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and their eyes were opened, and they knew him. Luke 24, 31 As I am traveling through life, and when I experience moments of sadness, because it seems like you're not with me any longer, I will be reminded of Luke 24, 13-45. I will remember that your word declares that you will never leave me or forsake me. When I am sitting in silence and solitude, reveal yourself to me. When I am fellowshipping with others,
Reveal yourself to me. When I am walking throughout my day, attune my heart and spirit so that I can tell when you're in my midst. Unlike the disciples who remain fearful from the attack of the religious, I will live loud and unashamed in front of those who desire to judge me because I know who is with me and in me. Walk with me, Jesus. Speak to the areas of my life that need your calming presence.
I am open and available. I am ready for your revelation. In Jesus' name, amen. Stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told from Pray.com's podcast, Heroes in the Bible. Hi, I'm Dr. Tony Evans, your host for Heroes in the Bible, Jesus.
If you've enjoyed this podcast so far, please share it with your family and friends so they can know Jesus in a personal way, because knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the Bible. Welcome to The Greatest Story Ever Told. It is a story of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness. This is a story that continues to shape and mold the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God right into the hearts of you and me.
This episode is the shortest we have had yet, but rich with deep truths and revelations about the Messiah. This episode features two disciples, one named Seopas and the other unnamed. They're on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus and come upon a strange traveler. This traveler walks with them and explains the depths of Scripture. Who is this strange man and how does he know so much about the Messiah?
This episode is a strange one. It is short but contains deep and amazing truths. It is almost like being in a dream, and its meaning only comes when you wake up. I'm excited for you to take this journey with me and the disciples on the road. Perhaps we will learn something new about God's chosen hero. But first, we will have a prelude. This prelude spans a few different people from different times.
The prophets of old all had partial images of who the Messiah was. It is only when you put them together that you see the grander picture. My prayer for you today is that this episode would inspire you to look deeper into God's Word. Perhaps you have waded into the shallow end of the Bible, and this episode inspires you to go further than you have gone before. Scripture is rich and ripe with deep and unfathomable truths.
I pray that this episode will draw you in and pique your curiosity. I know if you seek him deeper, you will not be disappointed with what you find. Here is episode 20, The Road. Every sandwich has bread. Every burger has a bun. But these warm, golden, smooth steamed buns? These are special. Reserved for the very best. The Filet-O-Fish and you. You can have them too.
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Hey, who doesn't love bacon? And did you know Oscar Mayer smokes their delicious bacon for 12 hours over real hardwood?
That's a really long time to perfect the smoky flavor and even longer than it takes to go on a long road trip from Chicago to Pittsburgh, stop for food along the way, and still get there while the bacon is smoking. The point is, Oscar Mayer takes the best cuts and smokes them over real hardwood chips. There's no wrong way to enjoy it. So buy some Oscar Mayer thick cut bacon now. Prelude to Chapter 20
The prophet Isaiah stood before God, enveloped by His presence. In the terrifying splendor of God's company, Isaiah was given a glimpse into the future redemption of mankind. What he saw was not a conquering warrior riding with a sword and shield. He was not a politician lobbying for policy. What Isaiah saw was a bruised and broken man bearing the sorrows of humanity, being touched by the heart of God.
Isaiah spoke to future generations, saying, He was despised and rejected by men. He is a man of sorrows and acquainted with the grief of humanity. We hid our faces from him. We despised him and did not worship him as he deserved. Instead, we struck him. He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we still did not esteem him.
He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and chastised for our peace. It is by his stripes we are healed. Isaiah was able to see what others could not, that the redemption of mankind was going to be nailed to a cross. Tears filled his eyes as he listened to the heart of the Messiah. He heard his voice say, I gave my back to those who struck me,
I gave my chin to those who would pluck out my beard. I did not hide my face from the shame, for the Lord God will help. I will not be disgraced. I will set my face like a flint, and I know that shame will not define me but victory." Isaiah knew that the Messiah would suffer, but he would not be a victim. He would set his face down like a flint to be struck, but from it, it would burst forth flames. The prophet Daniel also saw the coming Messiah.
