“And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.”
Although it seems in my own experience that the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is primarily used when preaching during the Easter season, I am sure that through the years it has been a favorite passage for many preachers, as well as lay students of the scriptures.
This story has all the heart-pounding excitement of a good novel, when the hero who is thought dead suddenly appears to his friends after battle and they realize he has triumphed over a powerful enemy and they are safe once more.
I personally can’t help getting a little misty-eyed each time I read through it, when I get to the line, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
I can identify with that sentiment, as I have often felt that burning inside as I study the Bible and the Holy Spirit enlightens me to truth.
Both my own experience and the words of this disciple cause me to think of Jeremiah who said, “But if I say, ‘I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name’, then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it.”
My wish is that everyone who names the name of Christ would come to a place in their relationship with Him and their love of His Word, that they would have that fire in them, blazing up as they study and threatening to consume them if they do not pour it out to others.
I have preached on this subject myself. But today I want to turn the prism just a little, and see this story in a slightly different light.
I want to look at THE CONDITION OF BELIEVERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR FOCUS, and WHAT OUR FOCUS MUST BE IF WE WOULD BE VICTORIOUS, and JESUS’ THREE LITTLE WORDS OF SUCCESS.
THE CONDITION OF BELIEVERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR FOCUS
Isn’t it easy for us to lose our focus? We see this tendency in many areas of life. Corporations have classes; seminars; to teach their people how to maintain their focus at work. Management meets weekly or even daily, and one of the purposes for those meetings is to refocus.
We set a goal, and unless we concentrate on making each step a progression toward that goal, we lose focus and stray from it.
We admire men and women who accomplish great things, even worldly goals, who have climbed a difficult road and aspired to a high and lofty position of fame or wealth; and one of the reasons we admire them is for their tenacity and determination.
And what do they inevitably say, when asked to give an account of their success? Well, among other things, they set a goal and kept their focus. They developed a life-style designed to bring them into frequent remembrance of their original plan and surrounded themselves with people who would encourage them, lift them up when down, challenge them when weary, and help to turn them back to the right path if they began to lose focus and stray from their course.
I realize that people have mixed feelings about actor-turned-Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger for one reason or another, but I see him as a ready example of what I’m saying. I remember years ago, reading a magazine article in which he was interviewed, wherein he said that at 14 years of age he decided he wanted to be a bodybuilder and a winner of awards, so he set his focus on that and let nothing else deter or distract him.
The result was that he took 7 Mr. Universe titles and 5 Mr. Olympia titles.
That was why, when I saw the announcement that he planned to run for the Governorship of California I was confident that he was going to be the Governor; I knew he would pursue it with that same determination.
And we have good reason to admire people like this...because so few of us have that single-mindedness and determination about life.
Now obviously, when a person with some worldly goal loses focus, the result is that they do not attain the prize. In running a race, if they look back it slows them down and puts them in peril of tripping. In business losing focus gives the competition an opportunity to get to a prospective client first, or offer a better package, or just look more attractive by virtue of their zeal.
But what happens to a believer who loses his focus, in reference to his relationship to Christ?
Let’s see the picture these two disciples paint for us.
Loss of purpose:
First of all, they weren’t going anywhere with purpose.
We don’t know who these two were, except one of them was named Cleopas. They were not part of the chosen eleven, we know, because when they went back to Jerusalem it says “they found gathered together the eleven”, (who, by the way, also weren’t where they were supposed to be). So these two were not necessarily there when Jesus told His disciples that after his crucifixion He would meet them in Galilee, but doesn’t that point out something very important for us Christian?
The eleven had been told to go to Galilee, yet their unbelief kept them hiding in Jerusalem. Had they obeyed, these other two disciples would not have found them in Jerusalem. And had the eleven believed Christ’s words, they most certainly would have been quick to tell others that they also should go to Galilee if they wanted to see the risen Lord.
The point is, our unbelief, our loss of focus, does not only effect ourselves, believer, it effects others and drags them down with us.
