Walking with the Risen Christ
Luke 24:1-7
Luke 24:13-34
Suppose you were in Jerusalem A.D. 30. You purchased the Jerusalem Daily News, the edition is labeled, “Extra.” The startling big type headline reads, “Nazarene’s Tomb found Empty.” One of the column captions catch you eye, “Death Now Vanquished!.” Reports people of the way. Another headline reads, “Body Stolen” reports Pilate.
Luke 24 would make a great news story. Verses 1-7 is the account of the resurrection. (See New Living Translation) Verses 13-34 is the Walk to Emmaus.
Two disciples are walking 7 miles back home to Emmaus from Jerusalem. Jesus joins them in their walk, but they don’t recognize him. Maybe they are too preoccupied, with shattered dreams, to recognize him. The last time they saw him was when his limp lifeless body was being taken down from the cross.
Have you ever been so overcome with personal problems and personal challenges you lost perspective on life?
The disappointment of the two disciples caused them to walk blindly forward in a daze. They were preoccupied with their hopeless situation.
Jesus joined step with them and asked, “You seem to be in a deep conversation about something; what are you concerned about?”
They stopped walking and one of the disciples replied, “Haven’t you heard, you must be the only one who hasn’t heard what just happened in Jerusalem.” “What things.” Jesus asked. Aren’t you glad Jesus has a listening ear? He wants you to tell him your hurts, anxieties and confusion.
Luke 24:19-24
I. The Story If There is no resurrection
The two disciples had great hopes that Jesus was their long expected Messiah. “We had thought he was the Messiah.” “But he was arrested and crucified. This is the third day. His body is missing, but no one knows what happened to the body.”
Many people today are still living as if this were the end of the story. The body is still missing. The story went out that during the night the disciples stole the body of Jesus to make up the story that Jesus had risen from the dead just as he had said.
People are still living as if they Body of Jesus is still missing. Jesus was born, arrested, crucified, dead and buried, end of story.
A man and his little grandson were out walking down the beach one afternoon. They saw a crowd of people gathered around a man who had been overcome by the heat of the sun and had suffered a sun stroke. The grandfather was trying to explain this to the boy. The little fellow looked up at his grand father and said, "Grandpa, I hope you never suffer from a sunset."
Without the hope of the resurrection all hope is gone. The sun has set and there is no hope for sunrise.
We have gathered this afternoon to celebrate the good news that even though we face many sunsets there is always a sunrise.
There is a simple beauty in this Easter story we have read today about Jesus and two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. It shows us the great contrasts which were so much a part of that resurrection experience. Those followers of Jesus - and all who loved him faced a sunset on that fateful Fri day. The sun went down on all their hopes and dreams.
Aren’t you glad the Bible story doesn’t end with Good Friday with the crucifixion and the death of Jesus?
II. The Rest of the Story.
The Biblical account does not end with verse 24 of Luke chapter 24. It gives the rest of the story. Luke 24:25-27
Wouldn’t you have wanted to have been on that walk to Emmaus with Jesus? Jesus Himself leads the mobile Bible study. Jesus taught them that Jesus the Messiah was a fulfillment of prophecy. The prophecy stated that the Messiah would “suffer all these things before entering his time of glory.” Verse 26
Verse 27 “Jesus quoted passages from the writing of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all they Scriptures said about himself.”
Luke 24:28-32 - As they sat down to eat the disciples recognized Jesus. Jesus the guest became the host and broke the bread. As he broke the break the two disciples may have seen the nail marks in his hands. They recognized the risen Lord.
David Redding tells of having a big, black Scottish shepherd as a pet when he was growing up on a farm in the country. He named the dog Teddy and they became inseparable companions. Teddy would wait on him to come home from school at the bus stop. Teddy slept at the foot of his bed. Teddy came whenever David whistled a tune. During the night, no one could get within a half mile of their farm without Teddy's permission. The boy and his dog were inseparable. Then World War II came and David went away to war. He told his family good-bye, but there was no way to tell a dog you were going away and might never come back.
David Redding went away to boot camp and then was shipped overseas for three years. Finally, the day came when he could go home. The last bus stop was 14 miles from the farm and his parents didn't have a phone. He simply threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and started walking. It must have been two o'clock in the morning as he neared the farm. It was pitch dark, but he knew every step of the way. Suddenly, the dog heard someone on the road and began to bark. David said, "I whistled only once and Teddy stopped barking. There was a yelp of recognition, and I knew that a big, black dog was running toward me in the darkness. Almost immediately, he was there and in my arms. He knew me. He recognized me. He loved me. Even after three years, he recognized me and loved me."
Whenever there is a recognition of love, there is joy. Cleopas and his companion (possibly his wife, an unnamed disciple) made a marvelous discovery that evening in their home. They recognized the risen Lord. They recognized that he was with them. And this recognition brought joy to their lives. I cannot make many promises to you. But, there is one promise of which I am absolutely positive. When you reach that point where you recognize God's love in Jesus Christ, you will be filled with an inner sense of joy and peace.
The disciples reflected on their walk with Jesus, “Didn’t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” Verse 32
Have you had some of your dreams shattered? Things you had hoped for did not materialize. Have a little talk with Jesus. Ask Jesus to sit down with you and have a bible study. Search the Scriptures until you find God’s answer. Your heart will be strangely warmed.
#John Wesley had a heart warming experience at a Mission on Aldersgate Street in London England. John Wesley was an ordained clergyman in the Church of England. He tried many ways to find peace with God.
1. He tried the way of reason, but after two years of studying. The various philosophies he did not find his answer.
2. He then studies the writings of mystics and classical
Devotional literature.
3. He sought peace with God through spiritual disciplines. He fasted three times a week and prayed two hours every morning, but did not find inner peace.
4. In 1735 John set sail for Savannah Georgia to serve as a missionary to the Indians. He did not find inner peace with God as a missionary. He wrote in his journal that he “came to convert the Indians and he himself was not converted.”
Then on May 24, 1738 he wrote in his journal.
“In the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, when the teacher was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
At the end of John Wesley’s life in 1791 there were 130,000
Methodists in England and a million Methodists in America.
Luke 24:33-34 - The two disciples recognized Jesus and had a complete turnaround in their attitude and outlook. No time to do the dishes they took off on a 7 mile run back to Jerusalem. They had smiles on their faces and new energy in their steps. Their gloom was transformed into excitement and joy.
In a church's Easter pageant there was a scene where a large cardboard box was used for the tomb. There was a boy inside the box playing the part of the angel. At one point he was to say, "He is not here. He has risen. Come see the place where he lay." But he forgot his line. Nevertheless, with all the unction he could muster, he yelled out "He ain't here. He's done gone!"
Because Jesus rose from the dead we have the church. The message the Apostle Paul gave to the early church is our message today. I Corinthians 15:3-11 (New Living Translation)
The resurrection of Jesus announces that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Easter announces that righteousness, decency and kindness are stronger than sin, human corruption and violence.
The tomb is not only empty, but Jesus is alive. As you walk the road of this life Jesus will join you and walk by your side. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you.
This afternoon why not take a walk with Jesus. Listen to him. He has risen from the dead. Because Jesus lives you can face tomorrow.
