Luke 24:13-32 "The Walk to Emmaus" Resurrection Sunday 2024
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Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! He is Risen! He is Risen!
If you haven’t noticed… there are a number of Easter flowers down front… please take one home after church today… our gift to you!
Today is a special day where we recognize the significance of Jesus Christ and His victory over the grave…
He died… and three days later rose again.
Which carries tremendous significance…
Paul emphasized the significance of the Resurrection… writing this… 1 Cor 15:14-17 “…if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”
But, Christ is risen… over 500 witnesses saw Jesus in the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension, according to 1 Cor 15:6.
Scholars title the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ as “the cornerstone of our Christian faith”… “the most important event in history”… “the foremost miracle throughout all ages” and “a key foundation of our faith.”
One scholar stated, “The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of [Jesus’] deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which foretold His coming and resurrection. Moreover, it authenticated Christ’s claims that He would be raised on the third day. In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As the apostle Paul said, our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.” The word ‘resurrection’ by def. means “a standing up again; a rising from the dead.”
Jesus’ bodily resurrection assures us… there is life after death.
So, on this day we look back to Jesus’ resurrection… in praise of Him…
And we rest assured of our future resurrection.
For all who place their faith in Jesus Christ…death is not the end.
We too rise again.
And, so annually we celebrate Jesus’ victory over the grave…
We celebrate as we victoriously proclaim “HE IS RISEN!”
Today, we are going to look at one of the most intimate conversations, and the longest recorded account on the morning of Jesus’ Resurrection…
As Jesus talks with two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.
A few years ago when we went through Matthew… the resurrection account lined up perfectly with Easter…
I was hoping the same would happen as we are so close to the Resurrection account as we teach chapter and verse through Mark on Sundays, but that didn’t work out.
But, that’s ok…
Because we are going to look at a very unique account only found in Luke 24. And, if you haven’t already… you can turn in your Bibles to Luke 24:13-32.
In prior years, I felt led to preach on the significance of the Resurrection in depth… and to harmonize the Gospel accounts of Resurrection morning…
All which you can find on our app or website… under Topical Messages.
But, today… I felt led to a tender passage… rich in application… and maybe this is for you today…
Because in many ways… this account allows for us to see ourselves in the story.
“The Walk to Emmaus”… our Sermon title for today… carries a special message… even today for all of Jesus’ disciples…
It’s a message of hope and assurance that Jesus is right here with us… even in some of our most difficult moments of doubt and crisis.
So, Let’s pray… and then look at this beautiful passage.
In reverence for God’s word, please rise as I read our passage today…
Luke 24:13-32 “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain 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.”
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Praise God for His word! Please be seated.
So we find ourselves on Sunday morning of Passover Week… Holy Week if you will.
Thus far, early in the morning, some of the key women in Jesus’ ministry go to the tomb with spices fully expecting to anoint the body of Jesus…
But, miraculously they find the stone rolled back…and the tomb empty… no body.
Some say the disciples stole the body… that it was a plot… a deception… But, this is not the case…
Why would the women even bother with going to anoint His body… if that were the case?
Two angels appear to the women… proclaiming the resurrection, asking “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”
And, the angels reminded the women that Jesus had prophesied His arrest, crucifixion and resurrection three days later.
The women testified of all this to the eleven Apostles and any other disciples.
But, the disciples thought the words sounded like “idle tales, and they did not believe them.”
But, Peter and John ran to the tomb to investigate and found only the linen burial cloths in the empty tomb… and then they returned to their homes.
Mary Magdalene remained outside the tomb weeping… and again two angels appeared to her… and then Jesus Himself… and asked her “Woman, why are you weeping?”
Mary did not realize at first that this was Jesus until he called her by name…
And, then she knew… for as Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Mary returned and testified to the disciples that she saw the Lord… but still… they did not believe her.
Jesus also appeared to the other women… instructing them to tell the Apostles to go to Galilee, and they would see Him there.
And, that brings us to the next scene… V13 of our passage today… where two disciples are traveling on this same day… Sunday… to a village called Emmaus… which was seven miles… Lit. in Gk. “60 stadia”… from Jerusalem… about a 2-3 hour walk.
