On The Road To Emmaus

So, our text tonight is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, verses 13-35. And it's happening on Resurrection Day, so I thought it would be a good text to pick and we'd all go through it together. On the road to Emmaus, Luke 24, 13-35. Hear the word of the Lord. 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 the 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 are holding with each other as you walk? And they stood there looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened here 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 in deed 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. 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 seen 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 the prophets he interpreted them all the scriptures the things concerning himself so they drew near to the village to which they were going he acted as if he was going further 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 the same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together saying, The Lord is risen indeed! And He has appeared to Simon. Then they told what had happened on the road and how He was known in them in the breaking of the bread. There ends the reading of God's Word. So have you ever been so into a cause, so into something that it takes every moment of your life, every thought, every ounce of energy that you have, to have it all just crumble beneath your feet? It was so close, you felt like you could have reached out and grabbed it, and then it's just gone. All that time and effort spent, and now the dream is over. It leaves you with that sick feeling in your stomach. You see, this is what these two disciples felt on the road to Emmaus. They were broken hearted. It says they were sad. Like their whole world came crashing down I was trying to think of something recent that we could think about that would give us that idea of just that sick gut feeling and I remembered watching the tv on the night of the presidential election and watching the the Hillary supporters when they thought they would have won it was just it had to be she was the chosen one but you saw their faces on tv and it was just utter distress. They couldn't imagine it. That's how I feel like these disciples are feeling on the road to Emmaus. So our two disciples leaving Jerusalem on Easter afternoon, they had this foregone conclusion in their minds that what they thought was going to be when it was going to happen, Jesus, King, kicking the Romans out. That it didn't pan out for them, did it? Tonight I want to show you how this text gives us two Gospels. One that falls completely short. One that leaves no hope. But another Gospel that shows us from the very beginning that it was all about Jesus and everything that He would do to save His people. When we begin the text, it's Easter afternoon. And our two disciples, we find out one of their names is Cleopas in verse 18. They're making their way to Emmaus. And the text tells us the seven-mile journey. And with these guys, they've been in Jerusalem for a week, celebrating from Palm Sunday to Easter. There's probably a lot to talk about on the seven miles. But Luke tells us they were more than talking. They're beginning to argue. Luke uses three words for us to build the tension between these two. We read in verse 15 that they were talking and discussing. That word discussing there really isn't discussing like we're going to talk to one another. But it means that there's tension in what they're saying. They're starting to get mad at each other. Before long, it turns into a shouting match. I don't know about you, but every time I've read this story before, I always thought these two disciples were just walking back and just hanging out and talking. Like, you know, they're sad. But it really wasn't this argument. Or I've thought before, like maybe they're two philosophers just walking, realizing, well, we got something wrong, but we better figure out what's the right way. And then in verse 15, Jesus comes alongside them. And we read in verse 15, Jesus drew himself near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. That's always puzzled me. Their eyes were kept from recognizing him. You're probably thinking to yourself, wait a second, these are his disciples, right? How would they not recognize him? Sure, they'd hear his voice and think, that's Jesus. Or they would just look at him and say, that's Jesus. Or maybe if they couldn't see him physically or his appearance, maybe they could see his mannerisms. You would think, well, that's how Jesus walks and talks. This is Jesus. But it says, I don't know who it is. They were kept from seeing him. Now, as I was studying for this, scholars take these two ways. Some say that it was their lack of faith is what made them not be able to see Jesus. That looks right, you know. The resurrection's happened, and these guys are going the wrong direction, right? They're leaving Jerusalem, showing that they lack faith in what he said. And then the other way scholars take this is that they look at it, and it's God that's making them blind to seeing what's going on. And the verb being used there, that their eyes were kept from recognizing him, that verb is in a passive mood, which makes it a divine passive. And you're probably thinking, well, what the heck's a divine passive? Well, really, it's just some scholarly mumbo-jumbo that lets us know that God is the one doing the action. So when you see it, it's God that's doing the action of the verb, making them not being able to see who Jesus is. But I'm thinking, why does it have to be either or? Why can't it be both and? Why can't it be they don't have the faith, as we can see they're leaving, and God is blinding them? And so this happens, because this happens other times in the gospel stories, after the resurrection. Think of Mary Magdalene in John 20, when she's outside the tomb and she's crying. And she sees two angels. And then she turns around and she sees somebody standing there and she thinks it's the gardener. But all he has to do is say, Mary. He says her name and she knows right away. Rabboni, Rabbi Jesus. I think in other places, in the end of John, when they're out there fishing in the Lake of Galilee, and all of a sudden they look and they see a guy making breakfast out there on the beach. And they go to him, and this has always bothered me. I want to study it one day. They say, we didn't ask him who he was. We just knew it was Jesus. And you're like, wait a second. What do you mean you don't want to ask him who he is? You guys are his disciples. How do you not know him? Again, I think this is Jesus or God using this as a teaching moment for them. He's blinded them, showing them what he needs to do. So for our two disciples, Cleopas and his friend, They have no idea that even though they can see this guy and are talking to him, but it's the risen Lord Jesus with them, right in front of them. And in the end, they'll know and believe what he has done for them. But for right now, eyes are shut. So we see Jesus coming alongside them, and he begins to talk with them by asking a question. What is this conversation you're holding with each other as you walk? Remember how I said there was three words that Luke showed us? It shows that they were arguing. Well, this word here for are you holding really isn't holding anything. It means throwing. So really, Jesus asks them, what is this conversation you're throwing at each other? So we know these guys are really at it when they're walking back down this road to Emmaus. They are at each other's throat. And Jesus walks up to them, what's this conversation you guys are holding? And the answer that these guys give him, they're distraught. They actually give a snarky remark back to this stranger, like, who is this guy? Cleopas says, are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in these days? They're like, hey, where have you been, buddy? Have you not been in Jerusalem? The whole town's been up in arms about what's going on with Jesus. And as we can see, our Lord hasn't lost his sense of humor, right? after the resurrection. What's he say? He's like, what things? Tell me. I have no idea what's going on. And these two disciples are probably standing there looking at each other like, what is going on? Did he really just say that? All that's been happening in Jerusalem for the last few days, think of it. Palm Sunday, as Jesus comes in on the donkey and the crowds are cheering And the Pharisees tell Jesus, be quiet. Tell your disciples to be quiet. And he says, if they be quiet, the stones will cry out. It says that Jerusalem is just, everyone's cheering. Through the week, Jesus is teaching in the temple. He's getting mad at people. He's flipping over tables. At the end on Friday or Thursday night, he gets arrested in all the trials. Crucifixion. And then, Sunday morning, people are starting to whisper about, the tomb's empty. The tomb's empty. And this guy's walking down the road. What things? Our two disciple buddies are having a hard time understanding this. Jesus knows exactly what has happened, doesn't he? It all happened to him. He's standing right there. And we get to this, the disciples in verse 19. They say to him, I love that because if we realize that they're arguing and now they say to him, they want to be the first one to tell the stranger their side of the argument. They say to him, it's like they want to both be there. Like, oh, listen to me stranger, this is what we've been arguing about. And this is what they say. Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed, 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 would be the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things have happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and they did not find His body. They came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found that it was just as the women had said, but they did not see him. One commentator says about this section of text that it's the gospel according to Cleopas. And at first glance, we think, yeah, sounds like the gospel message, doesn't it? Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty indeed in word before God and all the people. Sounds like the gospel message. Calling him a man is a good start, right? He wasn't a phantom or a spiritual being. He was like us, flesh and blood. They call him a prophet, mighty in deed and word. Jesus, this Jesus, performed miracles. He healed the sick. He made the lame walk. The deaf hear, the blind to see. This Jesus even raised someone from the dead. Kind of sounds like the Messiah, doesn't it? The gospel message. Not only was he powerful in deed, but in word as well. This Jesus, who stood up in a boat during a storm, and all he had to say to the wind and waves was, be still, and they listened to him. This Jesus, who would forgive sins with the word of his mouth. Think of the paralegic on the mat. With his word, he forgave sin. This Jesus, who when men tried to arrest him in the temple, They go back to the chief priests and Pharisees and say, no one has ever spoken like this man. Jesus is mighty in deed and in word. Next, their gospel story, they move on to the crucifixion. They don't blame the Romans. Did you catch that? They said, our chief priests and rulers did this. How many times did Pilate say, I find no guilt in this man? How many times did the crowd yell back, crucify him, crucify him? and Jesus stood there looking at his people and then Pilate asked what should we do with the king of the Jews and they yelled back we have no king but Caesar so far their gospel message seems to be going right along track doesn't it but now they show us a glimpse of where their heart is and it gives away where they truly stand what do they say they say this we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. And you're like, yeah, that sounds about right. That's like the gospel. He did come and redeem the true Israel, us. We're all sitting here. But that's not what they mean when they say redeemed Israel, is it? When they say redeem Israel, what's in their mind is kicking the Romans out of the promised land. Like I'm convinced, it seems like everybody in that time period thought that the Messiah would come to clean out whoever's impression of the land and then he would take the seat of David. Think about it. Even after 40 days after the resurrection, the apostles get to that point and they say the same thing. Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? They don't get it. Even after 40 days after the resurrection, Jesus is like, no, stop asking that question. I'm right here. And after all this, these two disciples show their unbelief even more by telling Jesus, who they think is a stranger still, that it's been three days and all this crazy stuff is happening, women are seeing angels, the tomb's empty, and we're just going to leave town. We're done. And now you realize that their gospel is a false gospel. Their gospel doesn't have any hope. there's one major thing missing from their idea of the gospel. The resurrection. They didn't believe it. No wonder why these guys are sad. There's no hope. No wonder why they were arguing with each other on the way back. They're like, what happened? We thought he would redeem. But now we see the shift to the true gospel. I wonder what these two disciples thought on the road when now this stranger who they're talking to just turns and rebukes them. He starts off by saying, O foolish ones, which really means, you knuckleheads. It does. This is a harsh rebuke here. This is the same rebuke that Paul gave the Galatians. Think of that. Think of Galatians 3. Paul says, O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? Oh, foolish Galatians. That wasn't very nice. And now Jesus says the same thing. Oh, foolish ones. Slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. He's upset at these guys. They should have known better. They were his disciples. And Jesus doesn't just get mad at them for not believing what he said during his ministry. He doesn't say, remember when I said they would destroy this temple in three days, I would raise it up again? He doesn't say that. He doesn't say, remember when I said, just like Jonah spent three days in the belly of a fish, three days and three nights, that I would spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth? He doesn't say that either. What's he say? He says, slow of heart to believe all the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that Christ should have suffered these things and entered into His glory? Their gospel had some pieces right, but it led to despair. Jesus tells them the Messiah needed to suffer and that He would be resurrected and He would enter into His glory and He would reign on high. And Jesus tells them exactly where they should have found all the answers to this. We read in verse 27, And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. This isn't the first time Jesus has said this to them at all. He says this many times. He always brings up the prophets. And he actually does this in a parable in Luke 16. Remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? The rich man who had everything, you know, banquet at his table, and then Lazarus who would lay outside the gate and the dogs would lick his sores. And then they both die. Lazarus goes to hell, or it says Hades in the text. You know, or no, yeah, rich man goes to hell. Sorry about that. And then Lazarus goes to heaven, Abraham's bosom. The rich man realizes that he needs to warn his brothers to change their lives so they don't end up where he's at. And what does Abraham say? Abraham says this, they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. Jesus is telling this parable. Abraham says, they have the prophets, they have Moses. Why is that the answer? Why didn't he tell them about himself? Because it's telling them that