The transcript of the sermon can be read below
LUKE 24:13-35
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them;16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast.18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does 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.20 The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him;21 but 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.22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning23 but didn’t find His body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive.24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?”27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if He were going farther.29 But 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.
30 When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.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?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.
Luke 24:13-35 RECOGNIZING JESUS
Springford Baptist Church: April 19, 2020.
Nearly every conversation we are having these days centers around what has been happening with this COVID19 health crisis and how it is affecting all of our lives.
When something very
significant has occurred or is occurring,
of course it is the main
topic of conversation. This was the case with the conversation of
these 2 people we read about in today’s Scripture. They were
walking about 7 miles together (a relatively short distance) and as
they walked to Emmaus from Jerusalem, “they
were talking with each other about everything that had happened.”
(vs. 14) They were talking about Jesus and
His death and the now puzzling reports that He had been raised back
to life.
No wonder this was the main topic of conversation! These were unprecedented times and how were people to know what to make of it all?
We are living in unprecedented times as well and how are we to know what to make of it all?
“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them;” (vs. 15)
This is what we pray for and long for that Jesus will walk along with us.
When we cannot make sense of what is happening, we want Jesus to walk along with us.
When we feel afraid and
uncertain of what will happen next, we want Jesus to walk along with
us.
When we see the likelihood that there will be big changes to
our lives, we want Jesus to walk along with us.
When we are
wondering what we can do and how we can respond to so many needs
around us, we want Jesus to walk along with us.
And here is the
good news in every circumstance and emotion that we experience, this
is exactly what Jesus wants to do.
Jesus wants to walk along with us and to reassure us and to guide our way.
Jesus joins these two walking to Jerusalem and asks them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along.”? (vs. 17)
Their response is, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”(vs. 18)
We cannot imagine that anyone would be unaware of what has been happening in our communities, in our country, and in our world in these days we are living.
If someone were to say, “What things?” we would be amazed that they did not know.
These two, that we read about here, proceed to tell their fellow traveller the details of Jesus’ death and the reports that He is now alive. (vss. 19-24)
Do you notice how Jesus responds? He responds by explaining to them what was said throughout Scripture that pointed to everything that had been happening, everything that had happened with Jesus. (vss. 25-27)
They told Jesus what they had seen and heard (their limited view on things) and Jesus reveals that this is all the way things were planned (God’s view on things).
These 2 had no idea that it was Jesus walking along with them. They did not recognize Him.
Have we been recognizing Jesus walking along with us in these recent days? We have known Him with us at other times. We can know for certain that He is with us now.
Recognizing that Jesus is with us constantly is what continues to give us hope!
We cannot make sense of things and we need Jesus to be with us every moment. And He is!!
The words of these 2 travellers are compelling. They say to Jesus, “Stay with us.” (vs. 29)
Isn’t that exactly how
we feel? Isn’t that what we want to say? Lord Jesus, stay
with us.
You Jesus, can provide
understanding. Stay with us.
You
Jesus, care about us. Stay with us.
You
Jesus, love us. Stay with us.
Jesus,
we need You. Stay with us.
It is when Jesus is at the
table with them and He takes bread and gives thanks and breaks it
that their eyes are opened and they do recognize Him. They recognize
that this really is Jesus! (vss. 30,31)
What
does it take for our eyes to be opened to recognize Jesus?
What sometimes keeps us from recognizing Jesus?
When we do recognize the truth that Jesus is with us, we receive courage for every step we must take.
When we recognize the
truth that Jesus is with us, we are moved by His intense love for
us.
When we recognize the truth that Jesus is with us, we want to
tell others this good news of hope.
This is what the two who
had travelled to the village of Emmaus did. They rushed back to
Jerusalem to tell the Eleven disciples and others gathered with them
that they had seen Jesus and recognized Him.
(vss. 33-35)
When we recognize the truth
that Jesus is with us, how will we respond? What will we do?
Listen now to the words of
this familiar hymn. The chorus is:
“And
He walks with me and He talks with me.
and He tells me I am His
own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there;
No other has ever
known.”
Thank You Jesus, that we can recognize You walking and talking with us and telling us that we are Your own. We belong to You!