Scripture: Luke 24:13-39
Title: Soul Walking
Proposition: Through the narrative of the Emmaus Walk, Luke summarizes His Gospel - 1. Jesus has Risen from the Dead ( Life is now different) 2. Jesus Is Here In Our Midst (through His Holy Spirit)
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God our Father and from His Son Jesus Christ who came to take away the sin of the world!
Doctors, therapists, life coaches and even business advisors all agree that one of the best things that any of us can do to become healthier, more creative and more productive is to go on a daily walk. Down throughout history some of the greatest thinkers, writers and inventors have been known for their passion to simply go "walking". Albert Einstein was famous for taking leisurely walks along the beach to clear his mind and to reenergize his creative juices. Steve Jobs used walking not only as a means to problem solve but as a way to engage in purposeful conversations with potential business partners. Charles Dickens became famous for his 20 - 30 mile hikes as he would play out in his mind his next story or novel. Beethoven discovered that when he would take long walks it would allow the music to rise out the inner most parts of his soul.
Our writer this morning, St. Luke is famous for the way he uses the role of walking and traveling to share the fundamental truths of the Gospel of Jesus. Much of his Gospel from chapter nine onward centers around Jesus walking towards Jerusalem. Along the way Jesus shares with us some of the greatest stories ever told - The Parable of the Good Samaritan, The Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector and Zacchaeus to name a few. Each of these parables and stories Luke tells us took place as Jesus walked that final time towards Jerusalem and Calvary.
Today's Gospel lesson is a travel story. It is a story about two people walking away from Jerusalem towards the village of Emmaus. It's a story about confusion, doubt and uncertainty. It's a story about disappointment and disillusionment. But, it's also a story about faith and reality. It's a story about God's Word, new revelation and new insights. It's a story about hospitality and the power of breaking bread. It's a story about evangelism and the mankind being rescued, redeemed and restored into God's Image. Most importantly it is a story all about our Savior and Lord - Jesus Christ.
It is easy to read this story and get caught up in all the side issues that are going on. Luke paints for us this wonderful picture of conversation, confusion, confession, confrontation, conversion and commitment. It's easy to read this story and find ourselves focusing on all the little things and forgetting the major thing. We find ourselves getting caught up in these two men's stories as they traveled down the Emmaus Way. We find ourselves walking beside them listening and sharing their confusion, frustration, cynicism and grief.
But, we also find ourselves wanting to shout out to them to OPEN THEIR EYES, OPEN THEIR EARS and OPEN THEIR HEARTS. We want them to take a moment and stop and look at this stranger who is walking with them. We don't understand why they can't see that it is Jesus - the Risen Lord. We don't understand when Jesus begins to share with them all those Old Testament passages why they didn't stop and ask Him how it is that He knows so much about the Messiah and the Old Testament? We don't understand how they can be so dense when for the past few miles walking right beside them is none other than the Risen Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
And of course we rejoice when the ask Jesus to stay with them. We rejoice when they allow Jesus to take center stage and bless and break the bread. We rejoice when finally their eyes are opened and they understand that for the past few hours they have been walking, talking and sharing sacred space with the Risen Lord. We rejoice as they get up and this time instead of walking away from Jerusalem they get back to Jerusalem as soon as possible to share the Good News of Jesus' Resurrection.
So, why does Luke share this travel story with us? After all, this Emmaus story makes up approx. 1/2 of Luke's Resurrection Narratives. It involves two men of whom we only have one of their names and even then we do not know Cleopas from any other Biblical reference. Some have speculated all kinds of things from Cleopas being a relative of Jesus by way of his adopted father Joseph to being one of the "Seventy" (Luke 10:1) or the "120" (Acts 1:21) that had followed Jesus over the last 3 1/2 years.
I think Luke shares with us this story because it contains in just a few verses all the things that he has wanted to share in his telling Jesus' Story. This travel story enables Luke to put the final touches on His Gospel and it enables him to put a laser like focus squarely on Jesus - His Life, His Message and His Resurrection. We know that for years Luke was a co-worker of the Apostle Paul. During that time Luke had heard over and over again Paul preach and teach about the indispensableness of Jesus' Resurrection. There was nothing more important than the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and that Jesus has made a way for all men to be rescued, redeemed and restored once again to the Image of God. Listen again to Paul's words to the Church of Corinth that we find in chapter 15:14-22
14 And if Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing. And your faith is worth nothing. 15 And we will also be guilty of lying about God, because we have told people about him, saying that he raised Christ from death. And if no one is raised from death, then God never raised Christ from death. 16 If those who have died are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised from death, then your faith is for nothing; you are still guilty of your sins. 18 And those in Christ who have already died are lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else.
