East

er

Sunday

Now that same day two of

them were going to a

village called Emmaus,

about seven miles from

Jerusalem.

They were talking with

each other about

everything that had

happened. As they talked

and discussed these things

with each other, Jesus

himself came up and

walked along with them;

but they were kept from

recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are

you discussing together as

you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces

downcast.

One 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?”

“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.

“The chief priests and our

rulers handed him over to

be sentenced to death, and

they crucified him;

“…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. In

addition, some of our

women amazed us.

“…They went to the tomb

early this morning but

didn’t find his body. They

came and told us that they

had seen a vision of angels,

“…who said he was alive.

Then some of our

companions went to the

tomb and found it just as

the women had said, but

“…him they did not see.”

He said to them, “How

foolish you are, and how

slow of heart to believe all

“… that the prophets have

spoken! Did not the Christ

have to suffer these things

and then enter his glory?”

And beginning with Moses

and all the Prophets, he

explained to them what

was said in all the Scriptures

concerning himself.

As they approached the

village to which they were

going, Jesus acted as if he

were going farther.

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.

When he was at the table

with them, he took bread,

gave thanks, broke it and

began to give it to them.

Then their eyes were

opened and they

recognized him, and he

disappeared from their

sight.

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?”

They got up and returned

at once to Jerusalem.

There they found the 11 and

those with them, assembled

together and saying, “It is

true! The Lord has risen and

has appeared to Simon.”

Then the two told what had

happened on the way, and

how Jesus was recognized

by them when he broke the

bread.

What we have here in

this account of the Road

to Emmaus is people

who were perplexed.

I could understand it if

it were just a matter of

thinking Jesus was the

Messiah but had died,

and “now what?” but…

…these guys have heard

the report that Jesus

had arisen, and they had

trouble believing it and

were perplexed.

Part of it was that the

report came from

women, who were

regarded in that time as

being unreliable.

…but they had

confirmation of this

report from Simon Peter

too, so they ought to

believe by now.

These were men who

were part of Jesus’

entourage, and yet they

neither understood, nor

even recognized Jesus.

These were not ordinary

people like we would

meet who we’d like to

convince somehow and

we need to be patient.

Notice how Jesus treats

these guys. He almost

seems exasperated.

“How foolish you are, and

how slow of heart to

believe all that the

prophets have spoken!”

Have you ever witnessed

to someone effectively

calling them fools?

Jesus was able to pull it

off, but…

…I don’t recommend it

for you or me as a

technique for

evangelism.

Now, if you really want

to be doctrinaire you

could say, “If it was

good enough for Jesus,

it’s good enough for me”

…but don’t expect me

to give it a try in the

hopes that people will

appreciate it and be

quick to believe.

What we have here is

believers, people who

were the closest

followers of Jesus short

of being His chosen 12.

Jesus laid out the case

to them from the

scriptures that they

knew how they testified

about Jesus’ suffering.

From Moses telling the

people God would raise

up one called The

Prophet, to Isaiah’s

prophesies about Him…

…and many more places,

throughout the major

and minor prophets, the

story is there, and

we’ve gone through it.

It was really nothing

new to them. They

knew the Bible better

than we do, and they

lived with Jesus.

While He was speaking

to them, something kept

them from realizing it

was Him, but He just

recounted the scriptures

It wasn’t until Jesus

revealed Himself to

them that they got it,

and you and I need to

understand that part.

If people steeped in the

Bible so well they could

quote most of it were no

more than just

perplexed at…

…the explanation of how

it ordained Jesus’ life

and ministry that they

had experienced, then…

…in today’s world

where, honestly, we in

the church don’t know

the Bible as well as we

ought to, …

…what about the people

who make up the

majority of our

community and our

nation…

…those who don’t

attend church, don’t

read a Bible, may not

own a Bible, and likely

don’t live as we’d like?

We need to stay true to

the Bible, and we need

to share it in the belief

that God’s Word has

power to save people…

…but like we see in this

event on the road to

Emmaus, we must show

Jesus to people for them

to be able to believe…

…and like some of you

heard from my

experience with the

people who came to my

door last week,…

…it’s not about telling

people about Jesus, but

actually introducing

them to Jesus. We have

to believe we can do it.

We have to believe He’s

really alive and present

here and now and that

people can experience

His presence today.

Is the idea of Jesus

being raised to life all

you’ve ever known,

from before you heard

scientific objections?

Is it just part of your

upbringing?...or have

you met Jesus in a way

like Cleopas and his

companion did that day?

Do you know about it, or

do you know Him?

Do you want to

introduce people to

belief, or to Him?

What did Jesus want,

and what did He do in

this story? He did both

things here, and only

one worked, didn’t it?

He revealed Himself to

them, and they got it,

and it was through

fellowship over a meal.

Let’s introduce people

to the risen Lord Jesus

and let Him handle the

explanations and the

doctrine in His way.

He’ll show them inside

themselves, what’s good

and what’s bad, and

lead them to repentance

and salvation in His way.

What they need from us

is to be introduced to

Him and to see people

who will not settle for

anything else but Him.

The church is the Body

of Christ – that’s us, and

it is for us to embody

Jesus Christ all the way,

Him and nothing else.