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God Has Spoken! (4 of 6)
On the Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35
God Has Spoken! The reality that God has spoken transforms how we see and understand absolutely everything. Because of the digital world, the number of conflicting messages that we regularly face would – in a previous generation – be absolutely unimaginable.
We often find ourselves asking – What should I think about this? Our first response when facing the vastly varied challenges of our day needs to be asking – What does God say about that?
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV) –
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) –
“...it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Psalm 119:105 (ESV) –
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Luke 24:27 (ESV) –
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Luke 27:44 (ESV) –
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Jesus claims that the entire Bible is about Him. He explains how the Old Testament points to Him. In every passage there’s an arrow pointing to Jesus and if we don’t see how a passage in the Bible points to Jesus we need to keep looking because it does.
1. This chapter focuses our gaze on the glorious news of the resurrection. It begins with the startling and glorious discovery of the empty tomb.
We’re gazing on the death and resurrection of Jesus, on the cross and the empty tomb.
Luke 23:53 (ESV) –
“Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.”
Luke 24:5-6 (ESV) –
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”
The empty tomb is found in verses 1-2 and then the passage focuses on two of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances. In verses 13-35, Jesus appears to two of His disciples as they traveled along the road between Jerusalem and Emmaus. In verses 36-49, Jesus appears to the eleven.
Luke 24:40 (ESV) –
“And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (ESV) –
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”
Luke 24:13-35 (ESV) –
“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some 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.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
“ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”
2. Jesus appeared to two of His followers who were traveling the road between Jerusalem and the village of Emmaus.
Luke 24:18 (ESV) –
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
We can understand why they were downcast, they were followers of Jesus and He had been betrayed, arrested, brutally tortured, crucified and buried. They were no-doubt hoping that Jesus would be a political savior who would kick out the Romans but their hopes had been dashed because the rulers had rejected Him and demanded His crucifixion.
Luke 24:19 (ESV) –
“... mighty in deed and word before God and all the people...”
At this point a humorous and ironic situation develops. Think about what happens – Jesus begins to explain how the entire Old Testament points to Him, He teaches them all about Himself from the Old Testament while they were clueless as to who they were talking with.
Luke 24:27 (ESV) –
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Jesus demonstrated that He is destination of the entire Old Testament. The entire Bible points to Jesus as the climax of God’s redemptive plan.
Luke 24:30-31 (ESV) –
“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.”
Their eyes are opened and they recognized that they were with Jesus and as soon as they recognized Him, Jesus disappeared from their presence.
Luke 24:34 (ESV) –
“The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
3. Jesus’ appearance to and teaching of His followers along the road to Emmaus teaches us about Scripture. The entire Bible points to Jesus!
They were clueless as Jesus explained the Old Testament to them. They don’t get it as they walked along the road and Jesus taught them about Himself.
Luke 24:25-27 (ESV) –
“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Luke 24:36 (ESV) –
“Peace to you.”
Jesus explained that everything in the Old Testament that predicted God’s plan for deliverance had to be fulfilled and He opened their minds, showing them that the Old Testament points to Him.
Luke 24:44-45 (ESV) –
“‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”
All Scripture is ultimately about Jesus! In every passage there’s an arrow pointing to Jesus and if we don’t see how a passage in the Bible points to Jesus we need to keep looking because it does.
John 5:39-40 (ESV) –
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
John 5:46 (ESV) –
“For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.”
Matthew 1:1 (ESV) –
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
The Old Testament looks forward to and prepares the way for Christ's coming and the New Testament begins with His coming and looks forward to His promised return.
May we never lose sight of the wonderous truth that – God has spoken. He has revealed Himself in His Word and as we read the Bible we need to remember that wherever we’re reading, there’s always an arrow pointing to Jesus and to His substitutionary death and victorious resurrection.
All the pieces of the puzzle and all the history in the Old Testament (and also the New) point to Jesus’ coming and to His promised and glorious return! It’s all about Jesus!
Each piece of history is a piece of the puzzle in God’s unchanging plan to save. Each rule reminds us of our sin and our need for the Savior of the World! It’s all about Jesus! It’s been said that – Every story whispers His name!