Traveling Companions Series

Introduction: For three days the body of Jesus lay in a stone cold tomb. On the Sunday morning after his death, the disciples find that his body is missing. Something inexplicable had happened; something unexplainable. There was some talk that Jesus was alive but they were not quite certain.

We are not quite sure why Jesus appeared to these two men on the road to Emmaus but one thing is evident Jesus had made an indelible impression on their lives. As they walked together, “they conversed and reasoned” about the things that had taken place. Their hearts and minds I believe, were on the Lord, yet they did not recognize Him when they saw Him. Could it be thjat since they knew that He was dead, therefore it was unthinkable that Jesus would be walking with them?

On that day the two men were taking one of many such walks, since public transportation would not have been readily available as it is today. But on this particular day their walk took on a significance that they would not soon forget. They realized after a short while that they were in the company of the risen Lord.

The two men on the road to Emmaus were traveling companions. In those day people rarely traveled alone. Robbers and bandits were always around so it made sense to have someone along, if only for the company. As they walked Jesus joined them. They did not recognize Him but they must have decided that one more person in the group would make them that much safer.

In the journey of life we all need traveling companions. This life is full of uncertainty and treachery and we cannot make the journey alone. But we must also be careful about who goes with us. You see, some people make wonderful traveling companions but others just would not do. The Bible tells us that we must be in agreement with those accompanyus. Paul make this very clear by saying, “How can two walk together lest they agree?” Who is your companion on this walk of life?

Today I want to talk to you about making your walk with Jesus more meaningful. He is the only companion that would never let you down and when things get rough, He will never leave or forsake you…but unlike the two men on this lonely road, to walk with Jesus is a choice that you must make…He can either go with you if you invite Him along or you can leave Him behind…the choice is yours.

1. “Jesus Himself drew near and went with them!” Verse 15

A. Jesus calls men to go with Him

- Matthew 4:19 “Follow Me!”

- Jesus calls and men leave all to follow Him

- Andrew and Peter left their nets

- John and James left their families

- Matthew left his tax collecting business

B. To follow Jesus means making sacrifices

- It means giving up some things that are important to us

- It means there is no looking back

- “If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

C. There is a cost of discipleship (Luke 9:57 – 62)

57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

APPLICATION: We have all answered the call to follow Jesus…to walk with Him but very often we are not willing to pay the price that it requires…

We are not willing to make sacrifices for the Lord!

We are not willing to make changes in our lives…we want to live the same way that we did before.

There are times when I find myself being ashamed to associate myself with people who call themselves Christians because of their behavior

To businessmen and women of the church let your Christian integrity show through to those whom you do business with

2. “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Verse 17