The one who was promised to redeem Israel was shown before him, yet he was not the victorious king he expected. He was a man cut off from his own God. Zechariah would also speak of this suffering Messiah. The heart of the Christ spoke to him, saying, They will look upon me and pierce me, and God will mourn for me as one mourns for his only son. He will grieve as one who grieves his firstborn.
These prophets were able to see dimly the plans of God. The promised Messiah would conquer, yes. He would triumph and rule God's kingdom. However, first he would suffer. He would suffer the death humanity was destined for. The death that bound the children of God would be chased out by the light of the world. By his wounds, they would be healed. And by his blood, they would be washed clean. Chapter 20
The Road The road from Jerusalem to Emmaus was pleasant and bright. Vibrant trees stretched high above the trail, providing an enjoyable covering from the midday sun. The blossoming flowers fell down onto the road like snow, and the birds chirped joyfully alongside the gentle breeze. The entire day was filled with the brightness of spring, although the day was draped in beauty.
The followers of Jesus, traveling along the road, walked with their heads held low. They were despondent and sorrowful. The two walked like men defeated in battle. Their feet dragged along the dirt and their blank stares ignored the elegance in front of them. "I thought he was the one," Cephas said. "I worshipped at his feet. I praised his name like God himself. And now he's gone. What was it all for?"
Seapist walked with his hands tightly gripping his staff. I feel like a fool. His companion was silent and brooding. He too was a follower of Jesus and worshipped at his feet. The two of them had been utterly transformed by the work and words of Jesus. However, now that he was dead, they felt an indescribable emptiness. It was as if their identities had been forcibly taken from them. Were you there for his crucifixion?
The other disciple mumbled, "Indeed I was," Ceapas said. He winced and kicked a small rock on the road. "I watched them drive the nails in his wrists and feet, and I did nothing. I said nothing. I was helpless to help him." The two of them lamented their inability to help Jesus when he needed them most. His arrest had taken them completely off guard.
They thought he was the chosen one. They had praised him as God's promised Messiah, the one sent down from heaven to rescue Israel from Rome. However, now they were not so sure. They continued to reminisce about Jesus and his ministry. They cried and brooded over the events of the past week. The conversation left them feeling hollow inside, as if they were speaking about a friend who was supposed to be there with them.
The road was long but maintained its vibrant beauty, yet every splash of color seemed dull to them. Their heads were foggy with doubt and unanswered questions. If Jesus was not the true son of David, then who was he? Why would he perform so many miracles, all to be forgotten in the grave? Why did he provoke the Pharisees to the point of anger, paying them to see their perceived savior suffer such a brutal death?
The images of his bloodied and mangled body hanging lifeless on the cross were etched into their minds. It haunted their dreams for the past few nights. They pondered these things and asked each other unanswerable questions. Every sandwich has bread, every burger has a bun, but these warm, golden, smooth steamed buns? These are special, reserved for the very best, the Filet-O-Fish and you.
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He seemed to be a man without a destination. He simply walked on his own, content to be in the afternoon sun. The two disciples saw the man and began to whisper. The name of Jesus was dangerous. Every follower of him was scared to be persecuted and sent to the cross as well. However, the mysterious traveler seemed all the more curious about their conversation. He walked closer to the two friends and leaned in. Can we help you, sir? They said.
The traveler scratched his head and chuckled. Yes, I suppose I was just curious as to who you were speaking of. Jesus of Nazareth, they said trepidatiously. Who is that? The stranger asked kindly. The two men looked at each other in disbelief. Where have you been these past three days? You must be a visitor to not have heard about him by now. The stranger shrugged. The two disciples felt more comfortable talking to a visitor than a citizen of Jerusalem.
There was no way of knowing who was loyal to the temple priests. How do we begin to describe Jesus of Nazareth? They pondered. He was a man of power. He was a mighty prophet. When he spoke, it was as if it were the words of God himself flowing from his lips. Not only was he a man of power, but of compassion as well. He performed miracles, healed the sick, and restored sight to the blind. We believed he...
was the Messiah. However, now we are not so sure. They explained. And where is he now? The traveler asked. The two men sighed and looked at him with great sorrow in their eyes. Seopus did his best to not choke on his words as he responded. He is dead now, he said despondently. Our chief priests were threatened by him. They called him a blasphemer and
condemned him to death. We watched as he was delivered to the Romans to be crucified. We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel from the Romans. However, he was slain at their hand. The other disciples said, It has been three days since we saw him hang there. Since then, we have been scattered and hiding. Some of our companions visited his grave and saw that his body had been removed. There are rumors he is raised from the dead.