Did these two have any pressing business in Emmaus? Maybe, but not likely. First of all we get the impression they were just strolling along talking doom, defeat and despair to each other, and secondly, that they were simply going home, as verse 28 indicates that they had a place to stay there.
There is also the fact that once they recognized Him, though it was late in the evening, they jumped up and went all the way back to Jerusalem to find the others. So if they did have any purpose in Emmaus, it is not evident to us.
Folks, when we lose our focus, we wander spiritually without clear purpose or vision, we accomplish nothing, we end up not where we are supposed to be, we place weaker vessels, who may be watching us, in danger of making the same errors, and the natural outcome is disobedience through unbelief.
Loss of joy:
The next condition of believers who have lost their focus, portrayed for us here, is loss of joy. They were sad. Down-hearted.
Jesus approached, asking, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they ‘stood still, looking sad.’
Again, the disease was contagious. The eleven were in hiding, grieving, and verse 33 refers to ‘those who were with them’...having their own private pity-party.
Now don’t think me harsh. It’s one thing that they were grieving the death of One they loved so much. But remember that they had been told outright by Jesus, BEFORE HIS DEATH, that He would rise on the third day and meet them in Galilee. In addition, some who had seen the empty tomb, and Mary who had seen Him alive and even talked with Him, had all come running back to the city with the good news, but they had not yet believed. Loss of focus.
Depressing speech:
Lastly, the condition of unfocused believers is that depressing things come out of their mouths. “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” He asked.
It was a challenge. Are you listening to yourselves? Is this faith talking? No. Is this unbelief talking? Yes. I have taught you spiritual truth, and I have told you what would happen, and it has happened, and your conversation indicates that not a word of it took root.
“What are these words that you are exchanging with one another...?”
This is the condition of believers who have lost their focus, friends; they become occupied with the circumstances of the world, instead of resting in the eternal and unchangeable Word of God.
We profess to know and believe in a risen Savior; even believe that we are dead and risen with Him! We have the indwelling Holy Spirit!
Yet doesn’t He often have need to challenge us with this same question? “What are these words you’re exchanging with one another?” Why are you moping together over the circumstances that surround you? Why are you fretting over the condition of your country, or the state of the stock exchange, or your poor health, or the difficulty of making ends meet, or just about anything but the right thing?
So occupied do we become with these things, and so despondent and wearied from worry, that we don’t recognize Him when He speaks to us.
Do we change any of those things by our depressing conversation? Not a bit. We simply make ourselves miserable, we make others miserable (even the ones agreeing with us), and we bring dishonor on the name of Christ. Men judge our Lord by what they see in us.
When we lose focus and fall into all the worldly snares that snare the world, what estimate can men form of Him whom we call our Heavenly Father and King of the Universe? They can’t see Him except through us.
So let’s talk about WHAT OUR FOCUS MUST BE IF WE WOULD BE VICTORIOUS.
Well, we can see clearly, that whatever the focus was of various people listed in this chapter, none of them were where they should be.
All the disciples are scattered about, in doubt and perplexity, fear and despondency; some running to the tomb; some coming from it; some going to Emmaus; some huddling together in Jerusalem; all in various states of mind and conditions of heart.
The one thing that brings them all together again, the one thing that sets their hearts right and brings them victory, is a personal vision of the risen Lord.
We have already mentioned Mary. She was at the tomb earlier and saw Jesus, recognized Him, and was sent back to tell the others. She is now off rejoicing somewhere, her life changed forever.
Jesus approaches the two on the road, walks with them, shares the Scriptures with them, breaks bread with them, and when they finally recognize Him, the focus comes back, sharper and surer than ever before.
They have gone from “...we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel”, to “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road...?”
As they later talk to the eleven and others in Jerusalem, Jesus appears in the room with them, graciously condescends to their weakness and their need and shows compassion even in the face of their folly and unbelief. What a Gracious Savior! “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
Although it is not specifically stated in the remainder of this last chapter of Luke, the next thing we see of them is that they, along with over 100 others, are gathered in the Upper Room praying and waiting on the Lord (faith), as they had been instructed (obedience).
