The Road To Emmaus- Post Easter 2017

----The road to Emmaus---

Luke 24:13-35

I want to talk to you today about roads

We all have traveled many roads in our life times

Some rough- some easy- but many roads just the same

Sometimes we set off on a trip that we are dreading

Anxiety about what the end of the road will bring

Only to discover something spectacular when we get there/ a hidden treasure

Other times we are eagerly looking forward to a trip

And then circumstances along the way

Discrepancies when we get there

Cause

The excitement and anticipation to turn to

Disappointment

And

Regret

Many times I have traveled to look at a new horse or mule

A truck or a tractor

And what I went to look at was not what was described

Other times I have left

Dreading a meeting

Or the family reunion

Or the you name it—

Only to arrive and find that you had so much in common with the person or people you were dreading seeing that you did not want to leave when the time came.

Or that whatever you were looking at was way more than expected

Sometimes it is the circumstances that change your outlook

All dressed up

Ready to go

Only to blow a tire

Or have truck problems

Along the way

Or maybe

You left a bit disgusted

And then God put someone in your path

Or something came on the radio

That changed your whole outlook

Over the last several weeks we have been studying and preaching about Jesus’ last week here on earth

Two weeks ago we put ourselves in the shoes of Jesus’ followers as they watched our Lord Ride into Jerusalem on a donkey

Excitement filled the air

Then we came back on Friday

Good Friday they call it

And cried together

As we talked of the crucifixion

The trials

The rejection of our Lord

Then on Easter Morning

We once again placed ourselves in the shoes of some of Jesus’ closest followers

at sunrise out around the fire

We felt

Their sorrow

Their sense of loss

Their despair

And then we celebrated as we saw how sunrise brought new hope

Then later we came inside and rejoiced at how the empty cross and empty tomb and empty burial clothes

Contained the fullness of God’s promises

The empty cross – the promise the forgiveness of sins

The empty tomb – the promise of eternal life

And the empty burial clothes – the promise of a personal relationship with our living savior

We saw as the followers

First the women

Then Some of Jesus’ closest companions

Changed the outcome of their emotions

And went from hopelessness to hopefulness

Emptiness to fullness

Today we are going to continue our Easter lesson

Yes I know Easter has passed

Mother’s day is fast approaching

But I believe the story of the resurrection

Should go way past Easter Sunday

It should be a part of our lives as believers

Why

Because without the resurrection

There would be no restoration

No way to get to God

No way to be redeemed

So

Please open your bibles to Luke chapter 24

Let me tell you a story about a couple of Guys who left out on a trip

And let me tell you about the things that happened along the way

That changed their whole view of the trip

But also changed their lives

Luke 24:13-35

I will read the whole account for you’ then we can break it down

Luke 24:13-35

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

19 “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”