Peter and John went to investigate but found nothing. There was a long silence as the three men walked the road. The mysterious traveler looked up at the blossoming trees. He smiled as the bright petals fell onto his face. The two disciples looked curiously at the man. He seemed unfazed by the news. As they walked, they began to see more of the road through his eyes.
They began to notice the grassy fields blooming with flowers and the sun's brilliant rays shining through the tree covering. The traveler kept looking straight and spoke, saying, "You two are foolish," he said with a delightful tone. The two men were offended but listened nonetheless. "Are you so slow of heart to believe what the prophets spoke about? They told us that the Messiah was supposed to suffer before entering his glory, did they not?"
The traveler looked at them and began to orate the entire story of God. He spoke of the promised seed of Adam and Eve, destined to crush the head of the serpent. He explained the covenant of Abraham and the promised child that was destined to bless the nations. He described who was the high priest of Melchizedek, the man who wrestled with Jacob, the lion of the tribe of Judah, and the voice of the burning bush.
He went into depth about the true meaning of Passover lamb and the prophet greater than Moses. He told them that the Messiah was the captain of the Lord's army who came to Joshua, the ultimate kinsman redeemer mentioned in Ruth, and the suffering savior of Psalm 22. He described the good shepherd of Psalm 23 and the suffering servant of Isaiah. He spoke of the judges of Israel rising up as heroes to redeem Israel.
He spoke of David and Goliath as an image of the Messiah's triumph over sin. He then dissected the prophets of old and how they all pointed towards one single person, a hero and redeemer who would first suffer for the sins of humanity, then rise to be seated at the right hand of God. The two disciples were enraptured by the traveler's words.
The sun was beginning to set and they wanted every ounce of knowledge the traveler had to offer. Please, will you eat and stay with us tonight? They said. I am going further. Please, do not trouble yourself. The traveler said. The sun will be setting soon and we would love to hear more about the Messiah's triumph over death. Please, stay with us and share a meal. The traveler nodded in agreement and the three of them spoke more about the true meaning behind the scriptures.
Every page, every story, and every hero was meant to elevate and showcase one central character: the Messiah. The story of God was a narrative constructed for the sole purpose of hoisting the name and majesty of the Messiah. The traveler was able to explain this at great length. The mysterious man sat at the table and smiled. Although he was their guest, it seemed as if he was hosting them.
He ministered to their hearts and filled their cups. He served them and loved them with his kind words. The man raised a loaf of bread in the air and blessed it. He broke it, and as the bread tore in two, the disciples' eyes were opened. The one whom Scripture had spoken of, the Messiah they had spent an entire day learning about, was sitting at the table with them. The hero of God, Jesus, was alive!
They stood to their feet to embrace him and worship him, but as they did this, he vanished. They ran out of the home to look for him. As they looked around, they caught a glimpse of the sunset. Its deep orange hues illuminated the blossoming trees. They stood there in awe, for the first time in days had color again. They watched the sunset in complete reverence.
Tears streamed down their faces and they laughed. My heart burned as he was speaking to us on the road. I have never heard anyone speak of the scriptures in such a way. Seapus said, not taking his eyes off the horizon. His companion nodded and the two stood there in silence as the bright blessed day tucked in behind the mountains. That night they did not sleep.
They traveled even further to tell the eleven disciples that their king was alive. Every sandwich has bread, every burger has a bun, but these warm, golden, smooth steamed buns? These are special, reserved for the very best. The Filet-O-Fish and you, you can have them too.
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Are you ready to have your bacon loving mind blown?
