Luke chapter 24 today is the text, and we're going to be considering Luke chapter 24. I'm going to read it verse 13 to the end of the chapter. This is the Emmaus Road, and we're picking up at verse 13. That very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, what is this conversation that you're holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. then one of them named cleopas answered him are you the only visitor to jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened here there in these days and he said to them what things and they said to him concerning jesus of nazareth a man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before god and all the people and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some 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 and he said to them oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken was it not necessary that the christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory and beginning with moses and all the prophets he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself so they drew near to the village to which they were going he acted as if he were going farther but they urged him strongly saying Stay with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures? and they rose that same hour and returned to jerusalem and they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together saying the lord has risen indeed and has appeared to simon then they told what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread as they were talking about these things jesus stood among them and said to them peace to you but they were startled and frightened and thought they saw spirit and he said to them why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your heart see my hands and my feet that it is i myself touch me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that i have when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet and while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling he said to them have you anything here to eat they gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate before them then he said to them these are my words that i spoke to you while i was still with you that everything written about me in the law of moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them thus it is written that the christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance for the forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from jerusalem you are witnesses of these things and behold i am sending the promise of my father upon you but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high and he led them out as far as bethany and lifting up his hands he blessed them while he blessed them he parted from them and was carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God. And there ends the reading of God's word this morning. Well, one of the things I think people struggle with, with the truth of the resurrection and what is being celebrated today all across the earth in churches with this great truth of the resurrection is still the fact and the reality that we don't see Jesus we have a great claim that's made that Jesus is risen from the dead and the chief article of our faith in the resurrection from the dead is based on this great truth that he is risen indeed and that we are to receive this by faith but is it true that we today do not see Jesus in resurrection power. I argue that Luke is showing us something quite a bit different than the way that we think about the resurrection, that really it's not true, that basic question that we do not see Jesus in resurrection power, that the inability to see the resurrected Jesus with our eyes is not the real problem. My contention from this text, and it seems obvious from this text, I don't know how we can miss it from Luke chapter 24, that even if the resurrected Jesus walked through those doors right now, many of us still would not see him. And I believe that what the text is pressing home to us is this question, how do we see the resurrected Jesus? how do we see the resurrected jesus luke is presenting him in this chapter which is remarkable um as really veiled until a remarkable work of grace is done in somebody's life and in their heart he is veiled to this day to people and that they can't see him until a remarkable work of grace is done in the heart and that's what i want to begin with today and that's what i believe is being shown to you today from Luke chapter 24 begin with this first point that Jesus is unseen and this problem for the disciples as they wrestle through this and think about this the scene is a dramatic one isn't it we all know this story um I I believe firmly as a pastor you should preach the stories on on these days and this is a well-known story to us if you've read the scriptures and know this verse 13 says that very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem and they were talking with each other about all these things that had that had happened we have this imagery here of two men walking away from Jerusalem and they are sad if um if we were able to put ourselves and if we're able today in their shoes just for a moment imagine this that for them the struggle that they're all facing and what they're thinking about as they're walking away from jerusalem sad with the reality that's in front of them what they are facing is is that everything that had to do with jesus of nazareth has turned into at least from their perspective the worst possible outcome they're walking away sad they feel let down don't they by Jesus their hopes are dashed they're confused the death of Christ was a stumbling block to them they're confused and they're walking away from their city of hope we can imagine the conversation I think just for a minute But, you know, this really makes no sense, does it? He did all these powerful things. And when he walked on this earth, and it's been testified, and we saw the signs, we saw the wonders, we saw the power. He raised someone from the dead. But his own life was snatched away. The soldiers at the cross mocked him. They said, look, this guy could make the blind see. He could raise the dead. But he himself, he cannot deliver. What a joke. Did you see the bloody crucifixion, Cleopas, that he had to endure? They struck him. They beat him. And he died suffering the worst of deaths. I mean, this is the death of a criminal. And yet, all he did was good. all he did was help people he he healed the blind and and this is the tragic ending to this story it just makes no sense we're distressed and while they're we're trying to imagine this kind of conversation happening luke gives us an interpretive clue in the midst of this that is key to understanding the entire chapter notice verse 16 but their eyes were restrained from recognizing him. That's an interesting little thing to interject, isn't it? Why? Maybe that's divine restraint. Maybe God put blinders over their eyes to blind them. I used to, I used to think that. I still wrestle with that. That seems to be somewhat of the indication here. But i can't help but to also think that this blindness is something of their own restraint remember um when jesus came to to mary uh in in john 20 and and she thought he was the gardener remember why she couldn't see jesus she couldn't see jesus because her sorrow was so great it was it was a sorrow that was driven by love she was absolutely heartbroken because she loved jesus so much anyone knows this about grief um when you lose someone you deeply love um the pain absolutely crushes people and you're blinded by that love that's been taken you're blinded by the pain of that but you can't see clearly but all the authors in the New Testament in reporting the resurrection of Jesus seem to me to convey to us that no one was really just easily able to see him after the resurrection until he chose to do something and it's not that he didn't have a body It's not that that was a true body that was raised from the dead. What is going on in this passage? What is this? Even Thomas struggled with this and all these variety of reasons that people would not believe and did not believe and struggled. And Thomas just wasn't doubting. He was flat out unbelieving. I believe the author is capturing something that's a real problem for us. It really didn't matter if Jesus stood right in front of them. They still could not see him. Why is Luke making this point? I think we've tried to solve this problem in our day a couple different ways, haven't we? Well, we've tried to solve this great problem of seeing Jesus. By some people have said, well, we claim visions of seeing Jesus. And this has sold millions. I mean, you can make a lot of money making that claim today. And you've got books that make this claim. So people claim that they have visions of Jesus. Or we reform people aren't quite as exciting that way. So we say let's draft an image. We'll make images of Jesus. That'll satisfy this longing to see him. This is an interesting moment because Luke is pressing us with the question. How are you able to see him? How are you able to see Jesus? We claim a resurrection today. That's quite a claim in the history of mankind, that somebody has been risen from the dead and then the great truth that is claimed of what has been accomplished in this, nobody else has ever made such an assertion. How can it be validated? If we can't see him, we are a bunch of people coming and gathering today and this might even seem foolish. It does seem foolish to many. It's just ridiculous, people say. Back to the disciples. Luke wants us to ask why they're blind. Why are these guys blind? Why can't they see Jesus? Well, read in verse 14 that he drew near and he walked with them. He asked a question of them, which is an important question in Luke 24. What is this conversation that you're holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still looking sad. Cleopas answers in shock. Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? I mean, who are you? It's like the guy who comes up in your conversation. It's totally annoying. Get out of here. Who are you to come in and ask such a question? Have you not known the things that have happened these days in Jerusalem? And he said to them, What things? Am I able to say that's my favorite question of Jesus? What a remarkable moment of Jesus' questions in the Scripture. The way that he asks that is so powerful. I like to tell couples in premarital counseling, I look at the man and I say, until you learn that your wife doesn't want you to solve all the problems in life and to simply let her work out the problems and that you just need to listen until you get that, you know, your marriage is going to be hard. And the guy sits there and looks at me like, oh, I don't know what you're talking about. That's what you'll learn. You're going to learn. Jesus is a masterful rabbi. He's truly God. What should they have known? What does he do first? He asks them. They're distressed. And he asks them this great question. What things? Tell me about it. Express it to me. Tell me about it. I want you to explain it for me. What things you're talking about. I always think it's good to be reminded of people when they're distressed. Questions are always great. Let them work it out. Let them discuss it. And they do. The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth. He was a mighty prophet in deed and word before God and all the people. And our chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and they crucified him. They are in absolute pain. They gave him the death of a criminal. The blows. They stripped him naked on the cross. This was our Messiah. All of them seem to believe her. This was just a giant mistake and that this entire thing escaped out of the will of God and that this just tragedy, this Easter tragedy happened. Notice fully what they say. And besides this, it's the third day. There's no resurrection. the women notice this little pun on words here it says so uh interestingly him they did not see again they did not see besides all this it's the the third day since these things happen they see they seem to be really wrestling with jesus's words don't they they seem to really think about jesus's words um remember what jesus said in in the course of the ministry see we're going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written about the son of man by the prophets will be accomplished for he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon and after flogging him they will kill him and on the third day he will rise he said oh see he's not here but Luke makes a little interjection right after that in Luke 18 but they understood none of these things. The saying was hidden from them. They did not