Hearts on Fire
Luke 24:13-35
Good Morning, He is Risen!
Today we celebrate the most important event that ever happened within Christianity; the Resurrection of Christ.
Even though we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ; there were some present there that day, who were hopeless because they believed, their dreams died, when Jesus died.
Someone has said, “Living without passion, positive expectations, or enthusiasm can become painful. But feeling hopeless doesn’t have to be permanent.”
How can we go from hopelessness, to excitement?
If you have a Bible this morning, please open it to Luke 24 as we learn the only way to find true hope in a hopeless world.
Several things can lead to disappointment or hopelessness:
1. Lack of inspiration.
Not having a goal or motivation, or feeling powerless.
2. Not enjoying the journey.
Disappointment can occur when we’re so focused on a goal and we end up miserable during the process and neglecting other people or things in our lives.
3. Having the wrong goals. (Eggs in the wrong basket)
When we chase the wrong things, hoping they will fulfill us with peace and joy; soon we discover things, only leave us hopeless.
4. External expectations.
When someone or something does not meet our expectations, we can become disappointed or hopeless.
5. Mistreatment by others.
This can happen by being alienated by someone, having a disagreement, receiving criticism, being insulted, being falsely accused, or not receiving the respect we are due.
Many things can lead to disappointment and hopelessness, because there is not a single person or a thing in the entire world that can fill the God-shaped void within your life.
When we expect a spouse, another person, or any-thing to do what only the Lord can do, we will be disappointed or hopeless.
Today, we will see two men whose hearts were on fire as the Lord spoke to them, during their greatest disappointment in life.
I. Two hopeless friends.
Read Luke 24:13-17
Two disciples were heading for small village called Emmaus on Sunday, after celebrating the Passover holiday in Jerusalem.
This is probably the first chance they had to discuss all of things that happened over the Passover holiday.
What happened during this Passover that was so noteworthy?
Well, a week before His crucifixion, Jesus arrived in Bethany, six days before the Passover.
There, Jesus was anointed by a woman at a dinner party.
Matthew 26:6, And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
Matthew 26:7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. NKJV
Then Jesus rode on a colt of a donkey into Jerusalem, known as the “Triumphal entry” as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9.
The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem was also Lamb selection day within the Jewish religion; a day Jewish people would chose an unblemished lamb for their Passover Dinner celebration.
Jesus is the sinless, unblemished Lamb and we now know that He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus and His Disciples prepared the Passover meal, as Jesus shared with them about His upcoming death. At the same time, Judas was revealed as the one who would betray Jesus.
After the meal, they went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed and was in agony knowing what was awaiting Him;
Jesus was arrested, put on trial, endured beatings and finally, He was crucified.
Jesus gave up His Spirit at the time when the Passover lambs were being sacrificed, fulfilling more Old Testament Scriptures.
But then, on Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead!
These two men didn’t realize Jesus was alive; so, they are without hope and they are disappointed.
These men thought their teacher and leader was crucified and was dead.
In John 20, we read how Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb and found Jesus was not there, so they went and told the Disciples;
Before they went to tell the Disciples, Mary Magdalene didn’t believe Jesus had risen from the dead, so she was also hopeless.
John 20:15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." NKJV
Why didn’t Mary recognize Jesus?
Was it because she was crying, or maybe because it was dark, or was it because she did not expect Jesus to fulfill His promise?
Here in our narrative, these two disciples were heading to Emmaus and reasoning together about these events.
Jesus told His Disciples before these things happened, to go to Galilee; but, these men headed towards Emmaus instead; which we can see as an attempt to run away from their problems.
The issue with running from problems is that you always take you with you. You can’t hide from yourself or hide from God.
As the men were heading to Emmaus, just then Jesus enters their lives as they walked and they didn’t even realize it was Jesus.
The Lord has been working in our lives for a very long time and many of us fail to realize it; then something happens and all of a sudden, we realize Jesus was there, the whole time.
In vs. 15, conversed and reasoned, seems to indicate that these men were arguing with each other about what really happened.
Why didn’t these men recognize Jesus, like Mary Magdalene?
Unlike Mary, we are told here, why they didn’t recognize Him; vs.16 their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him
It could be that the Lord restrained their eyes because of their lack of belief that Jesus had risen from the dead, or because they were overcome with emotion over the death of Christ.
We don’t know why; but we do know their eyes were restrained
Someone said, Jesus, in His post resurrection appearance, could have told His disciples who He was; but, didn’t so they could experience Him themselves by the Scriptures He taught them.
If Jesus took away the restraint off of their eyes, it would have been a “quick fix” for the unbelief of these disciples.
In vs. 17, Jesus basically asks, “What are you arguing about?”
Kenneth Wuest said “And He said to them, what are these words which you are tossing to and fro to one another in this animated, heated conversation as you are walking?”
Arguing is not the way to solve hopelessness.
Until we surrender our hearts to the Lord, there will be no real hope in our lives; because Jesus is the answer to hopelessness and disappointments.
II. Jesus wants them to reexamine the events.
Read Luke 24:18-24
The Lord cares enough to listen to our concerns.
Imagine for a moment that the Creator of the universe cared enough to leave His throne in heaven; take on the form of a man
He came here, was betrayed, denied, beaten and crucified on the cross; all so we could escape sin’s death penalty we deserved.
And the first thing Jesus does is ask the question, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
People matter to Jesus and in this narrative, He is showing compassion, love, and giving us an example for us to live by!
Sometimes the best way to show love and compassion is to listen, without trying to fix things; we need to learn to listen.
Before the crucifixion, these men were saying Jesus was the One; but, in this scene, they were failing to recognize the presence of almighty God was right there with them.
Remember, the first Easter morning started with the women going to the tomb; and because that tomb was empty, we are now in the presence of almighty God.
He is alive, He is Risen and Jesus did all of this so we can receive eternity in heaven with Him.
I believe everyone wants to go to heaven someday; but, there’s a problem. Heaven is a perfect and the Lord can’t allow imperfect people in, no matter how good the person thinks they are.
You see, being good isn’t good enough; good isn’t perfection and everyone in the world has failed at least once in their life.
In fact, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount told us the problem with trying to make it to heaven with our own righteousness…
Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. NKJV
When I was in school, I used to love teachers who would grade on a curve. They took the lowest grades and the highest grades into account while grading, so I always did well on the tests.
So many people think, “I have never killed anyone, so I am pretty good. The Lord will probably grade me on the curve.”
However, the Bible is very clear that heaven is a perfect place, and only righteous people can enter in; so what can be done?
God loves you and desires you to be in heaven someday; but, you have imperfections in your life that the Bible calls sin.
And what is so crazy is the fact that not only does God want to forgive you of all the imperfections in your life…He also wants you as a friend, so He offers us a great exchange.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NKJV
God sent His only Son Jesus to take the death penalty of the cross on our behalf; so, in exchange, if we will receive His free gift of salvation, we will receive a right standing before God.
In fact the greatest Bible verse about hope is found in…
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV
That is what the Easter celebration and the cross is all about; Jesus rising from the dead proving, He was who He said He was.
Jesus wants us to experience perfect joy that comes from a clear conscience knowing our sins are forgiven.
You see, God wants to resurrect your sinful life and give you eternal life; because God is in the resurrection business.
III. Jesus explains the truth.
Read Luke 24:25-27
Jesus reveals to these two men that their real issue did not come from not knowing; but, from not believing.
Notice, “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
These men knew the prophecies that the Messiah was going to come as a suffering servant; but, most of the Jewish people expected the Messiah to come the first time as a political King.
When that didn’t happen, they lost their joy, their hope, and they no longer believed Jesus was the promised Messiah; because they did not see the necessity of the cross.
800 years before the Cross, Isaiah prophesied about Jesus;
Isaiah 53:5 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.
Isaiah 53:6 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. NKJV
Again, Luke 24:27 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. NKJV
Expounded in the original language means to stick close to the text. This means…
Jesus taught them what they should have learned through the OT, “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself”
Jesus taught them He was the Messiah and the Savior described in the O.T. prophets, and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
Jesus revealed that all of the appearances of the Lord in the Old Testament were about Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. NKJV
From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation; the Bible is all about Jesus. Jesus told them they should have believed what the prophets said He was going to accomplish.
IV. Hearts burn within us.
Read Luke 24:28-32
As they got near the village, Jesus acted as if He was going further; but, these two men constrained Him to stay.
Constrained means they almost resorted to force, begging Jesus to remain with them.
C. H. Surgeon said, “They not only invited Him, but they held Him, they grasped His hand, they tugged at His skirts, they said He should not go.”
Then Jesus has communion with these two men. They were not part of the 12 Apostles; so, they were not with Jesus for the Last Supper and didn’t understand the significance of communion
Even though this was not the Last Supper, something in this communion allowed these men to recognize Jesus.
verse 32, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked”
David Guzik said, “Even when they didn’t know it was Jesus, even when they didn’t believe He was risen from the dead,
…their heart still burned because of the ministry of God’s Word and of Jesus, the Living Word of God.”
The New English Bible in Luke 24:32 says, “Did we not feel our hearts on fire?" NEB
Luke 24:32 seems to indicate that these two men experienced expectation, as Jesus shared the Word of God with them; and expectation is directly connected to hope.