20 But Christ really has been raised from death—the first one of all those who will be raised. 21 Death comes to people because of what one man did. But now there is resurrection from death because of another man.22 I mean that in Adam all of us die. And in the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again. (ESV)
I believe that behind Luke's writings and especially our passage today is this fundamental belief in Jesus' Resurrection. For Luke, Jesus' Resurrection was no mere faith statement. Jesus' material (bodily) Resurrection was the foundational stone of his faith. A faith that he discovered was supported by ancient scriptures beginning with Moses and continuing through the Prophets. A faith that was further accentuated by a number of actual resurrection appearances attested to by men like Cleopas and his unnamed companion.
Our evangelist was doing his best to provide for the Early Church a Christian Apologetic. Luke wanted to share with us a Story of Jesus that is sound both in reason and true to God's Holy Word. Luke wanted us to know that Jesus is not simply some new Jewish prophet but that Jesus is in fact the Messiah and Son of the Lord God Almighty. Luke wanted us to know how Jesus' stories and teaching impacted his own life in such a way that Luke came to understand as a Gentile that Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
I believe that in this little travel story, Luke wanted to remind us over and over again two fundament truths about Jesus.
1. Jesus has Risen from the Dead (and now life is different)
2. Jesus Is Here with Us Now (through His Holy Spirit)
I. Jesus is Risen from the Dead
I am afraid this morning, we so often take those words - "Jesus is Risen from the Dead" so benignly. I am afraid at times that we have forgotten their tremendous truth, power and majesty. I am afraid that we have forgotten what an impact they are to have on all of our lives, the way we think, the way we live, the way we breath and the way we experience our world.
In Jesus' day those words were thought by many to be the words of fools. After all, no one at that time who had died on a Roman Cross was ever seen alive again. No one whose hands and feet had been nailed to a cross and their heart pierced with a Roman lance had ever walked out of their tomb. In their world the dead simply don't resurrect. Sure, there had been a few cases throughout history of people being resuscitated and brought back to life but what these people believed had happened to Jesus had never be thought of or seen before.
It took a while for those early Christians to understand that Jesus had not merely been resuscitated but that Jesus had been Resurrected. They came to understand that something supernatural had happened to and through Jesus. They came to understand that the Resurrected Jesus was the New Adam, the first fruit of God's New Creation and that through Jesus all may be made alive. They came to understand that Jesus' Resurrection changed all of history and all of creation. That now, mankind could be rescued from his sins, redeemed by the blood of Jesus and restored into God's Holy Image through the infilling presence of the Holy Spirit.
In saying "Jesus is Risen from the Dead" they were linking themselves up to God's Story of Salvation that had begun in the Garden of Eden. In the Garden the LORD GOD had told the serpent and Eve - "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel."
Now, that may not sound much to us but it is the first promise given to Adam and Eve concerning mankind's rescue, redemption and restoration in the Bible. Bible scholars call it the protoevangelium - or the "First Gospel". Included in this verse is the fact that Jesus Christ as the ultimate seed of woman would one day come to crush the serpent's ugly head (meaning Satan). In this process his "heel" would be bruised on the cross. In short, this verse is the first of many verses that foretell the Gospel story of Jesus who would win the victory over Satan, sin, death, hell and the grave.
When Charles Wesley wrote his famous Christmas carol "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" he included a verse dedicated to Genesis 3:15. Over the years that verse has been sadly left out. However, it goes like this:
Come, Desire of Nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home.
Rise the woman’s conquering Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place,
Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love,
Hark, the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
It's sad because Wesley shares with us one of the greatest truths about Jesus' Resurrection. By going to the cross and being resurrected from the dead, Jesus made it possible for all our sins to be taken away. On that Cross became our sin. On that cross Jesus became you and me. On that cross Jesus make it possible for all of us to become beloved sons and daughters of God. On that cross Jesus made it possible for us to be rescued, redeemed and restored into the very image of God.