grasp what he said. So why can't they see him? Even though he stands right in front of them. Well, they have no understanding. But there's a punchline to this. But we were hoping he was going to redeem Israel. You see, they can't see Jesus for one great reason. Their hopes and their expectations of what he had come to do, what they wanted him to do, were all wrong. There is no other way I see you can take this than to say that they believe that Jesus would save them from all political and spiritual woes that they were facing. And this is a huge exposure. I suggest it's one of the greatest problems in present-day Christianity. What do people think is the biggest problem that we face today? What do they think it is? If we surveyed, I think, many Christians in the church today, I think, and the broader culture bears down on us on all these issues, But if we surveyed people, would we know what is the biggest problem facing humanity today? And I think we would hear things like, well, number one, it's the planet. Carbon dioxide. Some would say it's about justice, social justice. Racial inequality is the issue of the day. I think some would say, well, I mean, if we're really going to be honest, even though it's happening over there, it's Putin's war that is the big issue of the planet right now, isn't it? Look at this. What about our lives? What do we show in life that is our biggest priority for which we're living? What we might be? Family? What is it? On this point, I think many people are exposed. What people want from Jesus is deliverance from hardship. And sorrow fills us because of the state of things. And we have different expectations for Jesus than what we're actually living out. That's what creates a lot of hardship in this life for us. And in that way, we act like he's still dead. That's why I think probably today the resurrection around the globe is being presented as a ticket back to health, happiness, and prosperity right now. What grips our hearts? How happy would we be right now if Jesus solved all our problems sitting here? That's what interests me. That's what interests us. We've shown more interest at the gas pump than we have. For other things. Why can't they see him? Seriously. Isn't it remarkable that they've missed the entire purpose of his coming? And haven't all these years understood yet why he had to come? And they're caught up in their best life now, most certainly. They think Jesus exists, right? Many Christians, they think Jesus exists to send down a load of my pillows to us. Those who are laughing, have them. We're hoping Jesus would do this for us. This was the same problem on Good Friday with the disciples. They just didn't get it. You know why we can't see Jesus? Well, Jesus answers it in verse 46. As Jesus had them work out all their problems, you'll notice here in verse 46 what he says. Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem. You are my witnesses of these things. What if the biggest problem on the planet no one's taking seriously? What if the coming judgment in hell nobody's thinking about? What if nobody is alarmed about the truth of an eternal judgment? What if no one's taking real seriously the problem of sin? What is the greatest need? He just said it. Repentance and the forgiveness of sins. And he didn't go through all of this just to make us ride into the kingdom on a cushion. So how does he deal with this? How does he answer this? How does he deal with this massive problem that we all face still to this day? Well, that's verse 25. And he said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. See what he did? He didn't just show himself up front. What he did was let them work out their problem. And how does he solve their problem? Don't you understand that Jesus had to suffer? That I had to suffer first to then enter into my glory? He's not working on their eyes. This is why I say all these people who want eye religion is all wrong. He's working on their hearts. All the things Jesus could have done for them. Look at me. Look at me. See, it's me. He will do that. But to open their eyes, what does he do? He goes back to the Old Testament. and he begins to expound from the scriptures and interpreted to them what Moses and the prophets are all about. And he says, that's all about me. And you should have seen that. But you've made it moralism. The first thing he does at the resurrection, think about this, beloved, the first thing he does at the resurrection is preach the Old Testament and preach Christ from the scriptures. Can you imagine standing there and listening to Jesus, what he picked, what he decided to pick and start preaching? I don't really know, but I'm guessing it would be something like this. Just listen to it with this in mind. And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph. Is my father still alive? But his brothers could not answer him for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, please. And they came near. And he said, I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. God has made me Lord. Put a little period right there if you want it. Over Egypt. I will provide for you. And now your eyes see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. The whole testament is about him. That God had planned from the beginning and declared that in the fullness of time he would send Jesus to die on the cross to redeem us from all the sin and curse that we're living in. This is a mess. Who denies that? To suffer in our place the wrath of God. To take on our sins so that we never have to face that. And that we would live in the certainty of the hope of glory. That's the whole story of the Bible, says Jesus. And I want you to know, it's about forgiving your sins. After he preaches, they drew near to a village where they were going and he indicated that he would have gone farther, but they constrained him saying, Abide with us. It's toward the evening and the day is far spent. Don't leave us. Abide with us. Remain with us. What's happening to them? This is what's so good. What's happening to them? Listen to what they say. