“Christ is not loved at all, till he be loved above all.”
–Ralph Robinson
In the narrative found in Luke 24, two disciples are making their way to the village of Emmaus, perhaps, seven miles from Jerusalem. They are joined on the road by Jesus, although his identity is temporarily hidden from them. One the interesting features of this passage (Luke 24:13-35) is that their encounter with Jesus and their subsequent spiritual growth centers around questions. In the above passage, five questions have been asked. These questions involve the mundane, something as simple as asking for more details and clarification. (ex: What is this conversation? What things?). They include doctrinally robust, explorations of the Scripture. (Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?). The questions even include a diagnostic test to evaluate their encounter with Christ. (ex: Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?) To engage in conference is to be immersed in all sorts of questions. It is to be willing to be asked very challenging questions. It is to know that an encounter with the Holy Spirit involves the Spirit of God shining the lamp of his word into the very recesses of our souls.
Conference among believers strives to facilitate that soul-searching. Thomas Watson offers some advice, “Speak one to another of your souls: enquire whether they are in health. Speak about death and eternity: can you belong to heaven and not speak of your country? Speak to one another of the times, wherein God is the great sufferer, let your hearts bleed for his dishonors. Thus, you see, here is matter enough for holy conference.” [Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, 69-70.] Conference with other believers means that we also take the time to listen. Jesus, on the road to Emmaus, listened patiently and compassionately, as the two disciples unburdened themselves to him. He knew the very best time to give them his wisdom and teaching was on the other side of their detailed story. David Powlison writes, “Wise counsel thrives on details.” [Speaking the Truth in Love, 93] Jesus listened to the details of their story and then rotated the whole narrative away from despair and toward the truth about himself as revealed in the Scriptures. Wow! That is powerful stuff. Your task when engaged in conference is simply to weave the Scripture-based truth about Jesus into the details of their narrative. It will involve some pointed questions and some patient listening. Have a blessed week and we will see on Sunday!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale