40 Days with the Lord
Part 3 – Abide with Us
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan
www.tawasbaptist.org
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
I will catch you up with where we began a couple weeks ago.
It is Sunday morning, and the women who came with Jesus from Galilee had prepared spices for Jesus’ corpse. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw Jesus’ body was gone.
Angels told them that He had risen. In disbelief they went and told the disciples.
Some of them came back to the tomb and discovered that Jesus was missing.
The disciple John believed when he saw the empty tomb.
They all left the scene except for Mary Magdalene.
As she wept outside the tomb, still not believing Jesus was alive, He appeared to her.
He told her not to touch Him yet because He had not yet ascended and received His resurrected body. He then told her to tell the others that He was returning to our Father and God in heaven.
She returned to the disciples, yet was met once again with disbelief.
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 24:13 – 35 on the Road to Emmaus
“13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast.
18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 "What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther.
29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.”
PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT & UNDERSTANDING
Two Disciples on the road to Emmaus
One of these two men we are told was Cleopas, but we are not told who the other one was.
Many ancient scholars believe it was Luke himself, and he that he was also one of the seventy, and the reason he did not mention himself was that he was the writer of this account.
Emmaus was a seven mile journey from Jerusalem.
We read in verse 14 that the two of them discussed all these things which had happened.
What had just happened over the past few days?
The crucifixion, and as well the testimonies of the women concerning the appearance of Angels, yes there was a lot to talk about.
The King James Version says in verse 15, “While they communed together and reasoned…”
This tells us they were deep in thought about the things in which they were discussing.
As they were discussing the things concerning Jesus, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.
This is another spiritual truth that we sometimes overlook in the scriptures.
Matthew 18:20
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
These two disciples were talking about Jesus and in deep thought about the events of the last few days.
And Jesus appears.
But listen how it’s worded here in the King James, “…while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near…”
They weren’t looking for Jesus, but He brought Himself to them, where they were.
He drew Himself near to them.
And it continues to say, “…and went with them.”
Jesus wants to come to you in your walk.
He wants to draw Himself close to you, and He wants to walk with you.
There beside you.
Though Jesus brought Himself into their presence, He did not reveal Himself to them yet.
We spoke last week about how Mary didn’t recognize Jesus until He called her by name.
He calls each of us by name, when it’s time.
He reveals Himself to each of us in a very personal way.
To have a personal relationship with the Lord, it must begin personally.
Jesus introduces Himself to you at some point in your life, and we don’t usually recognize Him.
But He is graceful and patient, and He brings our souls into a fitting condition before He reveals Himself.
In 17 we read that Jesus asks the disciples, “What are you talking about, and why are you sad?”
Many Christians today are uselessly sad, as we see here, and most of it stems from disbelief.
Disbelief or a lack of faith that the Lord is and will do what He says!
Thank God for His patience with us.
We are slow to learn, especially when it comes to spiritual matters.
Then Cleopas answers the Lord.
But he doesn’t just answer the Lord, he was full of sarcasm.
He states in verse 18;
"Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
In essence, Cleopas is saying, “You’re not from around these parts, are ya?”
I am convinced that if Cleopas knew He was speaking to the Lord, He would have had a different attitude.
Had he known this was Jesus, he would have conducted himself quite different.
Jesus responded to Cleopas, “What things?”
Again, we see here Jesus asking a question.
This reminds us of the questions He was asking Mary at the tomb.
He didn’t ask Mary questions because He didn’t know the answer.
He’s God, of course He knows the answer.
He asked because He cared about what was concerning her.
And here, this question too is not because Jesus doesn’t know the answer, it serves another purpose.
Jesus, like a masterful psychiatrist, knowing the human mind inside and out because He created it, uses a seemingly simple question, to draw these men out.
Cleopas went on in verse 19 to answer Jesus’ question.
“And they said to Him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people…”
Jesus of Nazareth?
Cleopas, what are you thinking?
Don’t you mean Jesus the Messiah?
Jesus the Savior?
Jesus our Lord?
No, not any more.
Because Cleopas’ faith was shattered.
He once believed those things, but Now, Jesus was a Prophet from Nazareth.
This is another human example of what happens to us when we try to build a box for God, and place Him in it.
The Lord was working outside of the parameters that Cleopas had believed and placed on Jesus.
And when Jesus did not act in the way that Cleopas felt He was supposed to, his faith was crushed, because God did not live up to Cleopas’ expectations, even though they were low.
But Cleopas’ expectations were not God’s will, though He could have easily done what Cleopas expected of Him.
How many times in our lives we place limits on God.
How many times in our lives we tell God what He’s going to do, and how.
How many times in our lives we expect God to do something a certain way, and when He doesn’t obey our expectations, we ask ourselves, “How could He fail such a small task?”
Then the devil slips in right on cue, whispering in your ear, “Perhaps God can’t do anything.”
“Perhaps He isn’t even there.”
“He must not really care.”
Our prayers to a Holy God we’re supposed to approach in reverence can sometimes turn into a Christmas wish-list of demands, as we cry out Jehovah-Jira, BE MY PROVIDER.
Or rather, obey my demands.
The Lord didn’t fit into Cleopas’ box this Sunday afternoon.
And because of this, Cleopas had little faith if any.
Cleopas went on to talk about how the Chief Priests and Rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and how they crucified Him.
But then Cleopas uttered the statement which was the basis of his broken faith in Jesus the redeemer.
In verse 21;
“But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel.”
They had confined their Bible study to that which the Scriptures promised respecting the Messiah’s glory and Kingdom, but they had been blind to the multitudes of types and Prophecies foretelling His sufferings as an Atoning Savior.
This happens when we pick and choose the scriptures we like.
Cleopas and many others like him thought of Jesus and His Kingdom to be there in their time, removing Rome from power.
They saw Jesus as an earthly King, blind to what the scriptures say about Him being our Atoning Sacrifice.
We must always remember to measure scripture against scripture, this will ensure that we have a better understanding of what they are saying.
They had missed the whole spiritual aspect of Jesus’ purpose.
They still didn’t realize that the redemption was spiritual, and the current Kingdom is spiritual, but there will one day be a Physical Kingdom on earth.
But this won’t be until after the Tribulation and Judgment.
Cleopas continues to tell Jesus about this being the third day, and how the women made astonishing claims of visions of Angels and stories of Jesus being alive.
And Cleopas closes with his doubt in verse 24;
“Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
In one conversation, Cleopas demoted Jesus from Savior to Prophet, spoke of His crucifixion without resurrection; spoke of his disbelief because Jesus died instead of defeating the Romans and becoming a King, and how even though the women said they had a vision of an Angel who said the Lord was alive, the men didn’t see Him.
Therefore, it wasn’t proven.
Jesus’ reply to this was, “You fools!”
“…slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”
Do you see what Jesus is saying here?
He calls them fools, not because of what they are saying, but how they have come to their conclusion.
They are fools because they base their belief on what they see.
We are told;
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we walk by faith, not by sight”
Everything they believed and told Jesus came not from faith, but from what they saw over the past few days.
And Jesus reminded them to base their belief on faith, faith that comes from hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17
Jesus said, “You fools, slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”
Jesus is saying, “Get back to the Word!”
In verse 26 Jesus says;
“Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
You see, the scriptures predicted His sufferings, which should have been obvious to His followers and would have been had they only devoted time and attention to the Word of God.
So often we go by what we see instead of what the Scriptures SAY.
We are to walk by Faith, not sight.
And faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
They were concerned about His glory, His coming Kingdom that they expected at that time.
Jesus proclaims that the Bible does outline the coming Kingdom of Glory, hence the “Triumphant Messiah;” however, it MUST be preceded by the mission of the “Suffering Messiah.”
This is what Jesus meant in verse 26;
“Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
Then Jesus continued, to bring them back to the Holy Word, He walked them through the scriptures, read in verse 27;
“27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
Do you remember earlier when I said that Emmaus was about 7 miles from Jerusalem?
It would take a while to walk seven miles.
Jesus had their undivided attention here, and was going to use this time to prepare these two disciples before He would reveal Himself to them.
Jesus taught them how everything in Scripture related to His death and Resurrection, and how it related to sin and judgment.
After this time with the two of them, they heard His word.
Jesus appeared to them, and drew Himself near.
And though they were in disbelief, He stayed with them a while and taught them concerning the Scriptures.
When they arrived at their destination, the Scriptures say Jesus made as though He was going further than Emmaus.
But they held Him, saying, “Abide with us: for it is evening, and the day is spent.”
“And Jesus went in to tarry with them.”
How many times has Jesus approached you, even in your disbelief, and spent time with you trying to teach you and show you the way, and after so much time, you let Him leave instead of asking Him to stay with you?
You allow Him to go, when He really wants to stay.
Jesus will tarry with any and all who sincerely desire Him to do so.
So Jesus comes in and sits down with them to eat.
He takes the bread, blesses it and breaks it, and handed it to them.
This was symbolic of what happened with Him just a few days before.
He was taken, blessed by His Father in heaven, broken, then handed to us in the form of a free gift Atonement for our sins.
For any who will take Him.
In verse 31 we see it says that when He did this, their eyes were opened!
The Lord allowed them to see Him for who He truly is.
They had realized it was Jesus and He was alive!
Then He had vanished out of their sight…
But only after they knew who He was, and that He was alive.
The two disciples who walked with Him realized what had happened.
They realized that the Lord had just spent hours with them helping them understand the scriptures.
The Holy Spirit does this for us today.
The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Word of God.
In the following few verses, there was a change from the meeting that night.
Quickly they changed from despair to uncontrollable joy!
They had to arrive at this place in stages, and Jesus walked them through it.
In 34, they proclaim “The Lord has risen!”
And verse 35 ends with a victorious picture of the telling of the story of Jesus, and how the Lord was alive and did break bread with them and tech them on the scriptures!
The Lord is risen!
He is with you here today.
The Holy Spirit is trying to speak to you right now.
Listen to the Lord’s voice call.
Listen as He calls you, His beloved child by name!
CLOSING