Now… locating where Emmaus is today is difficult… the location is debated… as you can see on our slide showing several possibilities of where Emmaus was…
This is an interesting rabbit trail for your own time… for those of you who like researching Biblical details.
Luke provides just basic details… 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus…
And, there are a few towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem with similar, but not exact spellings…
Add to that early church tradition on the location… plus the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus… and you have various possibilities.
Today… unless major renovations have occurred that I’m unaware of… much of the ancient Roman Emmaus Road… has suffered from erosion over time… and construction…
The installation of a water pump station has marred the Emmaus Road with massive pipes…
And a cemetery was carelessly expanded where bulldozers pushed massive rocks down a hill… knocking down cedars and pines that lined the road… destroying picnic benches and swing sets for kids…
One scholar wrote this in 2019 “I fear that soon we may have to bid the Emmaus road a final farewell. Perhaps it is a good reminder that what is built by flesh and blood has its season and then is no more, while those whom Heaven has acclaimed endure forever.”
And, that is a great perspective to the sad story of what the Emmaus Road has become.
But, what we have today… this account of the disciples walking with Jesus on the Emmaus Road… is recorded in Scripture…
… so we will have this story for all Eternity. It will never suffer from erosion over time.
Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
And, we praise God for His eternal word.
Back in V13… one final foundational detail in V13… is we see there were two disciples…
One is identified in V17 as Cleopas… who we know very little about.
His name is a short form of Cleopatros meaning “renowned father”… the masculine form of Cleopatra.
This is likely NOT the same person as the Clopas in John 19:25.
While there’s no hard evidence… some traditions hold the other disciple is Luke…
In part because of the great amount of detail as only recorded in Luke’s gospel… was Luke an eyewitness?
And, is Luke following a tradition of the Gospel writers to write himself into his Gospel account anonymously?
John did this… calling himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved”
Mark seems to as well… in the scene after Jesus’ arrest…
Mark described a young man who followed wearing only a linen cloth which was seized and he ran away naked… scholars suspect this was Mark…
And with a scene like that… no wonder Mark would chose to remain anonymous.
So in like fashion… is the Emmaus Road Luke’s anonymous appearance?
We cannot say for sure, but it’s an interesting thought.
And, with the relative anonymity of these disciples… not being Apostles… not being named by name…
The Emmaus Road account leaves room for any Christian today to see themselves in this story.
More important than the location of Emmaus… or who these two disciples were… is what they were feeling on this morning… and on this journey… and how the Lord met them on the road… and ministered to them.
They represent any Christian who… in the midst of a crisis of faith… is confused about Jesus… and where they might find Him now.
In V14… we read these men “talked together of all these things which had happened.”
These men were feeling hopeless and dismayed … going back and forth in their conversation… distraught as their hopes and expectations had come crashing down.
V21 records them saying, “… we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”
There was a built up expectation that Jesus would be the conquering King who freed Israel from Roman oppression… and would usher in His Kingdom Age.
They… like so many Jews… expected the Jesus of the second coming… and failed to acknowledge all the other OT scriptures that also spoke about the Suffering Servant… which Jesus fulfilled in His first coming.
And, so now that Jesus had been crucified… they are in a crisis of faith.
And, when this happens in life… it often worse than financial challenges… or medical trials or relational difficulties…
A crisis of faith rocks one so deeply to the core… because their hopes and expectations of who they thought God was comes tumbling down…
And, this is where these two men are… leaving Jerusalem… three days after the crucifixion… Rome is still in control… Jesus is not is sight…
And, they are walking away from it all…
V15 says they “conversed and reasoned.”
The word “reasoned” in Gk is a strong word… by def “to examine… to dispute.”
In their humanity, they are trying to make sense of it all… and they are struggling…
Asking questions… and letting thoughts and memories replay over and again in their minds…
“But He said...” “But, what about this...” “No that can’t be right...” “I’m so confused...”
It’s in these moments that our emotions shift and swing… from sadness to anger… to hopelessness…to numbness… and back again.
And, it’s in this place of crisis… and in this moment that we read in V15 “… that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.”
It’s in these moments that we must remember Jesus words… “… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:20
Repeatedly n the OT, the LORD promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut 31:6; Josh 1:5; 1 Ch 28:20)
And, He proved this true on the Road to Emmaus…
But the disciples did not know this was Jesus… V16 says “their eyes were restrained...”
