A lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P.O. Box 1447, Claypool, Az. 85532

520-425-8345 or 520-402-9134

Web Page: www.oocities.org/heartland/plains/3364

Email: pastorjohn@gila.net

Date: 10-17-99

Sermon Number: 155

Text: Luke 24:13-35

When great leaders are suddenly taken away the organizations they have built often fall apart and the people who followed them are left drifting. Their anchor, direction, hope, and strength is gone, they are at a loss as to what to do next. The days are difficult and chaotic. One’s life may seem to have no purpose at all. People often feel like this when someone close to them has died. I imagine that the disciples experienced feelings similar to this. For three years they had Jesus, the Son of God, teaching them, praying with them, counseling, and advising them. He was a living example as to how to deal with life and difficult situations. If they had a question they would just ask Jesus and He would give them a perfect answer. What wonderful days those must have been.

All the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah spoken of by the prophets but none of them fully understood what that meant. None of them grasped the fact that He must die by crucifixion. He had told them plainly but as we saw last week they just didn’t get it. So, when He died they were filled with grief, fear, and confusion. What would they do now? Yes, they had been told that the tomb was empty. The lady disciples had seen the angel and related to the rest his words, "He is not here He is risen." But still most did not believe and, therefore, remained in darkness and despair. What would they do now? In our text for this morning it appears that two of them decided to just go home, to a town named Emmaus.

(Luke 24:13-35 NASB) "And behold, two of them (disciples) were going that very day (The day of the resurrection, the third day after Christ’s death.) to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. {14} And they were conversing with each other about all these things which had taken place."

These men were, in my opinion, going home. The Jesus days had come to an end. What was there to do but return to their former lives? So they set out. As they walked they spoke of things they had experienced. They were in mourning and talked as people in mourning do. They recalled the great days of the past but focused on the most recent events. Perhaps they spoke of the unjust nature of the trials of Jesus. Perhaps they were filled with amazement and disappointment at the filthy alliance established between the leaders of Israel and the Romans. Perhaps they lamented the horrible death that Jesus had to endure. No doubt they confessed to each other their hope that things would have turned out differently. They were alone now, Jesus was gone. They would just go home. They would not arrive as they had begun. Look at verse fifteen.

The scriptures teach clearly that Jesus intentionally prevented them from recognizing Him until it was time for them to see. I don’t want to refute that. But I would like to talk for a moment about what could have prevented them from recognizing Jesus without His miraculous intervention. I speak of things that often prevent us from seeing the Savior at our side as we walk though this veil of tears. Things like grief, fear, anxiety. These men might have been so focused on their troubles they just did not recognize the presence of Jesus. They did not believe the resurrection so they wouldn’t be expecting to see Him. But what of us? We do know that Jesus has risen. We understand and believe the words He would speak to them shortly after this encounter. "Lo, I am with always even to the end of the world." In another place He has offered us these words of comfort, "I will never leave you or forsake you." This is true even if we are on our way home after the death of a loved one." At times our minds are full of grief, fear, disappointment, anxiety, and general business, to the point we forget that Jesus walks beside us all the way, all the way home. My counsel to myself and to you is don’t let anything prevent you from seeing Jesus beside you at all times. Don’t let anything keep you from remembering His soul comforting words and promises. He will never leave us or forsake us.

As we consider this text further we are reminded of the benefits of Christian fellowship in times of sorrow. These men did not understand every thing that was happening in their lives but in time of trouble they were together and their conversation had to do with Christ. They spoke to one another of their love for and experiences with Christ. Such conversation is an excellent antidote for what ails us. Sharing our sorrow and fears with a brother or sister may very well be the means God uses to put us in a better frame of mind. It is generally the case that those who mourn together will also laugh together in a little while. We must come together. We must learn to weep with those who weep and to laugh with those who laugh. We must walk with each other on the journey to our eternal home. We must offer what help we can and remember that Jesus is with us always.

Let’s continue with the passage. {17} And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad. {18} And one of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"

Again I am amazed and blessed by what we read here. Jesus has been through hell, literally, but He is still concerned with His people. He has just suffered for their salvation but He does not leave it at that He intends to comfort and help His stumbling children. So, He inquires as to their trouble. And, they are very willing to relate the events of the last few days to this stranger.

