A Life-Changing Walk

“A LIFE-CHANGING WALK” Luke 24:13-35

FBCF – 4/19/20

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Walking – most basic mode of transportation

- Good for you

- Health benefits

- Time w/ spouse, friends, or God

- Get out & get some exercise! Go for a walk!

What’s longest you’ve ever walked?

- Carry the Cross from Crystal Springs to CWBC – 19 miles

I believe the longest walk for a lot of people is the walk away from the grave of a loved one.

- That’s what we see in this passage.

- It was definitely a life-changing walk!

EXPLANATION – Open Bibles to Luke 24:13-35.

Quick outline of the events of this trip of a lifetime for these 2 disciples:

The disciples’ discussion – v. 13-14 – 2 of Jesus’ followers were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after all the dramatic happenings of that weekend. Not sure who these disciples are, other than the name of one of them was Cleopas.

Jesus appeared – v. 15-16 – In the middle of their walking & talking, Jesus walked up & joined them, “but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him” (v. 16).

The disciples explained – v. 17-24 – Jesus asked them what they were talking about. That question stopped them dead in their tracks w/ sad, sullen, gloomy, downcast faces.

Cleopas then spoke up & gave their perspective on the things that had happened, showing that they didn’t truly understand why Jesus had to die.

- They lacked a spiritual viewpoint on Jesus’ death. Cleopas didn’t mention any divine involvement as he described the crucifixion.

- They had an earthly agenda. Their perspective was like so many others, believing that Jesus was going to overthrow the gov’t & restore the glory days of King David.

- They didn’t acknowledge the resurrection. If they had, they certainly wouldn’t have been walking AWAY from Jerusalem, but would have been running TOWARD Jerusalem.

Jesus taught – v. 25-27 –

- First, a slight rebuke – “You are such foolish, foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures!” (TLB)

- Then, a question that spoke of God’s sovereign design for all that happened

- Then, the explanation of all the OT prophecies that started all the way back w/ Moses & the children of Israel.

o Gen. 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

o Deut. 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”

o Isa 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

o Isa. 53:5-6 – “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

o Zec. 12:10 – “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.”

The disciples invited – v. 28-29 – With their curiosity aroused in a huge way, they invited Jesus into their home to stay w/ them, which was also a practice of hospitality in that day. Jesus accepted the invitation but maintained His cover so He could continue to teach them.

Jesus revealed – v. 30-32 – Jesus the guest became Jesus the host. He reached for the bread, blessed it, then broke off a piece to begin serving them. Even at this point in His life, He was still fulfilling the statement He made in Matt. 20:28 – “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve…” And in this moment of serving that they had seen Him do before, the immediately knew who He was. It was Jesus! And before they could even speak or move, He disappeared from before their eyes. Then they realized that their hearts had been “burning” as He had shared the Scriptures w/ them.

The disciples reported – v. 33-35 – Their discovery of the risen Jesus prompted them to turn right around & head back down the same road to go tell the other disciples & those who were packed together that they had met Jesus!

APPLICATION – We are all going to have to walk the Road to Emmaus at some point in our lives. And as we do, we need to remember these things: