The Road to Emmaus

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Introduction

After these things He appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.  Mark 16:12–18

• Last week, our Easter message focused on the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
• I want to continue to build on the reality that Jesus is alive.
• Our story today is about another encounter with Jesus in the flesh.
• Well, not exactly “in the flesh” the way we know “in the flesh.”
• I mean MY flesh can’t walk through walls or teleport around the countryside.
• Sometimes it’s all I can do to just get up out of my recliner.
• In our story, a couple of guys, who had been in Jerusalem, are walking to Emmaus.
• It’s about a two-hour walk to cover the seven miles.
• One of the guys was named Cleopas – don’t know who the other guy was.
• As they are walking along, they are talking about what had just happened with Jesus.
• They are talking to just pass the time while they are walking down the road.
• Suddenly, a stranger walks up to them, probably from behind, since He caught at least some of their conversation.
• They didn’t recognize Him because He purposely kept them from really seeing Him.
• He greets them with a question: “So what were you guys talking about?”
• There are two sides to this story to think about:

1. When it’s just a story
2. When the story comes alive

1. When it’s just a story

• To most people, the Bible is a storybook that was written by some religious leaders a very long time ago.
• I had a church member come up to me after a service at a previous church and accuse me of being a Fundamentalist.
• Furthermore, he told me that “the Bible is just a storybook written for the people at that time that needed to hear it.”
• Well, I was pretty shocked to hear that from a pillar of the church who was a trustee and a deacon and the church Treasurer.
• But as I think about it now, in a way, he was right: it IS a storybook written for the people at that time who needed to hear it – and friends, PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR IT NOW.
• So if preaching the Bible makes me a Fundamentalist then fine let me just say:
  “Hi, my name’s Ken and I’m a Fundamentalist!”
• Think about the two men in our story as they recounted to Jesus what they were talking about.
• Cleopas was condescending when he asked Jesus:

Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?

• Jesus played along and pretended not to know and asked them: “What things?”
• So, they told Him what was, of course HIS story.
• They got most of it right calling Him “a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.”
• They correctly blame the chief priests and rulers for sentencing Him to death.
• They spoke briefly of the crucifixion.
• Then they told Him how they had hoped that He was the one who was to save Israel.
• They went on to say that it is three days later and the women didn’t find his body.
• They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
• They said some of the other disciples went to the tomb and confirmed it.
• After they had finished, Jesus spoke up and called them out for not recognizing the Messiah based on Scripture.
• He called them, “foolish and slow to believe.”
• He asked them: “Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
• Then He recapped all of the Old Testament Scriptures that pointed to Him.
• As they reached the village of Emmaus, Jesus was about to head on off.
• But it was getting late in the day, so the guys strongly urged Jesus to stay with them.
• Jesus did come in and sat down to supper with them.

2. When the story comes alive

• This is the point where our story takes an important turn.
• Remember our guys have been supernaturally prevented from recognizing Jesus.
• And then the real magic happens after He takes the bread, gives thanks, and breaks it.
• As we celebrate communion today and break the bread and give thanks think about that.
• Think about that same moment 2000 years ago when they supernaturally recognized Jesus.
• Could it be that even today, we could come to supernaturally recognize Jesus in a powerful, new way?
• And as soon as they recognized that they had been walking and talking and eating with Jesus – He supernaturally disappeared from their presence.
• OK Ken, you keep saying supernatural as though it’s some kind of hocus pocus magic.
• What does SUPERNATURAL mean? Anybody want to try an explain it?
• According to Dictionary.com: it’s a “manifestation or event attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.”
• As I asked last week: “since Jesus created the laws of nature, is He bound by them?”
• Jesus is God and has all the power of the universe and is the great Creator of all things we know in this world.
• Jesus is alive and is showing us in these stories what our existence will be like after this earthly, human life.
• They probably should have guessed something was up when they said in verse 32:

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

• These stories came alive for the guys because Jesus connected them to the people.
• This is my great hope as a Pastor: that I can make Jesus come alive for you.
• I’m disappointed that I couldn’t do it at that other church, but God didn’t give up on me.
• Even though, I almost gave up on myself. But God sent me off to rehab at another church.
• And then He rewarded me with this awesome church family.
• Now I get to see supernatural things happen around me all the time in this church.
• Hopefully, God will use me to bring some of these stories alive for you.
• Our world is hungry for the Word of God and needs to know Jesus is real and He is alive.
• And because He lives, I can face tomorrow – no matter how crazy it gets.
• We live in a time of wars and rumors of wars and hatred and cruelty.
• But then there are days like yesterday with clear skies, strong winds and an arctic chill.
• Warmed by the kind and loving hearts of people who came to be a good neighbor to the children and families we are here to serve.
• The Bible is a story of a loving Creator who longs for a relationship with his people.
• Thank you!! And Thank God for these glorious days.