And, while we might cast stones at these disciples thinking them as spiritually blind… or at least a bit thick in the head…
“Restrained” means “prevented”… their inability to recognize who Jesus was went beyond their own insufficiency… this was spiritual…
Mark devotes only two verses to the Emmaus Road encounter… and Mark 16:12 states, “He appeared in another form to two of them...”
To Mary, she thought Him a gardener…
And, to these disciples, they think He is just a fellow-traveler.
And, sometimes… when we are so caught up in life… and our emotions crowd our ability to remember His words and His promises…
And, even though He’s right there with us… we cannot see Him…
It’s in these moments that He gently walks with us… guiding us back to Him.
Side-note… What an amazing picture this is of the resurrected Christ… and quite possible a glimpse of what our resurrected and glorified bodies will be like…
Jesus draws near to them as they conversed and reasoned and V17 records Jesus asked, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
Some translations state, “they stopped walking and looked discouraged” [or sad].
Have you even been in this place… where the weight of the world is on your shoulders… and a stranger points out you look burdened… and that’s all you needed to hear to stop you in your tracks…
Maybe it’s in this moment… that the eyes become like faucets…
There’s a deep sigh in your chest…
And, it’s not that Jesus was being insensitive… He was entirely in tune with where they were in their lives…
He’s God. He knows. He knows the very number of hairs on our heads… and our thoughts… our motivations.
And, this question He throws out… it addresses the crisis in their lives… and now He has their full attention.
Even to the point that Cleopas asks in V18, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
We might say, “Have you been living in a cave?” or “under a rock?”
“How are you so oblivious man?”
Jesus’ patience to not reveal Himself here is amazing.
He could have just released His Shekinah glory in this moment… and taught them the fear of the Lord.
But, He doesn’t… I imagine He just smiled at them for a moment.
Later on… when Cleopas finally realizes this is Jesus… at some point he had to have kicked himself… “I can’t believe I said that to Jesus.”
It was like he took a page from Peter’s playbook. Peter had a knack of putting his foot in his mouth.
Can anyone relate? You’re speaking words… and trying to reel them back in as they exit your mouth.
Good think we serve a gracious God. I haven’t seen Him zap any of us yet.
And, I love the casual reply from Jesus in V19… He responds, “What things?”
Like He doesn’t know! This is called divine humor.
“No guys… I don’t know anything about the events in Jerusalem the past three days. Do tell.”
Kids… listen to me… sometimes your parents ask you a question… and they already know the answer…
But they want to see how you’re going to respond.
It’s a little game we play to amuse ourselves.
And so, in vv 19-20 Cleopas and the other disciple start to tell Jesus the things that happened in Jerusalem… over the past three days…
From what we call “Good Friday” to “Resurrection Sunday.”
The things that He lived… they speak Him about Jesus of Nazareth… a Prophet… truly more than a Prophet…
Mighty in deed and word before God and all the people…
Which is always the correct order… be sure your deeds and words are first right before God… then people.
Don’t get that backwards… or you’ll find yourself forever pleasing people and disappointing God.
And, they spoke of His arrest, trials, and crucifixion… which Jesus knew much more intimately than these two.
And, then that crushing V21… “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.”
The thought their hope was crushed… it appeared as though the third day had arrived… and there was no resurrection.
I wonder if they expected something dramatic…
Like Jesus bursting through the Eastern Gate… as many interpret Ezk 44 and 46…
Or Jesus touching down on the Mount of Olives and splitting it in two as Zech 14:4 predicts.
Both… still yet future… but, Jews so often expected the Jesus of the Second Coming.
And, then in vv 22-24… Cleopas and the other disciple recount the events of that morning… the empty tomb… the astonishing testimony of the women… their encounter with the angels who testified Jesus was alive… Peter and John finding the tomb empty…
And… almost as if enough was enough… in vv 25-26, Jesus cuts in and says, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
That’s one way to start a sermon.
“You guys are thick-headed and slow-hearted!”
Not exactly how you win friends and influence people.