{19} And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, {20} and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. {21} "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. (They had believed Him to be the Messiah, the Great Deliverer who would overthrow Israel’s enemies. But now, they weren’t sure about much of anything, their faith has been severely weakened.) Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. {22} "But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, {23} and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. {24} "And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see."

Matthew Henry observes, "Jesus was depended upon, and great things expected from Him, by them that looked for redemption, and in it for the consolation of Israel. Now, if hope deferred makes the heart sick, hope disappointed, especially such a hope, kills the heart. But see how they made what should have been their hope the ground of their despair. If they had understood the death of Jesus rightly, they would see that it was the surest ground of their hope. We trusted (say they) that it had been He that should have redeemed Israel. (They saw His death as that which disqualified Jesus for being the promised Messiah. Yet it was that which identified Him beyond any doubt. Henry continues . . .) And is it not He that did redeem Israel? Is He not by His death paying the price of their redemption? Was it not necessary, in order to His saving Israel from their sins, that He should suffer? So that now, since that most difficult part of His undertaking was over, they had more reason than ever to trust that this was He that should deliver Israel; yet now they are ready to give up the cause." (End Quote)

{25} And He said to them, "O foolish men and SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE IN ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN! {26} "Was it not NECESSARY (according to the prophets whom you are familiar with) for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"

Jesus calls these men foolish. Men are foolish when they act against their own interest. Which one does when he does not believe the evidence before him, in this case the words of the prophets. They were slow to believe what they had been taught as children by their parents and spiritual leaders and, as adults, by Jesus Himself. Then they were slow to believe the testimony of the lady disciples. This unbelief is the reason for their grief, sorrow, and confusion. What about us? Does not our slowness to believe the word of God cause us much unnecessary misery? If we were more acquainted with the scriptures we would not be so subject to the perplexities, fears, and anxieties, that so often entangle us. When someone comes to us with news that is supposed to be divinely true we would know immediately whether it was true of not, if, we are properly in tune with the scriptures. Let us not be slow of heart to believe and apply God’s truth to our daily lives.

Jesus continues . . . 27} And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures." Oh that this sermon would have been recorded. The Lord Jesus Himself exposing and explaining all the Messianic references in the Old Testament. All the things the Prophets had to say about Jesus. What a blessed privilege these two men enjoyed.

What texts might He have referred to in His lesson? Consider with me just a sampling of scriptures our Lord might have referred to.

He could have gone all the way back to Genesis 3:15 where we find God speaking to the serpent in the garden, He said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; (Jesus) He shall bruise you on the head, (a death blow) And you shall bruise him on the heel." Christ would receive bruises from the evil one but Jesus would at last crush the devil’s head. This is a wonderful promise of redemption which refers directly to Jesus!

The Psalms are full of Messianic references, one of which is Psalms 16:10. "For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay." David and all the other O.T. personalities died and decayed but Jesus died and rose on the third day, He did not decay. Perhaps our Lord referred these two men to this text.

The book of Isaiah is famous for speaking of Jesus. (Isaiah 53 NASB) Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? {2} For He (Jesus) grew up before Him (God) like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. {3} He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. {4} Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. {6} All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. {7} He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. {8} By oppression and judgment HE WAS TAKEN AWAY; (by death) And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living, For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? {9} HIS GRAVE WAS ASSIGNED WITH WICKED MEN, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. {10} But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, (A guilt offering must die. For without the shedding of blood there is no remission or forgiveness of sins.) He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. {11} As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. {12} Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because HE POURED OUT HIMSELF TO DEATH, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors." How could any student of the Old Testament, which all Jews were required to be, not understand that the Messiah must suffer for sins and die?

Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate," Declares the LORD of hosts. "Strike (kill) the Shepherd (Jesus) that the sheep (His disciples) may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones." This whole scene unfolded in the garden when Jesus was taken captive by the mob. His followers all fled when He was led away to be "stricken," to die.

That many were aware of the wealth of information in the Old Testament concerning Jesus is seen by what we find in the N. T. Consider the following . . .

Acts 10:43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." What an amazing statement, "The prophets of old taught that everyone who believes in Jesus would be forgiven their sin."