In sharing this passage Luke wants us to fully understand that what Jesus did had been both foretold in scripture and was a part of God's Divine Plan. Jesus' death was not some tragic event or accident. Instead, it was all a part of God's plan to make a way for to experience the New Birth and Full Salvation.
It is right here that I believe that we in the modern church may have some struggles. I am afraid that we no longer have a healthy respect for the damning effects that sin has on our world and in our lives. I am afraid this morning that we have become so use to sin being around us that we have forgotten its effects and most importantly its consequences.
Now, what do I mean? We are living at a time when it is no longer shocking when we hear of one of the Ten Commandments being broken. Rather, we are more shocked to hear about a person who is living by the Ten Commandments.
Even passages like Galatians 5:19 - 21 no longer shock us -
"Now the works of the flesh are evident; sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these." I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
I don't say this to judge or to sound harsh but to speak a truth. In order for us to regain the power and majesty of Jesus' Resurrection we have to understand the seriousness of sin, the reality of evil and the lost and broken condition of one another. We have to understand that there is no everlasting life without Christ. There is no redemption without the cross and there is no salvation without the Resurrection of Jesus.
The people living in the 1st century knew that they were lost, without hope and condemned to die in sin. They knew that the powers of evil were greater than the powers of mankind. They knew that mankind was in a battle against enemies that were greater than flesh and blood. They knew about evil rulers, authorities, cosmic powers and evil spiritual forces. They knew that they needed to be rescued, redeemed and restored. They knew it in their minds, their hearts and their souls.
I am afraid today we have forgotten what they knew. In many areas we have become complacent with sin and the sad truth is that in many of our churches we have become comfortable with sin. We have relabeled sin as disease, brokenness and merely a part of the human condition which I believe has been at times has been quite insightful and helpful but at the same time we have all too often denied the power of the Resurrection to bring healing and wholeness.
The more we focus on those words "Jesus Is Risen from the Dead" the more we are able to realize that through Jesus the penalty of sin has been removed and the power of sin has been broken. The more we focus on "Jesus is Risen from the Dead" the more we are able to focus on repentance, water baptism and the infilling baptism of the Holy Spirit. The more we focus on "Jesus is Risen from the Dead" the more we can focus on evangelizing and sharing the Message of Salvation and Sanctification. The more we focus on "Jesus is Risen from the Dead" the more we can see lives transformed and our society restored into the image of God's Kingdom here on earth.
"Jesus is Risen from the Dead" lets us know that all of creation has been changed. No longer is Satan in charge of this world. No longer does sin have to reign. No longer do the rulers of this age have control and authority. When Jesus walked out of that tomb "he disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them ..." (Colossians 2:15). Jesus "reconciled himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:20).
We in the church have to do as these two men did that day on the road to Emmaus. We have to get back into the Word and allow the Risen Lord to teach us the truths of salvation, sanctification and everlasting life. We have to open our hearts and allow His word to burn within us once again. We have to know what it means to have all of our sins forgiven and be filled with His Holy Spirit. For when we experience the presence of the LORD everything changes.
II. Secondly, Luke wants us to know that Jesus is with Us Now (through His Holy Spirit)
I find it amazing that mile after mile these two people walked not knowing that Jesus was right there beside them. As they listened and as they shared conversation they did not know that within inches of them was the Risen Lord.
I also find it amazing that Jesus took the time to walk beside them. After all, they were going the wrong direction both physically and spiritually. Instead of waiting around to find out more about the women's stories of the empty tomb they had decided to go back towards home. They had lost their faith and I am sure began to suspect that the whole "Jesus" thing had been a mistake, a worthy one but still a mistake.
I find it amazing because it was just the two of them. How often are we tempted to stop a class or not start a class if we don't have at least 10 or more people signed up? How often do we read that passage that says "where two or more are gathered together I will be in their midst" and yet er never allow a place for just two? We quickly abandon prayer meeting if there is not a sufficient number. We abandon small groups if their numbers aren't high enough and yet here is our Risen Lord on the inaugural day of Resurrection Sunday taking the time to have a Bible class with these two individuals. It should cause us to do some soul searching when it comes to sharing God's Word and spending time in prayer.