Believer, if you are to be victorious, your focus must be, not on religion, not on your own expectations, not on the circumstances around you, but on your risen Lord! No one comes face to face with Jesus and goes away unchanged.
C.H.Mackintosh wrote: “There is power in the presence of a risen Savior to solve our difficulties, remove our perplexities, calm our fears, ease our burdens, dry our tears, meet our every need, tranquilize our minds and satisfy every craving of our hearts.”
Some were so wrapped up in grief that was all they could think of or talk about. Some were so blinded by their sadness that they could not recognize Him until He convinced them with words and actions. Some were so despondent that they would not believe until they saw.
But ALL of them, once He was significantly present and real to them, changed forever. They regained their focus. They turned the world upside down.
Believer, do you wonder why the scriptures exhort you to come into His presence? To draw near to Him and seek His face and know His ways? To consider Jesus? To look for His coming? FOCUS. Focus, not on His works in creation, not on ritual or form or man made laws and policies, but on Him Who is our Life.
This is why Paul wrote, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, THAT I MAY KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH; IN ORDER THAT I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.”
It is why Peter, later writing a warning about falling from steadfastness (LOSING OUR FOCUS), admonished us to:
“GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.”
“HOW BLEST ARE THEY WHO STILL ABIDE
CLOSE SHELTERED BY THY WATCHFUL SIDE;
WHO LIFE AND STRENGTH FROM THEE RECEIVE,
AND WITH THEE MOVE, AND IN THEE LIVE.”
- N.L. Zinzendorf (1700-1760)
Focus on Jesus, believer, and walk in victory.
Finally, I want to talk about JESUS’ THREE LITTLE WORDS OF SUCCESS.
Do you see the common theme running through this chapter and others in the gospels? As Jesus appeared to them in their various places, He explained the Scriptures to them.
To the two on the road He began with “...Moses and with all the prophets” and “explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures”.
When He appeared to the group in Jerusalem, He “...opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Did you see the three little words of success?
“IT IS WRITTEN”.
Three little words enhanced greatly in value by virtue of the fact that they were used three times by our Lord in answer to the enemy during His temptation in the desert, and again to those He loved just before he ascended into the heavens.
“IT IS WRITTEN. IT IS WRITTEN. IT IS WRITTEN.”
The Christ took on flesh, becoming entirely dependent on the Father in complete obedience and submission to the Father’s will, so that in His ministry the Father expressed His pleasure with the Son by the voice from heaven; and declared complete acceptance of the Son’s finished work by raising Him from the dead; and in Hebrews we’re told that the Father then said to Him, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”.
We have all these evidences of the Father’s stamp of approval on our Savior’s life, and with that in mind we look for the Son’s formula for success and find these words, over and over again. IT...IS...WRITTEN!
Believer in Christ, follow the Leader.
Bring yourself, your habits, your associations, your circumstances, even your doctrines; and hold them up to the standard of God’s Holy Word, and reject wholeheartedly everything,-however profitable or noble it may appear in worldly eyes-, that does not stand up to Scripture’s searching, revealing light.
It is our absolute authority to which we must submit daily and entirely, in order to maintain our focus on Him and His will.
It is foolhardy to argue with any one who does not give Scripture the same place of pre-eminence that Jesus gave it;
and no NEED for argument with the one who does.
So I’m going to end today following His example as set for me here in our text.
He appeared to them and opened their eyes and encouraged them from the Scriptures, which then, consisted of Moses and the prophets.
I’m going to do the same, giving it New Testament application.
This One who broke bread with the disciples in the Emmaus house; this One who showed Himself to have flesh and bones and ate with them in Jerusalem to offer proof that He had risen; this One who foretold His own sufferings and His resurrection and then showed Himself to hundreds of believers before physically ascending into the heavens...
...IS COMING BACK!
His return is made sure by His rising and His ascending, and by the Holy Spirit dwelling in you to reveal Christ within you and assure you with His very presence.
And this One who is coming back says, “...and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”
It.. is.. written.
Keep your focus, believer. Make the true and unchanging Word of God the basis of your peace and the authority of your path.
And walk in victory.
AMEN
