At Easter time, a pastor illustrated that God never leaves believers, especially when they are in weakness, valleys, or disappointments, using the story of the two disciples recognizing the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
Pastor D, from a city church in East China, said, "Many times we may not feel the presence of the Lord, not because He is absent, but because He is not present in the way we expect."
The pastor shared the prophecy of Isaiah about 700 years before the birth of Christ, "He was pierced for our transgressions, and he was crushed for our iniquities." This prophecy appears three times, such as in Isaiah, in Matthew, when Jesus healed all the sick, and in the testimony of the Apostle Peter.
Pastor D urged believers to understand and accept the fact that He had already carried the full weight of their sins, saying that they could not arrive at the truth simply by repeating it.
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus when He broke bread with them. Here, it didn’t happen in holy communion but at a meal. "God is not only present in gatherings, worship, and preaching but also in people’s six days of work and their interactions with family and children." Pastor D believed that God liked believers to interact with Him in many small things.
The pastor continued, "God, who does unexpected things, often deliberately breaks our expectations of Him. However, when we are in a lonely place, the Holy Spirit helps us know that God, who we think is hidden from sight, has never left us but is our help at all times."
After the two disciples recognized Jesus, He suddenly disappeared, with their hearts filled with fervor. They were no longer sad, discouraged, or hopeless after experiencing the appearance of Jesus.
After recognizing the Lord, the two disciples immediately returned to Jerusalem, back to the faith community. When disciples gathered together, Jesus stood among them, saying, "Peace be with you." Since Jesus forgave man's sins, sinners should learn to serve, embrace, and forgive one another with love. Pastor D said that Christians could find their true destiny in life when they were in a community. Therefore, he encouraged church members to find other believers who walk the heavenly path together in their cities.
Finally, the pastor stated that Christians have received from above the power of the Holy Spirit, who would always be with us.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