I find it amazing that they try to tell Jesus about himself. I wonder if while they were doing all this talking that Jesus was smiling and having a laugh to himself? I find it amazing how gentle, how kind and how understanding Jesus was to both these men and to us as well. I find it amazing how Jesus led them to invite him to stay and then richly rewarded their hospitality by opening their hearts and eyes to His presence.
For how many times have we meet together and treated our time as time void of the presence of Jesus? How many times have we simply had church but failed to realize that each time we meet we meet together with Jesus in the midst? How many times do we sing or not sing without realizing that in our midst is the King of Kings either receiving or being unable to receive our worship and praise because we have failed to open our hearts, minds and souls?
It would be nice if we had a little spiritual red or blue light that would shine when Jesus through His Holy Spirit shows up. Many of us have a cell phone or some other electronic device that lets us know that it is working or is fully charged when a light comes on. When we see that light then we know we are good to go. It would be nice if that could happen throughout our day and especially in our worship services. It would be nice to look up and see a light come on and we would know that Jesus through His Holy Spirit is here - it's time to shape up, begin to worship or begin to do this or that or possible not do this or that.
But we don't need a red or blue light this morning. Jesus is always in our midst. He tells us "Behold, I am with you always even to the end of the world."
We read that but I am afraid at times we think - Well, he is not here because he has to be over that church or with that person. Jesus can only go to the big churches.
But the truth is this morning, Jesus is here through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit. Our red light may be off. Our blue light may be off. Our passage teaches us that for us to see Jesus we must do more than merely walk with Him or even listen to Him. Those two men walked with Jesus and they listened to his every word but it was only when they invited Him - when they welcomed him in their home that their eyes were open and their understanding made clear.
We get the feeling that had they not welcomed Jesus that Luke would not have this story to share. That even though they had walked mile after mile with Jesus, listening to Jesus it was only when they allowed Jesus to break bread with them that they realized that they were in the midst of the Risen Lord.
Now, while this does have implications to the Lord's Supper we have to understand once again the importance in that day of welcoming someone to eat with you. It was more than sharing a meal at Wendy's or McDonald's. It was telling that person that you want to share sacred space. For in that day people shared food out of the same bowls, they share common bread and many times shared a common cup. To share a meal meant many times eating after one another and drinking after one another. To share a meal meant you shared the same space as you reclined next to one another at the table.
In Revelation 3:19-20 Jesus tells His Church - "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."
That evening on what has been called the 8th day of creation - the first day of God's New Creation, the day of Jesus' Resurrection - Jesus came in and ate with these two men and their lives were forever changed. What had not happened during the walk or even during all the teaching happened as they allowed Jesus in their home and in their hearts. Suddenly, all their fears, doubts and confusion was removed. Suddenly, they found themselves turning around and going back to Jerusalem as quickly as they could. For now, they had a story. The story of being with the Risen Lord. The story of spending time walking and talking and sharing communion with Jesus.
This morning, in so many ways we are Cleopas and his unnamed companion. Like them we know a great deal. Like them we care deeply. Like them we share a lot of times of confusion, doubt and anxiety. Like them we don't always understand the depths of what we read in God's Word or we don't always know the ways of God's heart. Like them we even find ourselves going in the opposite direction of where we need to go. Like them our eyes, our hearts and even our minds are closed and many times we are unaware.
But like them we can right now invite Jesus to be in our hearts - in the deepest parts of our spiritual homes. We can open the doors of our hearts, our minds and our souls this morning. We can allow Jesus to rescue from our sins, redeem us by His blood and infill us with His Holy Spirit.
There is nothing this morning that our Risen Lord cannot heal or make whole. As we close this morning I would like to invite anyone that would like to know Jesus as their personal Savior. I would like to invite anyone who would like to be free of a life of sin and experience a New Life in Christ.
Closing Song and Invitation
This morning let us join with you in this simple prayer. Let us together as we pray the prayer of forgiveness, or mercy and grace.
"Dear Jesus, I want more than anything for you to be my Savior. I want to confess my sins and ask you to forgive me and by grace through faith LORD I receive you as my Savior. I invite you into my heart and life right now and commit today that I am a new creation and that in You LORD I have been born again."