Jesus leads with a rebuke…
And it was not a rebuke for not believing the testimony of the women… or of the angels…
It was because they were slow to believe the prophets… referring to the OT prophets and their Messianic prophecies that foretold the first coming of Messiah and how He would suffer.
Jesus is challenging these men, because they don’t understand that the crucifixion was a necessity… and their filtering Jesus to their own preconceived notions about the Messiah which were off.
He rebuked them for their lack of understanding of scriptures.
Their lack of understanding scripture caused them to falter in their walk with Jesus.
And so often that’s the case when Christians stumble… like these disciples they build up a hope about Jesus…
That He will prosper… and bless… and heal… like He’s a genie in a bottle.
And, then when difficult life circumstances arise… the death of a loved one… a lost job… illness…
They find themselves walking on the Road to Emmaus… conversing and reasoning how Jesus did not meet their expectations… and they shake their fist at God.
And so, as Jesus walk with these two disciples… how will He minister to them? What will he do to remedy their hopelessness?
What Jesus doesn’t do… is he doesn’t give them a motivational speech, and then bring them in for a group hug.
Nor does He downplay the significance of their experience and tell them to rub some dirt in it…
What He does is… Walk with them… and then He guides them by taking them scripture.
Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
The word of God helps us navigate life… much like the tools and methods sailors use when at sea.
If a sailor’s GPS goes down, and they have no compass, and the clouds cover the sun or stars… and they know of no other navigation methods… they will literally be lost at sea.
Being able to navigate the depths… is literally life saving to those at sea.
Much in the same, God gave us His word so we are not lost in this sea of life.
Without the word of God… our form of navigation, we might follow just about anything.
There are many different voices guiding people in life… and most of them are wrong.
Jesus said there is a broad way that leads to destruction, and a narrow way that leads to life.
And, so Jesus… the way, the truth and the life… guides these two disciples…
V27 states, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
What a Bible study that must have been… a 2-3 hour walk with the word of God while He taught the word of God…
No doubt taking them to key passages showing that it was inevitable for the Christ to suffer and die. That this was all part of God’s plan.
Gen 3:15 - The serpent would bruise His heel (speaking of suffering and death, but not defeat… He would rise again); but Messiah would crush his head… utterly destroying his authority.
The Passover… the blood on the two doorposts and on the lintel (the horizontal beam)… forming two crosses with blood in between…
The Shadows and the Types… the Old Testament sacrifices… the Sin Offering… pointing to Jesus.
Ps 22 - a passage Jesus Himself referenced from the Cross… which vividly spoke of the suffering and crucifixion of Messiah.
Isa 53- “He was wounded for our transgressions… He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth… He was cut off from the land of the living… He was numbered with the transgressors...”
But, there would be victory over the grave… Ps 16:10 “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
A Psalm Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, attributed to the resurrection of the Christ in Acts 2:31.
Jesus showed them how it was foretold that Messiah would suffer and die, but that would not be His end.
What an amazing Bible study that must have been?
The problem was NOT the scripture… we don’t need to forego the OT as some suggest…
The beauty of the New Covenant is further revealed by understanding the Old Covenant roots… and how the OT testifies of Jesus.
Much in the same… the Jews were guilty of paying close attention to the Messianic passages about the Conquering King… but neglected the passages pertaining to the suffering servant…
The problem was not what was said in scripture… it was how the people selectively interpreted scripture.
It was difficult to build a big synagogue on the back of a suffering Savior… much easier to preach a Conquering King.
That’s a message that sells. And, there’s nothing new under the sun.
One time, when Jesus was preaching to the Jews… He shared how there were many witnesses that testified of Him…
John the Baptist… His works… The Father… and the Scriptures.
He said to them in John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
The entirety of OT scripture testifies of Jesus…
And, just as they were guilty of focusing on the Conquering King, and not the Suffering Servant…
Many people today… love the Jesus of prosperity and love…
But they neglect that He is also a God of truth and justice… and He sets standards for holiness and sin…
And, so when the word is counter to cultural shifts… people take away from the word… or deny it’s inerrancy… or redefine it’s meaning…
And, these disciples on the road to Emmaus… they found themselves in crisis because they were foolish and slow of heart to understand the whole council of God.
Jesus Messiah came to die and rise again… to conquer sin… and redeem all who place their faith in Him.
That was the pin on the map of the timeline in which they lived.
