CWA- Gospel Lesson - Easter 3 - - Kieth Bernard Kuschel
Luke 24: 13-35
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him. 17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One 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. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but 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. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ[b] have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But 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. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" 33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus rose. What does it mean for us?
Jesus rose. What does it mean He can do for us?
IA1 It was Easter evening. Jesus’ followers had been through a lot. Two of them decided to go home. They needed rest from all the emotional expenditures of the day. As they were walking home, they were discussing everything that had happened.
2 {19}"Jesus of Nazareth," "was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him.”
3 Their disappointment comes out in the words: {21}“But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” They had trusted that Jesus was the Messiah who would free them from their sins and the punishment they deserved because of their sins. 4 Besides that, now they were on another emotional roller coaster. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." Do you think these two believed the reports? Doesn’t sound that way.
B1 Why were they so disappointed? Because they thought God had accomplished salvation through Jesus of Nazareth. If Jesus wasn’t the Messiah, then that wasn’t true. That didn’t mean that the Lord wasn’t the Giver of forgiveness and salvation. But it did mean that they would have to wait longer for the fulfillment of God’s promises. They were also disappointed because Jesus’ death meant that He would no longer be with them. His presence among them had been a constant reminder that the Lord is the Source of forgiveness and eternal life. His presence among them gave them the strength to face life with all its difficulties. He was always there to listen to their problems. He was always there to give them the right advice and direction. The thought of life without Jesus was very distressing.
Jesus appeared to them on the road to Emmaus. After the discussion with them, they knew He had risen. He was alive. He was with them. When He disappeared, it didn’t stop their joy. They knew that because Jesus was alive, they could face life as they had faced it before. With Jesus. As Christians we view life assuming that Jesus is with us. When our selfishness takes over, Jesus is with us to apply to us His forgiveness which He won on the cross. When we have failed to do what the Lord expects us to do, Jesus is with us to cover us with the holiness which He lived for us.
When we face a terrifying circumstance in our lives, Jesus is with us to give us the strength that we need to say, “NO” to sin, to endure difficulties, and to keep on living in a world dominated with difficulties.
When we need somebody to talk to, Jesus is there to listen. When we have a specific need, Jesus is there to receive our request. When we need direction, Jesus is there to give it to us through His Word.
Why is it possible to take this view of life? Because He can be with us. It is true. Jesus rose.
Why didn’t they recognize Jesus? I think Jesus didn’t allow them to recognize Him until it was the right time.
How did Jesus get into the discussion? He asked a question. 17"What are you discussing together as you walk along?" Why did He do that? Because He wanted to have them hear from their own mouths what was in their minds. And they did.
Jesus reminded them of something very important, especially in view of the fact that they were so sad about Jesus’ death. 26"Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" Have to. The Christ, the Anointed One, the One commissioned by God, had to suffer. The Messiah wasn’t here for glory. He had to take the guilt of the world on Himself. He had to suffer the death and hell we deserve because of our sins. He had to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. He had to suffer thirty three years in a sinful world to provide holiness for us. The Messiah had to suffer if we were to have eternal life.
What did Jesus use to instruct His disciples? "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures.” Jesus instructed them from Isaiah 53 to remind them that the Messiah had to suffer and die. He instructed them from Deut 18 to remind them that the Messiah was the bringer of truth. Jesus didn’t bring new revelations directly from the Father and the Holy Spirit. He instructed them from the Scriptures.
Did you notice I left out a very important two word phrase? “concerning himself.” 27 "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” He read the Scripture and then said, “This talks about me. Remember what I did. It matches what the Scripture said the Messiah would do. “
From what source do we learn that selfishness is sin? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that failure to benefit others is sin? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that taking advantage of others is sin? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that Jesus took our guilt? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that Jesus suffered death and hell to rescue us from it? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that Jesus covers us with His holiness? From the Scripture. From where do we learn that we will live forever because of Jesus resurrection? From the Scripture.
Sometimes we complain that we can’t sit down and get instructed personally from Jesus as His first disciples were. Sometimes we insist that we are at a disadvantage when compared to them for that reason. But then we look at a section of Scripture like the one before us today. What do we see? We are instructed by the Lord through the Scriptures. His first disciples were instructed by the Lord through the Scriptures. The disciples walking to Emmaus were instructed by Jesus through the Scriptures.
Jesus has promised us that through the written words of His apostles He is actually working and instructing us. Can He do that? Sure. How do you know? He is alive. It is true. Jesus rose.
Did you notice the change that took place in the two disciples on the way to Emmaus? 17 “They stood still, their faces downcast.” Change to. 29"But they urged him strongly.” Despondently purposeless to strongly purposeful. What was their purpose? To spend more time with this person. What was their plan that would accomplish that? "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over."
Why did they want that? They had benefitted from His instruction in the Scripture. They wanted more. They wanted to become closer to this person who had instructed them. That is exactly what Jesus allowed to happen. “30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Now they knew why He had done such a good job of instructing them from the Scriptures. Now they know why He was able to get right at their hearts with His teachings. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
What did they do next? 33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” They had to tell somebody that their skepticism was wrong. They should have believed the women.
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They went out into the dark to Jerusalem to the disciples whom they thought were probably still huddled in fear. Their heart burned within them. They had a purpose to carry out . And they did.
We, just as the Emmaus disciples, want to spend as much time as we can with Jesus. His presence fills our lives with His forgiveness, His holiness, His strength, His direction and everything we need in our lives. So we worship Him regularly. We have devotions at home regularly. We participate in Bible class. We talk to him. We spend a lot of time with Him. We try to increase the amount of time we spend with Him.
That increases our knowledge of the Scripture and our knowledge of Him. That has some personal benefit. It strengthens our faith. It gives us direction in life. But it also gives us the equipment we need to become spiritual resources for other people. How do we help people through their problems? By pointing them to the Scriptures. How do we help people recognize their sins? By pointing them to the Scriptures. How do we help people get over their guilt? By pointing them to the Scriptures. How do you give people direction for life? By pointing them to the Scriptures. How do we get equipped to do that? By being instructed in the Scriptures.
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Even if we are equipped with the Scriptures, are we going to share the Scriptures with others? There a lots of opposition forces fighting against us. The devil fills our lives with so many other things that we don’t have time to share the Scriptures with others. The sinful self gets us so inhibited that we get scared to share the Scriptures with others.
Jesus presence in the lives of the Emmaus disciples and His instruction in the Scriptures made their hearts burn within them so they ran to share with others what they knew. Jesus is present among us as the omnipresent Lord. He is present among us in a special way whenever we use His holy supper. He instructs us personally whenever we use His Word. Lord Jesus, please make our hearts burn within us so that we are eager to run to share with others what we know about You. Can He do that? Sure. How do we know? He rose. It is true.