Title: Walking From Emmaus
Theme:
Text: Luke 24:13 – 35
Luke 24:13-35 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day (what same day? On the same day that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. On the day God was performing the greatest miracle of mankind they were headed away from God’s hope for humanity.) to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. (IOW they were moving away from Jerusalem) (14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened. (15) So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
Jesus will meet you where you are. He may not accept you in the sinful condition but He will meet you there and guide you to a changed life. The question begins will you let Him lead you out. Will you listen to Him?
As we will see, but He loves you too much to keep you there.
(16) But their eyes were restrained, (eyes were seized, held by a lack of faith, it is faith that unlocks the door so that we can see who Christ really is) so that they did not know Him. (17) And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
Jesus recognized their condition. They were sad. Gloomy. Living in the fog of despair.
Their Explanation to Jesus of why so sad?
(18) Then the one whose name was Cleopas (Cleopas’ wife we find at the cross of Jesus in John 19:25) answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?" (This is a mouthful, if only they knew who they were talking to. Let us never forget who we are talking to in prayer) (19) And He said to them, "What things?" (If you want to know how to get answers from God, just follow the questions. God many times will give us our answers by questions so that we can, “Get it”) So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, (Three Areas they were blind: this is the first place where they missed it. Jesus is more than a prophet.)
Matthew 16:13-17 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (14) So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (16) Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (17) Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
(20) and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. (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. (this is the second part they missed. The very plan of God. It was more than just to redeem Israel but Jesus came to redeem the world. “For God so loved the world” John 3:16. God’s purpose for Israel was to reach the world) (22) Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. (23) When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. (this is the third time they got it wrong. Their whole thinking was messed up. They were even messing up on the details)
Their lack of faith had blinded them so much that they couldn’t understand reality. This was not a vision that the ladies had it was a real, bonified angel.
(24) And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
(25) Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Slow – inactive, dull
Jesus had spent 3 years teaching this. Hoping they would see. Yet in their greatest time of need they missed it.
(26) Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (This was part of God’s plan. This is what Jesus was talking about over and over again. About His suffering, about His death. “to enter into His glory, His purpose, His fulfillment, to truly see who He is) (27) And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
He probably worked His way from the beginning Genesis 3:15 the serpent bruiser. Then to the flood and the promise of a different way. Never destroy the earth by flood again but to find a different way of redemption. Probably weaving His way through Abraham and the multiplying seed. Then to this nation that God would raise up.
Can you imagine what it sounded like as Jesus talked about the tabernacle. That symbol of God’s relationship to man.
Jesus saying, “It was me who wrestled with Jacob at Bethel”. I was the angel.
Bringing them to David the kingship that would always be. By the time they have seen all of this then He probably quoted Isaiah 53:
Isa 53:3-12 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (4) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. (5) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. (8) He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. (9) And they made His grave with the wicked-- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. (10) Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. (11) He shall see the labor of His soul, [66] and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. (12) Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus looks them in the eye and says it was me who was in the fire with shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Obviously there is so much more by the time they get to the place. They had 39 books to cover.
(28) Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. (God will not force Himself to stay, but will only stay where He is wanted) (29) But they constrained (persuaded) Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them. (30) Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. (31) Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. (32) And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
In my imagination as they broke bread together something familiar happened. It brought them back to eating with Jesus. I could just imagine Jesus taking the bread and passing it to the two men. As He did they glanced at His nail scarred hands. Something burned in them.
Did not our hearts burn with in us what He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the Lord, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
(33) So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, (they reversed course and went back by faith, this is true salvation when we repent and turn to the direction God has commanded us) and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, (34) saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (35) And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
That is a mouthful. Jesus meets them and reveals Himself to these two. Yet is as the breaking of bread that the see Him. It is a familiar ceremony.
Closing with Communion
It was brought to my attention this week another familiar story. Acts 27:24 tells the story of Paul on the ship in the storm. The ship is being banged against the rocks. Paul tells the men. “Settle down, do not be afraid, for God has promised me, we will come through this.” Then in the midst of the storm they “break bread”.
It is in this communion that we can have the peace of God. Jesus has risen from the dead, the grave is empty. God has fulfilled His promise. There is no grave that can hold you. Death cannot hold you. Disease cannot hold you. Healing will happen. The grave is the proof.
Don’t let fear control you. As you take this communion take it in faith to know God is in control. This s why this day is so great. In a time of confusion, God does the unexpected.
