Find Yourself in the Scriptures

I want to talk to you about the Word. The Psalmist said the Word was more precious than gold and silver (Psalm 19:10; 119:72). We can say, “Well, it’s nice for the Psalmist to feel that way.” But the reason it is written is because God expects us to feel the same way, that His Word is more precious than gold and silver.

Years ago my pastor told us, “We want to have a revelation of the Word. We want to reach into a greater understanding of it. After every service I want you to write down a short paragraph of what God was speaking in that service.” It is amazing how much you receive when you have the habit of writing. It helps a lot. You listen and you write. We want the Word to be rich to us so I encourage all of you to take notes during the service. You have to learn how to study the Word and you have to learn how to hear it.

Now when you come to a service, you expect the person to bring a living Word not just something that was twirling around in his brain and seemed interesting so he speaks on that. That is not what we are after. We are after a living Word, something that is coming from the Lord.

We’ve had several messages on preparation for the services. There is a reason for that. We want to be able to hear what the Lord is speaking. We are very guilty of taking for granted that we are going to hear what God is speaking. Jesus gave the parable of the sower and at the end said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9). If you read the parable of the sower it is not hard to understand, but yet Jesus is saying you need a special capacity to hear what the Lord is speaking in it, because what we have in the Scriptures is just the English language. We tend to think of it in terms that are familiar to us. But to be able to hear what the Lord is speaking requires a special capacity. In other words, the anointing that is on the one who is speaking must also be on the listener. When the Word really becomes more precious than silver and gold, you will begin hearing the Word of the Lord.

Now let’s look in Luke 24. This takes place after the crucifixion of Jesus. There are a couple of disciples walking down the road. They have been in Jerusalem and they were on the road to Emmaus. As they are on the road to Emmaus, suddenly Jesus begins walking along with them. They didn’t recognize Him and they were talking about the things that had taken place in Jerusalem.

Luke 24:18-25 And the one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering said unto Him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And He said unto them, What things? And they said unto Him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.
21 But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher;
23 And when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.
25 Then He said unto them, O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

What do you think Jesus would say to us? O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe! How many times have we had doubt and unbelief? Waking up in the middle of the night and you can’t sleep because you’re worried about something? O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Why? Because the prophets were speaking with an anointing, but we weren’t reading or listening with an anointing - slow of heart.

Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?

He couldn’t enter into His glory without first suffering. Do you want to enter into the glory of the Lord? Guess what comes first? Through much tribulations we enter into the Kingdom (Acts 14:22). Let’s look at verse 27. I think everyone should have it underlined.

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Where does the beginning of Moses start? Genesis chapter one, verse one. Now this is very interesting that Jesus could find Himself in all of the Scriptures beginning with Moses and all the way through the prophets. He is in there. He didn’t just explain to them the Scriptures or give a nice interpretation. He revealed Himself; He had found Himself in those Scriptures.

Now here is something you might look to the Lord about: When you go to the Word, first of all we determine that Word is going to be more important than silver and gold. When we read those Scriptures, we want to find Christ but not only that, we want to find ourselves in there. Have you ever found yourself in the Scriptures?

Years ago when I was a young Christian, I was reading in John 18 where Jesus and His disciples were walking down a path and over the brook Kidron. As I read it, I felt like I was there. I had the feeling of walking with them – I found myself in the Scriptures. Believe for it. Find yourself; you are in there. All of the cloud of witnesses are in there. Every time you read about the Body of Christ, you are in it. You are in that Body of Christ. What is it talking about? It’s talking about you and all your brothers and sisters who are in the Body of Christ.

Find yourself in the Scriptures. That is when it begins to live for you. You don’t want the Scriptures to be just a religion to you. “I see the commandments; I see the good things, the truths. I’m going to try to live by them and be a good person.” That is religion. No, we want it to live for us. We want that Word to reach our hearts. Suddenly you find yourself being a part of what you are reading and it will live for you. That is when it starts becoming a living Word. Otherwise, the Bible is just a book with black ink on white paper with a lot of words of the English language situated in a way to give certain thoughts. To some people that is all it is. But to us, we are going to hear the voice of the Lord in it. His voice is going to be speaking to us and soon we will get so close to the Lord we will find ourselves in there. You are in the Book!

That is what Jesus is talking about here – And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. He was in there – He experienced it. He lived it! He knew what He was talking about.

Luke 24:28-32 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further.
29 And they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. (The bread represents the Word.)
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?

In the breaking of the bread, their eyes were opened and they knew Him. I tell you, you can have a journey to Emmaus all by yourself in the Bible. You find yourself in there and the next thing you know, your eyes are going to open and you are walking along with the Lord Himself.

Luke 24:33-34 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

Isn’t it a shame that to many Christians, Jesus is still dead? What I mean by that is that they don’t know Him; they are not aware of His activity in their lives – He’s away, He’s far off.

Luke 24:35-39 And they told what things were done in the way, and how He was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I myself: handle Me, and see…

That’s about what you are going to feel when you really experience this. Get into the Scriptures and handle it. Taste of the Lord and see that He is good. Do like Paul said in Athens at Mars Hill, just feel for Him (Acts 27:27). He is so close; just reach out with your spirit and find Him.

Luke 24:40-44 And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.
43 And He took it, and did eat before them.
44 And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled…

All things must be fulfilled. You should highlight – all things must be fulfilled. You get in the Scriptures and find yourself and you will find yourself establishing a relationship with the Lord. Next thing you know, you begin to feel that all things will be fulfilled. “All things must be fulfilled and I’m a part of it.”

Luke 24:44-45 …all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.
45 Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

Have you ever prayed and said, “Lord, open my understanding”? I’ve prayed that prayer many, many times – “Lord, open my understanding that I might understand the Scriptures.” Help us, Lord, to find ourselves in them.

You know how the Pharisees were. Moses talked about sacrifices, Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, the feasts, all the different sacrifices and offerings that were made. Yet, Jesus said, “They were talking about Me.” Guess what? They are talking about you, too. They are talking about us.

Luke 24:46-50 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them.

Can you see yourself in that blessing? Jesus is lifting up His hands and He is blessing them. When you read these Scriptures, put yourself in there. Don’t just see Him lifting His hands and blessing those disciples. See Him lifting up His hands and blessing you. Be right there in that midst of what is happening!

Luke 24:51-53 And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Amen. I bless your hearts. Find yourself in the Word and see what you can become.

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