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. (An angel) And he *said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY." In other words that is what prophecy was all about, Jesus!

Surely Jesus referred to some of the Old Testament texts I have cited. Henry speaks once again, "Jesus Christ is Himself the best expositor of scripture, particularly the scriptures concerning Himself; and even after His resurrection it was in this way that He led people into the knowledge of the mystery concerning Himself; not by advancing new notions independent of the scripture, but by showing how the scripture was fulfilled, and turning them over to the study of it. Even the book of Revelation is but a second part of the Old-Testament prophecies, and has continually an eye to them. If men believe not Moses and the prophets, they are incurable." (End Quote)

Our text continues in verse twenty-eight. "And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He would go farther. {29} And they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." And He went in to stay with them. {30} And it came about that when He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. {31} AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY RECOGNIZED HIM; AND HE VANISHED FROM THEIR SIGHT."

I want to make much of their invitation to have Christ stay and eat supper with them. We see from the closing words of our text (verse 32) that Christ’s words had a great effect on these men. They were warmed and fed by His exposition of the scriptures. But notice what they would have missed if they had not asked Him to come to their home for supper. They would have missed a fuller revelation of Himself. This reminds me of Revelation 3:20 NASB. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me." In the context Jesus is speaking to the church of Laodicea, to people identifying themselves as Christians. They are sinful and cold but not unbelievers. Further proof of this is found in the previous verse where He describes his readers as those He loves and disciplines. This is only true of Christians. The letter is written to a family of Christians. What then is the meaning of verse nineteen of Revelation three? "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me." It is an invitation and encouragement to repentance. Jesus calls these people back to intimate fellowship with Him. They have grown cold and distant. Their zeal for truth and love has gone by the way side. Jesus calls these believing sinners to repentance and makes this wonderful offer, "If you listen to Me and repent, I will come again to you and we will have profitable fellowship, we will dine together on the word of God as we once did." That is the essence of the text. These Christians needed close intimate fellowship with Jesus to heal their coldness. The two men in our lesson today needed close intimate fellowship with Jesus to heal their ignorance. They, as it were opened the door and invited Him to stay. And what is the result? They see Him as He really is, the Crucified and Risen One, the Only Begotten Son, the Messiah, not dead, but living. He is not conquered, He is victorious for Himself and all who trust in Him. This would not have been had they sent Him on His way. Therefore, let us strive to maintain daily, hourly constant fellowship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now we see what these men did when their eyes were finally opened. {32} And they said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" {33} And they arose THAT VERY HOUR and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, {34} saying, "The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon." {35} And they began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread."

These men had just traveled seven miles on foot. It was late and perhaps dangerous but they must go back, they must tell the others that Jesus is risen from the dead! And what did they find when they got back to Jerusalem? They discovered that Jesus was just as kind and gracious to those in Jerusalem as He had been to them. He had shown Himself to Peter and the news had been reported to those gathered. Despair and fear was being slowly dispelled as Jesus made Himself known to His own. He is not dead, He is Risen.

What lessons can we take home from this study? Many of them have already been identified and applied but here are some additional thoughts. In our text for today we learn what kind of preaching is likely to do the most good to the souls of men. "And they said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, WHILE HE WAS EXPLAINING THE SCRIPTURES TO US?" The simple, faithful, exposition, or explaining, of the scripture is that which is most likely to communicate grace to the saved and unsaved alike. Ministers of the Gospel should preach in such a way that the ignorant and the learned alike can understand. Further, since, as we have seen, the spirit of all prophecy is Christ, preaching should always make much of Christ.

Secondly I believe we can see the results of spending time with Jesus. When these men had spent time in fellowship with Christ they could do nothing until they had told others of their experience. They had to reveal what they had learned to their brothers and sisters for their good and comfort. Here we see the truth that when one is filled with the love and knowledge of Jesus he no longer just thinks of himself he moves to lift his brother’s burden as soon as possible. Spending time in the worship of the blessed Trinity benefits us and everyone around us.

Finally let us remember that in the midst of our journey home Jesus walks with us. No matter what our experience or heartache, He is there, He will never leave us or forsake us. Lo, He is with us always even to the end of the world!