A Walk To Remember

A Walk To Remember

Text: Lk. 24:13-35

Introduction

1. Illustration: Easter is to our faith what water is to the ocean, what stone is to the mountain, what blood is to your body. It is the unique substance of redemptive reality. It is the first and final word in the dictionary of God. It says that Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. —Raymond I. Lindquist

2. I have often wondered why we get so excited about Christmas, but we pay so little attention to Easter.

a. Without Easter, Christmas is meaningless.

b. Without the cross there is no Christianity.

c. Without the Resurrection, we are to be pitied above all people.

3. What is Easter all about?

a. Easter is about hope.

b. Easter is about faith.

c. Easter is about passion.

4. Read Lk. 24:13-35

Proposition: More than any other miracle, the resurrection proves that Jesus is who he said he was - the Son of God.

Transition: First of all...

I. Easter Is About Hope (13-24)

A. But We Were Hoping

1. Try to imagine that you are one of these two disciples.

a. You have left everything you knew to follow Jesus.

b. You have alienated from family and friends.

c. You have given of your finances, talent, and time to follow Jesus.

2. You truly believed in your heart that Jesus was the one.

a. He was going to change everything.

b. He was going to bring freedom.

c. He was going to bring prosperity.

d. Most importantly, he was going to bring salvation.

3. However, you stood there and watched as Jesus, your master, your teacher, was tried, humiliated, beaten and horribly crucified.

a. The one you had trusted in was gone.

b. The one that you had put your faith in was gone.

c. The one that you had put your hope in was gone.

4. Luke tells us "Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

a. As they made their way to Emmaus they were sad, gripped by a spirit of despair over the Lord’s crucifixion.

b. Their hope that Jesus was the promised Messiah had been devastated, dashed against the rocks of death.

5. However, then something strange happened. "So it was, while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him."

a. The idea is that they were so absorbed in their despair and talk that Jesus was already walking along with them when they noticed Him.

b. But note: they did not know Him.

c. In this particular instance, the Lord "held" (restrained, kept) their eyes from recognizing Him as well.

d. Apparently He wanted them to more freely discuss the events with Him.

6. Then Jesus asked them "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

a. The Greek word means gloomy, dejected, despondent, sullen, overcast.

b. Jesus could see sadness and despair written all over their faces.

c. They were, as we might say today, wearing their emotions on their sleeve.

7. So they told him that they had been discussing all of the things that had happened in Jerusalem the past few days, and then Jesus said "What things?"

a. Now if Cleopas was a teenager living today he probably would have said, "Well duh! Hello! Where have you been?"

b. Surely, anyone that had been anywhere near Jerusalem the past several days knew what had happened.

8. The real key to situation lies in verse 21: "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened."

a. The key is "but we were hoping..."

b. They knew that Jesus said he would rise on the third day, and they even knew that some of the women reported that the tomb was empty.

c. The problem was that they had lost hope.

B. Hope For the Future

1. Illustration: What Does Hope Do For Mankind?

Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.

Hope motivates when discouragement comes.

Hope energizes when the body is tired.

Hope sweetens while bitterness bites.

Hope sings when all melodies are gone.

Hope believes when evidence is eliminated.

Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.

Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.

Hope endures hardship when no on is caring.

Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.

Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.

Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging.

Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.