Paraclesis Journeying Together The Resource of the Journey Luke 24:13-35

Life Is A Journey ‘Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God’ – 1 Peter 1:18 The Message

The Challenge of the Journey I will give the Valley of trouble as a door of hope – Hosea 2:15

The Gift of The Journey ‘He comes alongside us [parakaleo] when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person [paraklesis] just as God was there for us: – 2 Corinthians 1:4 The Message

The Process Of The Journey

Hard Time Training Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs – 1 Thessalonians 5:14, (Message) Consolation

Which Is Best? Consolation Bringing calm and peace, easing and soothing hurt; finding rest and giving hope Depression Comes from loss, grief, sorrow, disappointment, failure and hopelessness.

The Emmaus Road ‘Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem’ – Luke 24:13, NIV

What Did Jesus Do? 1.Connected with their story Living memory / present reality ‘they talked together of all these things which had happened they conversed and reasoned.’ Luke 24: 14-15a

What Did Jesus Do? 1.Connected with their story 2.He commits ‘Jesus himself drew near’ Luke 24: 15b

What Did Jesus Do? 1.Connected with their story 2.He commits 3.He builds rapport ‘Jesus went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him’ Luke 24: 15b-16 Being there Bringing peace

What Did Jesus Do? 1.Connects with their story 2.Commits 3.Builds rapport 4.Listens The door-opener ‘He said to them, “Help me understand what you’re talking about – you look sad.”’ Luke 24: 17 my paraphrase

What Did Jesus Do? 1.Connects with their story 2.Commits 3.Builds rapport 4.Listens 5.Expresses empathy 6.Let’s them tell their story The door-opener ‘He said to them, “Help me understand what you’re talking about – you look sad.”’ Luke 24: 17 my paraphrase He said to them, “What things? “So they said to Him... Luke 24:19

The Big Picture Need to see things themselves Jesus – Gained the right to speak. – Helped them see reality. – Focused on perspective (head and heart) and gave them hope.

How Did Jesus Help Them See The Big Picture? Grace and Truth We beheld His glory – full of grace and truth – John 1:!4 ‘beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself’ – Luke 24:27

How Did Jesus Help Us See The Big Picture? ‘He comes alongside us [parakaleo] when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person [paraklesis] just as God was there for us: – 2 Corinthians 1:4 The Message

How Did Jesus Do This? Grace and Truth Ministers to Need ‘they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. “And He went in to stay with them He sat at the table with them He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them’ – Luke 24:28–30

How Did Jesus Do This? Grace and Truth Ministers to Need Brings Enlightenment Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. – Luke 24:31 They said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”’ – Luke 24:32

How Did Jesus Do This? Grace and Truth Ministers to Need Brings Enlightenment Energises Them ‘So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed...!”And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread’ – Luke 24:33-35

So … ? Jesus relies on us to follow His example 7 days a week Use your gift

Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring Your love; Where there is injury, Your pardon, Lord; And where there’s doubt, true faith in You. Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of Your peace. Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope; Where there is darkness, only light; And where there’s sadness, ever joy. Make me a channel of Your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, In giving to all men that we receive, And in dying that we’re born to eternal life. Sebastian Temple. Copyright © 1967 Sebastian Temple/ OCP Publications/Admin. by Calamus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and evermore, Amen

So … ? Jesus relies on us to follow His example 7 days a week Use your gift