of December 7, 2023)

To their discouragement, Jesus spoke a truth I need to hear today: “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (v.27) Yesterday I noted that Jesus’ call to repent is a call to surrender my agenda, or my ideas on how God should rule His Kingdom. In place of my personal agenda, I believe I am called by God to embrace the Word of God. I am called to the exposition of all the scriptures where I will hear the voice of Jesus reveal his fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption.

In today’s passage, as Jesus took the bread and blessed it, the eyes of the disciples were opened, and they recognized him. (V. 30-31) This is the other place to hear the voice of Jesus. In the sacrament of Holy Communion, as we come by faith to receive the bread and cup, we experience anew the presence of Jesus in our lives as we look forward to his coming again in final victory.

My Takeaway: There are so many voices in our culture clamoring for my attention and my allegiance. By God’s grace, may I hear the voice of Jesus above the din as he leads me home.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.