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road and while he opened the scriptures to us? As Jesus was preaching, you know it's an interesting choice of words. Our hearts were set on fire. That's what everyone wants in Christianity. Fire religion. Something sincere, something authentic. But they want it everywhere else. And that's why they can't see Jesus. Our hearts were set ablaze as Jesus was preached in the scriptures to us. He didn't just say, look, come here, come here first. You know what was happening is he was setting a burning in their hearts to be filled with wonder and amazement and a deep desire and a longing for more of him in the scriptures. That's true Christianity. That's how you know where you are, by the way. That tests why you're here today. Verse 30. When he was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed it, and broke, and gave it to them. You know, that's the same formula for the institution of the supper. He preaches the gospel. He rehearses the meaning of the supper. And what do you read next? Boom, their eyes were opened. See it there? And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and then he vanished from their sight. How were the eyes opened, beloved? preaching of the scriptures and the sacrament. Here's the point. They saw him in the gospel that was preached to them. That's how they saw him. And only then does he show himself that we see something so important in the scriptures. And I think Luke wants to drive this whole point home so powerfully today of how he is showing himself. Notice what the next thing that happens. The disciples run back and they say, guess what? We've seen him to the other disciples and they're all afraid. Jesus then appears and stood in the midst of them and says, beautiful words, peace to you. Thinking they've seen a ghost. Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? okay go ahead and look and see now behold my hands right here this is where the nails went go ahead touch them handle me i have a real body um notice what he says a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see i have i'm not a ghost i'm not a phantom this is a real body which he still has you understand to this day for you and he shows them his hands and his feet to prove that he's risen from the dead and then he eats with them to see that it went down just like it should go down but notice what Luke is showing you where do we go right back to to close this out look at this then he said to them these are the words that I spoke to you while I was with you and he goes right back to the scriptures. All things that were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms are now fulfilled concerning me. I fulfilled everything. What are the next words? See it there? And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. He didn't just open their eyes, beloved. He had to open up their understandings to see Him in the Scriptures. That's how we see Jesus. This is what Paul prayed, his resurrection prayer. I really want all of you, I'm praying for all of you, that the eyes of your hearts, the eyes of your understandings would be enlightened there. That you may know what is the hope to which he's called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great and might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. I'm praying that the eyes of your understandings would be opened. That's what you all need today. Or else you're just doing cultural family celebrations. That's all you're doing. And it's nice and sweet, but it doesn't mean you're saved. This is what's needed. This is what he does for us when the gospel is preached. Verse 46 tells us, thus it is written, thus it is necessary that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead. That's all the scriptures are about. And that, here's the good news, beloved, that repentance and forgiveness of sin should be preached to all the nations. Wow, do you know what's happened? It's made it to Escondido. It's made it to Washington Avenue. It's made it all across the face of this globe. that today what's being heralded if a pastor's doing his job is preaching Jesus and calling people to turn from their miserable ways and look at the emptiness of this all and the hardship and the misery and the sorrow and the sin and turn to the Lord and receive forgiveness of all of it. Tell me what's better than that. Tell me what more God could have done for you. That's how much he loves you. And knowing you can't even see him and you want more and you want all this, he today through the preaching of the gospel opens up your eyes and your understandings to marvel at his work. That's what he's done for you. What are we celebrating today? It's finished. The resurrection is the receipt. I beat it for you. I forgave your sins. I've washed you in AD 30 in the month of Nisan at about the sixth hour of the day. I want you to know I loved you and I forgave you and I've risen victorious to beat all this. The Father has set his seal of approval on this and you need to know I have sealed for you the hope of glory. It's all yours. Resurrection's a declaration that you're forgiven, that you're no longer in your sins, that you are loved by God, the just for the unjust, the last Adam to stand in our place and beat the last enemy of death to rise triumphant so that he can say to you first thing in the resurrection, I give you peace. My peace I give to you. Jesus will mean nothing to us until our minds and hearts are opened up to comprehend him in the scriptures until he sets a burning in our hearts to know him from the scriptures. It would be an awful thing to die in your sins, beloved. It would be an awful thing. But Jesus says today, my peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid. That's good news today. That's what the resurrection is all about. That's what he's accomplished. May we believe everything he has said in his word. accomplishing everything necessary to save us from all of our sins. That should make us skip out of here with great joy. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gospel, and thank you for the resurrection of Christ, and thank you for proclaiming that to us and showing us from all the scriptures the things concerning Jesus. We need a great recovery of confidence in this today, and I pray that you would build your people up to know how great the love is but how great the depths of the sacrifice because sin is that awful and sin requires a payment and sin has to be triumphed over and thank you today for sending your beloved son to triumph over sin, death, the grave so that we might hear a message of peace. We bless the name of the Lord. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.