The Seven Mile Journey (blog)
Luke 24:30-31 NKJV
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
This particular scripture opened up to me as I heard it the other day. Wow! Do you see what it says here? Jesus was sitting at the table with them, talking, and they did not even know it was Him because their eyes were restrained.
Luke 24:16
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
He apparently stayed with them for quite some time, because this chapter reveals to us that not only did He take this journey of 7 miles walking, listening to them, and speaking to them but once we get to vs 27 we are told that He even took the time to expound to them in all the scriptures and spoke to them beginning at Moses and then went through all the prophets. Imagine sitting down with someone and not just talking but listening. For some of us, it's hard... lol but Jesus actually listened. He wanted to hear what they saw and experienced that day, but what did He say to them after listening?
Luke 24:25b
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
Obviously, He did not feel they got out of the experience of the previous days what He wanted them to get, because He was pretty surprised that after walking with them for 3 1/2 years, they'd forgotten the very things that were already prophesied about Him and His coming by the Old Testament prophets.
COMMUNION...
Why do we take communion? In fact, before I even answer that question, God's people must understand that it is not God who keeps you from communion. It is Man and Religion that do that. Why? Because they exalt self and place themselves in a position above Jesus, who is actually our only Mediator since the veil was rent.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
Many have been taught that they can't or shouldn't take Communion without a Priest or even in a church setting, yet nowhere in our Bible does it say this. In fact, quite the opposite because Jesus simply sat with His disciples, not in a church building or a Religious institution, but in an upper room, and said 'do this in remembrance of Me. You can clearly see how man hijacked this and made it religious rather than relational. This was never Jesus' intent. If we search out the scriptures, we find that His intent was and always will be relational. He is always showing us that we must get our eyes on Him and off of man and religion, which the Bible says kills
Luke 22:19
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Getting back to why we take communion as Believers in Christ. Well, the most important would be obedience, of course, because Jesus said to. He not only told us to do it but also showed us how. He never intended for it to be something we did only when going to church. Why? Because our life is not about church. If your life is about church more than about Jesus, you have an idol, and you need to repent. Jesus wants our lives to be about Him.
Did a church die for you? Did a Priest or Pastor suffer what He did for you? Is there anyone or any building that took away your sins? No, Jesus did it all. It is all about Jesus, and His desire is that we remember what He went through and why He chose to do that for us. Even for you, individually beloved. He wants us to know the significance of Him being marred more than any man
Isaiah 52:14
So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;
THE 7 MILE JOURNEY...
Where does the 7-mile journey come in? This is important because it happened right after the Resurrection, when the disciples had not seen Jesus in His resurrected form yet. The tomb was already opened, but the apostles thought the women were just telling them a tale. While Peter is running to the Tomb to see what the stories are about, we have the story of the Road to Emmaus sandwiched in because it has great significance for us today.
An amazing thing is what a supernatural story this is. We've read of many miracles, but this story about Jesus after the resurrection is different. Why? Well, one reason, of course, because Jesus had risen, which was miraculous enough, but also because this story tells us that Jesus had the ability to restrain the eyes of people. He wanted to talk to them but did not want them to know who He was yet. But also, its significance is that it tells us that not only can Jesus restrain our eyes at times, but also that He will. Have you ever had a time in your walk with the Lord that you felt you couldn't see Him or feel His presence? Beloved, that does not mean He isn't there. It might simply mean you need to get closer and ask Him to open your eyes.
CLOSENESS TO JESUS...
The closer you get to Jesus by giving Him your time, walking, talking, and visiting with Him, the more important it is not only to Him but also to you. He truly wants to be with you. He cares what you think and how you feel. In fact, He wants to ever so lovingly correct what you thought and felt and will spend time teaching you the truth and going through His Word again if He has to, to make sure that you understand.
Often, I hear Christians saying things like, 'I never hear or see God, but I always wonder if they are missing the closeness Jesus wants to have with them. Are they taking the time to sit at His feet, not just talking but also listening? Are they following what He taught the disciples to do to be close to Him and taking communion so that they remember what He was about to do for them on the cross?
OPEN YOUR EYES...
Verse 31 specifically says something that many miss. Once He broke bread, then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. My encouragement to you today, Beloved, is to make communion a part of your daily prayer time with Jesus. Take time to not just tell Him of all of your needs but to show Him that you remember Him and what He did for you, your family, etc. Take time to say thank you for the renting of that veil so that you were given the ability to come boldly to the throne of grace. Remember the cross and put your sins under the blood as often as you need to. Take the body and drink the blood while also pleading it over you for the day.
Beloved, it is through that closeness and communion that He will open your eyes, and you will know Him more and more. You will know that you have experienced Him, and you will see Him. You will be certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were in His presence, but not only that, but you will also know that His desire is that you would search for Him and seek Him daily. Jesus' desire is that you know Him and see Him, but He also wants you to search Him out.
Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Beloved, I personally use Matthew 26 to take communion, but you can also use 1 Corinthians 11:24 or do it your own way, but find that closeness with Jesus and watch your relationship grow closer and closer, but most of all, be blessed as He opens your eyes and shows you His Glory.
Matthew 26:26-28
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
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