And, time is short… because the conquering King is returning… this is the urgency of the time in which we live.
As Jesus and the two disciples approached Emmaus… Jesus seemed to indicate He would have kept going… as we read in V28, but in V29 the disciples constrained Him… they urged Him to abide or remain with them since it was evening.
Which was not just a logical and reasonable request…
Even though they still didn’t know this was Jesus they they want to spend more time with Him.
This should be the heart attitude of anyone who is excited about the word and a good teacher.
Even one who may start with “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe...”
Jesus didn’t tickle their ears, but gave them truth in love.
And, they wanted more.
And, then in V30, “He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.”
Much like He did with the Twelve during the last supper when He instituted Communion.
Which we do in remembrance of His broken body and shed blood
And, as the disciples welcome Him in… the guest becomes the host… and this simple meal becomes a sacrament… the home becomes a house of God…
They open the house to Him… and then He opens their eyes.
V31 “Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.”
We don’t know what opened their eyes… something about the way He prayed… or administered Communion…
Or, did they see the nail marks at the base of His hands? We don’t know.
But, something happened… and their eyes now see… this is spiritual revelation…
And, His work was done… so He vanished.
He didn’t creep out of the house all stealth like. He vanished. Gk. aphantŏs meaning “non-manifested or invisible.”
Supernaturally, He just disappeared.
But the light bulb went off in their minds, and they start to put the whole experience together.
V32 “And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Now… with their eyes open… realizing they had been with the risen Lord Jesus this whold time… their recognized their hearts burned on the road to Emmaus.
Their hearts didn’t burn when they spoke to one another… and their hearts didn’t burn when they spoke to him… it was when he spoke to them and opened the Scriptures that their hearts burned.
Their hearts burned when they closed their mouths… and received the witness of the surest thing. The word of God.
Remember what Abraham said to the Rich man in torment… who wanted Lazarus to return and testify to his brothers…
Abraham said, “They have Moses and the prophets [the Scriptures]; let them hear them.’”
The rich man replied, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
We have the surest thing to testify to the world around us.
The world needs Christians, whose hearts are burning for Him… Christian who are being guided and led by His word… who can impact the world because of the word and their testimony.
And, this is NOT heartburn… heartburn is what’s gonna happen to you later today when you stuff your face too much food.
A second helping of mashed potatoes, and one too many deserts, and you get heartburn.
That’s Not what we’re talking about.
We’re talking about burning hearts, NOT heartburn.
Spiritual burning hearts… which you get from being fed spiritually on the word of God.
Worship team… please come.
In my life… I grew up, going to Catholic church every Sunday, and I was not saved.
I went through the rituals. I got baptized, had my holy communion confirmation… and I didn’t know Jesus.
Christianity is more than Easter service and checking the attendance box on Sunday.
That kind of Christianity is as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny…
It may taste sweet, but it does not nurture your soul… your heart won’t burn… your eyes won’t see Jesus who is right beside you on your road of life.
And, maybe your here today… or listening online because it’s time to put aside the facade…
Or maybe it’s time to slow it down a bit… and stop talking and just allow Jesus to speak into your life.
He’s right beside you… do you recognize Him?
Maybe you’ve built up some preconceived notions about Jesus… and you need some guidance through the word of God…
We’d love to sit with you and look at what the word says…
Many people in this world today, are just as like these disciples… feeling a bit dismayed by built up expectations… and shattered hopes…
But, they are not hopeless…
They may be too busy with the thoughts in their brain… too busy talking and not listening…
And, they just need to slow it down and look at Jesus as seen through His word.
Give Him the space to reveal Himself.
Elders and prayer team, please come.
We have people coming up front now willing to pray with you… and there’s power in prayer.
Whether you’re a seasoned Christian… or you don’t know the difference between an Epistle and an Apostle…
If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior… come welcome Him in your life today.
We all need prayer. Cast your cares upon Him.
Let’s pray!
Maybe you’re here today and your heart is burning because you know there’s more to this Christian life than what you’ve experienced…
We are going to sing one last song in worship of our Risen Lord…
And, I invite you to come and pray for Him to show you what more there to this Christian life.
He is not dead! He is risen.
God bless you as you enter this week ahead.