they cannot go to heaven on their own. The whole Old Testament is showing them that they're not good enough. That they need somebody else to live the perfect life. to die on the cross, to pay the price they couldn't pay. Moses and the prophets, that's the whole Old Testament. And the sad part is in the parable is the rich man's response. And he says, no, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. Abraham says to him, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. it's all there the old testament there's the answers for them the whole time the scriptures were all about jesus and he goes on to show these two what that really means on the rest of the seven mile walk he goes through the whole old testament and interprets them for them i love that think of that think of jesus god incarnate walking next to him and just like telling Bible stories. Oh yeah, this is about me. This is about me. And he doesn't need to like grab his backpack and pull out this scroll and say, hey look, here I am. No, he's just doing it freely, out of his heart. He loves these two. He wants to show them the true gospel. He starts all the way back in the beginning with Genesis. Think of that. Think of that. He goes all the way back to Moses. All the way back. He could have said this, that he was the seed, though bruised, would crush Satan's head. Or that the Passover lamb in Egypt pointed to him. Or that only through the shedding of blood could there be forgiveness of sin. Or that just like the bronze serpent lifted up, he would be lifted up, and people would look to him. Or he could say, even though Israel failed and failed again, God promised Moses that it would be a prophet like him. And they would listen to him. And that's just in the first five books. Yeah, it's like, you know, he's probably five miles of walking. How much more could he have said? Think of Abraham offering up Isaac. He could have explained that, that Abraham, even though if God would have let Abraham go through with it, it would have been a resurrection of Isaac. And he could have pointed to that. Or he could have went to the tabernacle and pointed to everything on the tables and standing around, this is all about me. He probably went through the Psalms. And that probably could have took a long time. So he had to pick a few. Because there's so many. He could have said Psalm 2. Why do the nations raise against the Lord and His anointed? Or Psalm 22. And say, remember on Friday when I screamed that from the cross? Or Psalm 118. the cornerstone that was rejected. He's like pointing to himself. He could have went to 2 Samuel 7 and said, I'm the son that will always sit on David's throne. He keeps going, right? The whole Old Testament. He could have went to the prophets. He could have went to Daniel first. The son of man, that's me. Jeremiah, the new covenant, that's about me. I'm going to bring that in. And we know, we know he would have went to Isaiah 53. And we know he would have. And when they get to Emmaus, they beg Jesus to stay with them. They begged him. And finally at dinner, Jesus reversed the roles. He reversed the roles. He became the host, took the bread, blessed it, and then their eyes were opened. The teaching moment was over. He just vanishes. And this is what they say. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened up the scriptures? Wow. Wow. What's the first thing they do when they hear the true gospel? They run. They run to tell their friends. Just like the women at the tomb when they heard the message, they ran back and say, he's risen. The angel said it. And now look, same thing's happening to these two. But these guys have a lot longer to run. They're seven miles outside of town. And they've got to run all the way back. But they didn't because it's that important. The gospel is that important that they would run seven miles at night with no lights. This is, you know, ancient Jerusalem. They ran because it's that important. Brothers and sisters, Jesus showed them the true gospel on the road to Emmaus. The good news that not only did he die to pay for sin, but death couldn't hold him. Death couldn't hold him. God told his son, do this and you shall live. And he did it. He did it. Death couldn't hold him. He got out of that tomb. And now he's sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. That's amazing. Why would we not want to tell people this story? Why would we not want to run and tell people this story? Not only was he a mighty prophet in word and deed, and that he came to suffer and die, but on the third day he rose again like he said he would. And it is only through faith alone, in Christ alone, that one day, either when he returns or calls us home, it'll happen to us and we'll see him with our eyes as well. And I pray that to every single one of you that we look for that day, we tell people about the resurrection, we go on with our lives knowing that he promised us he would return. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you so much that you sent your son. It blows our mind to know that death couldn't hold him. the firstborn of the dead. He did it. And we know now that if He did it, we will do it as well. I pray we never forget that. That's our promise. You will never break that promise. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.