Jesus Incognito
(Luke 24:13-36)
1. Death was handled differently in the ancient world…
An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural history museum.
"I've just discovered a 3,000 yearend mummy of a man who died of heart failure!" the excited scientist exclaimed.
To which the curator replied, "Bring him in. We'll check it out."
A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. "You were right
about the mummy's age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?"
"Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, '10,000 Shekels on Goliath'."
[harry leichter’s clean jewish joke site]
2. When Jesus died, they began the Jewish burial procedure, but had to stop because the Sabbath Day was about to begin at Sunset.
3. We usually focus on what happened early Sunday morning, but today I would like to focus on what happened a few hours later, Jesus’ appearance to the two disciples walking the Emmaus road.
3. Jesus’ followers, fluent as they were with the First Testament, should have realized that the Messiah would rise from the dead.
Main: The two disciples walking on the Road to Emmaus that first Easter had experienced devastation; their faith had been shattered. They had no idea that their walk to Emmaus would end up becoming a walk of faith.
I. Jesus INFLITRATED to Develop the Right Kind of Faith (13-24)
A. He could have revealed himself IMMEDIATELY
1. Like Joseph with his brothers, he drags things out. Why?
2. He wanted them to first expect a resurrection on the basis of Scripture.
B. He wanted them to understand what the MESSIAH was supposed to do
1. The First Testament spells out that Messiah would die and live again
2. The First Testament spells out that Messiah will deliver Israel and sit upon the throne of David and rule the world from Jerusalem…
3. But the cross comes before the crown…
C. They meet Jesus INCOGNITO (13-16)
D. Jesus listens to their UNDERSTANDING (17-25)
Part of teaching is patience, and it is the hard part… like when someone tells you a joke and you the punch line, but you politely laugh… Listening to people recite truths you yourself have taught is a part of instructing…
Have you ever taken a walk with Jesus? Gotten right with God through Him?
II. Jesus CORRECTED Them with the Scriptures (25-27)
A. The right kind of faith is a SCRIPTURAL faith
• We are living in an age when evangelical Christians are following other forms of Christianity; trading a militant Bible-only faith for religion
B. He holds them ACCOUNTABLE to understand (25)
Perspicuity
We tend to say that some portions of Scripture are difficult to interpret, but the problem is not the Word of God, it is us. Jesus constantly lays the blame on our blindness, our hardness of heart…
C. The Messiah HAD to suffer (26)
1. Predestined
2. Prophesied
3. The reason for which Jesus came
4. Also that he had to be resurrected on the 3rd day…
D. Jesus finds HIMSELF all over the Old Testament (27)
1. The greatest defense of our faith is fulfilled prophecy
2. The best understanding of Jesus comes as we look at both testaments…
3. He begins with Moses (Genesis 3::15, Abraham’s seed, Jacobs prophecy “until Shiloh” a prophet like Moses….serpent in wildnerness… bread coming down from heaven…the sacrificial system)
Thirty years later, Paul could argue his case to Festus: NIV Acts 26:22-26
22 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen-
23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
25 "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable.
26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
E. Faith means believing the WORD, which we must know to believe!
• People grasp for more information about Jesus beyond the NT, so they wonder if heretical gnostic gospels written centuries after Jesus might have some tidbits…but fail to see the tremendous source in the other part of their Bible: First Testament
Have you ever taken a walk with Jesus? Gotten right with God through Him?
III. Jesus REVEALED Himself as the Resurrected One (28-36)
A. The disciples offer him LODGING and fellowship (28-29)
• Talk about being caught doing good!
• Hebrews and entertaining angels without knowing it…
B. Perhaps when he lifted the bread they saw his PIERCED hands? (30-31)
1. The “blessing” blesses the name of God…
2. He lifted it as he prayed
3. “eyes were opened” is passive…
4. God must still open our eyes, our hearts, to the Gospel
C. They hurry to tell the APOSTLES (33-35)
D. Jesus APPEARS to the group in person (36)
E. Has the Spirit of God given you the conviction that Jesus is the MESSIAH?
The two disciples walking on the Road to Emmaus that first Easter had experienced devastation; their faith had been shattered. They had no idea that their walk to Emmaus would end up becoming a walk of faith.
Have you ever taken a walk with Jesus? Gotten right with God through Him?