Well, here it is. Oscar Mayer takes 12 hours to smoke some delicious thick-cut bacon. Most other bacon out there is smoked for four to six hours, but Oscar Mayer doubles that time. Let's put that into perspective. You could drive from Detroit to Omaha, and Oscar Mayer thick-cut bacon wouldn't be finished smoking. You could spend the morning and all afternoon watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy in full. You could even go to bed, get a full night's sleep, wake up, shower,
shower, have breakfast, including some delicious Oscar Mayer bacon, and then drive to work and to think that the bacon would still be smoking. The point is, all of these take at least half a day to complete, and Oscar Mayer takes the best cuts and smokes them over real hardwood chips for a really long time until it tastes really good. So buy some Oscar Mayer thick-cut bacon now and enjoy. It is so easy when we read the Bible to mistake the forest for the trees.
We look at all these stories as a roadmap to life or ways to help us live good lives. That's what the Pharisees did. They took the Bible and made it into something that glorified them and their morality. They saw the Bible as primarily about obedience and adherence. Because of this, the Bible was used as a measuring stick for righteousness. However, when we truly gaze upon the Bible in its entirety, we see that it is primarily and indisputably about Jesus.
If you look at each story individually, the image of Jesus is blurry. However, when you look at every story, prophecy, and law together, you will begin to see a clearer picture. The prelude helps us understand that. The prophets individually offered fuzzy images of the Messiah, but when you put them together, his image became crisper. The road to Emmaus was an event that happened, but it was also a metaphor for the process of the Bible.
All these men walked with Jesus. The dull and the colorless road became more vibrant and teeming with life. Their muted senses became colorful as they discovered more of who Jesus was. The person to help them with that was Jesus himself, although they did not know he was Jesus at the time. This episode has so many complex metaphors, it was almost too hard to keep track.
Jesus was talking to them in plain sight, but they did not know it was him. Why? Well, it would seem that he wanted to remain a mystery. He wanted to retell the story of the Bible to them and show them who the Messiah truly was. And at the end, when they had a clear understanding of who the Messiah was supposed to be, Jesus revealed himself. They got to see him, not just through the lens of his ministry, but through the lens of thousands of years leading up to his coming.
Jesus revealed to them that every word concerning this book of life had to do with his coming, presence, and promise. He was the promised child of Adam and Eve who would kill the serpent. He was the promised seed of Abraham to bless all the nations. He was the man who wrestled with Jacob. He was the greater Joseph who would be betrayed by his brothers before redeeming them. He was the lion of the tribe of Judah.
the voice from the burning bush, the true Passover lamb, and the promised prophet that would be greater than Moses.
He was the captain of the Lord's army that came to Joshua in the night. He was the ultimate kinsman redeemer mentioned in Ruth. He was the promised son of David who would be a greater king than David. He was the good shepherd of Psalm 23, the Savior described in the prophets, the princely Messiah of Daniel who would establish a kingdom that would never end, and the suffering servant mentioned in Isaiah.
Jesus was all these things and more. If I hadn't said it plainly enough, let me say it now. The entire Bible is about Jesus. These disciples were taken on a journey from ignorance to insight. Their blind eyes were open and their grieving souls were given comfort. The deeper you and I search the scriptures for Jesus, the more amazing he seems to us. My encouragement for you today is to not settle for shallow. Search and mind the depths of the breathtaking story.
The further along the road of Scripture you walk, the more vibrant and colorful the scenery looks. In our next episode, Jesus is going to bring life and light back to the disciples. Their dark and fearful hearts will be given light and courage for the battle ahead. Join us next time for episode 21, Breath of Life.
Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers, and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to Pray.com. And to expand your Heroes in the Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at TonyEvans.org forward slash heroes.
Share this podcast with a family member or friend so they can know Jesus Christ in a personal way. You never know how great of an impact the Bible and this podcast can have in someone's life. God bless. Hey, who doesn't love bacon? And did you know Oscar Mayer smokes their delicious bacon for 12 hours over real hardwood? That's a really long time to perfect the smoky flavor.
and even longer than it takes to go on a long road trip from Chicago to Pittsburgh, stop for food along the way, and still get there while the bacon is smoking. The point is, Oscar Mayer takes the best cuts and smokes them over real hardwood chips. There's no wrong way to enjoy it.
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