The definition of hope is to cherish a desire with expectation of fulfillment, or to long for with expectation of obtaining, or to anticipate something good.
Before the crucifixion, what were their expectations with Jesus?
They were hoping that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah who would redeem Israel; delivering Israel from the power of Caesar and Rome; making Israel the center of Jesus’ Kingdom.
But instead, Jesus had been publicly executed as an enemy of the state and here it is the third day and He was dead.
Timothy Keller said, “They think they need a general. They think they need a helper. They don’t see the need for a redeemer. But instead of redeeming them from Rome He was crucified.”
They were hopeless, not understanding Jesus’ death offered redemption; not from the bondage and oppression of Rome. But
Jesus offers redemption from the bondage and oppression of sin.
The Apostle Paul said, “Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Romans 6:21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV
Jesus said He came into the world to seek and save the lost;
Jesus Himself said in…Luke 19:10 the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." NKJV
Jesus had just conquered death on the cross and rose from the grave and Jesus takes the time to explain to these two hopeless men; that He is the Living Hope!
Their hearts were only fired up, once Jesus talked to them, revealing Himself to them through the Word of God.
Again, Jesus said in Luke 24:25, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Luke 24:26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" NKJV
The Old Testament is all about Jesus; from the Law to the temple, to all the Feasts of Israel, they are all about Jesus.
Colossians 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
Colossians 2:17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. NKJV
Why it is so important, to realize the entire Bible is about Jesus?
Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. NKJV
According to the Book of Hebrews; faith does two things for us: It causes us to believe the Lord exists and it causes us to believe He will reward people who seek Him with their whole heart.
Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV
Things haven't changed much since Jesus met those men on the road to Emmaus. There are many people today who are discouraged and hopeless because they don’t trust in Christ.
Again, some things that cause disappointment and hopelessness:
Not enjoying the journey; lack of inspiration; having the wrong goals. (i.e., having our eggs in the wrong basket); and external expectations and mistreatment by others.
Someone has said, “Living without passion, positive expectations, or enthusiasm can become painful.
But feeling hopeless doesn’t have to be permanent.”
How can a person go from disappointment or hopelessness, to excitement?
The best news ever given is that we can be saved from the punishment we deserve because of what Jesus did on the cross.
Jesus came so that we could have forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and a new life through His sacrifice.
For someone who receives Jesus; there is no more shame or condemnation; their account has been wiped clean by His blood.
It would be good enough if the good news stopped there, but it doesn’t.
Those who have Christ are also given peace.
Many things can lead to disappointment and hopelessness, because there is not a person or a thing in the entire world that can fill the God-shaped void within your life.
When we expect a spouse, another person, or any-thing to do what only the Lord can do, we will be disappointed or hopeless.
Jesus’ Resurrection is the proof that He is who He said He is and we can have forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Him by accepting His free gift.
Salvation through Christ is our only real hope, because without Jesus there is no Hope!!!
V. Practical Application.
Jesus paid for all sin on the cross; but, each person must accept His free gift for themselves.
So when you die, you are only left with two choices…
a. You can go and face the Lord and have Him grade your imperfections; but, as the bible says, the cost of sin is death.
b. Or you can accept the free gift of eternal life that Jesus offers and God will accept Jesus’ perfection in your place.
God is just, as well as loving, and if God were to simply look past your sin, He would be wrong and no longer be just.
I want to tell you a true story about the famous Evangelist Billy Graham when he first started as an Evangelist.
Billy was speeding through a small community and got caught by a speed trap.
A deputy Sherriff pulled him over and took him to see the justice of the peace to pay his fine.
In this town, the justice of the peace was also the barber as well.
So Billy walked in, the barber put on the justice of the peace robe and said, “You were caught speeding in a speed zone, how do plea?”
Billy replied, “Guilty your honor”, and the judge replied, “That will be a fine of $10.00.”
Billy didn’t have any cash on him and at the time and in those days; you had to pay the fine before you were released.
The judge told Billy, “You are guilty and the fine must be paid”, and then the judge reached into his own wallet, pulled out a ten dollar bill and put it into the county treasury box…
He told Billy, “You broke the law, but I will pay the fine.”
Because God loves you so much; but He is also just, He sent Jesus to die and take your place.
We sinned, and sin must be paid for; but, we have no way of paying the fine, so Jesus paid it all.
The Risen Jesus who met these two men on that road to Emmaus, is alive today and He has been opening the Scriptures to you sp your hearts will be set on fire to know Him.
Ask Him to come into your life TODAY. Only Jesus can set our hearts on fire, to be able to know Him personally and to have a true and Living Hope.
By knowing Him, we receive hope and eternal life with Him.
