[0:00] But if you'll turn to Luke chapter number 24, I'm going to ask Chase to come up here. It wouldn't have been too many years ago that Chase would have been in the recap video running through the halls and telling us why he loved game time and hiding the Bible in his heart.
[0:12] Like Wesley said, I'm going to have Chase pray for us in a moment. But I remind you, as it's been said, we have the send-off service for him and Ashley tonight. And it's just surreal that God's allowing them to go to South Africa and to serve.
[0:26] They'll leave out, I believe, on Wednesday, the South African. And we're so proud of them. I had this picture. I've been holding on to it for a while, Ashley. But this one right here, little Ashley and Southern Living magazine.
[0:37] And so we'd see her, and it wasn't that long ago. But I imagine Southern Living won't announce that they're headed to South Africa, so we'll have to announce it for everybody else. But tonight at 5, if you would leave a note for them, that would be wonderful.
[0:52] They take the box to them, to the field. And after I read the passage, I'll have Chase come up here and pray for us. Hopefully I will. As soon as I get done reading, I start praying, right? I always do that.
[1:03] I need to remember that I have Chase over here to pray for us. We're about to spend three weeks, Lord willing, on the road to Emmaus. I love this story. If you know it, I assume you would love it as well, which means I have three sermons with me tonight.
[1:17] But if you'll pay close attention, I'll let you out on good behavior, and I'll give you one sermon. All right? But the Lord will stay in this passage, Luke 24, verses 13 through 35, which I'm about to read to you, tells the story for us here in Luke in great detail.
[1:32] I love the offering devotion today as I love them each week, but we were in Luke chapter number, at the end of Luke chapter 23, as Ben spoke about. There was people that had prepared spices.
[1:43] They were obedient to resting, so they didn't go forward on that last night. They came back to the tomb after the Sabbath, and then they were there. They see that Jesus is not in the tomb.
[1:54] They run, and they tell the disciples. Then we know the story where John and Peter run to the tomb, and it says that in Luke chapter number 24, verse 12, it says that, and the same day, Pilate, it says that, what does it say here?
[2:10] Okay, sorry. And then arose Peter and ran into the sepulcher, and stooping down, he beheld the linen cloths laid by themselves and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
[2:22] And so on Easter morning, we looked at that portion of Scripture where Peter was in an empty tomb, wondering, like, what does this mean? What does this mean for my life? What does this mean about the Messiah?
[2:32] And he wondered, not wondering if it isn't answered by the words of God, it will only lead to sadness and confusion, which is what we see on the road to Emmaus.
[2:44] We see two people that are walking on the road, and I'll read for you, and then Jesus comes alongside of them, and he helps them. And so over these three weeks, I pray that you'll see that we can move from confusion, the clarity in life when we walk with Jesus.
[2:59] We can move from confusion to clarity when we walk with Jesus. Let's read. This is God's holy, inspired, and errant word. May he write his eternal truth upon all of our hearts.
[3:09] Verse 13. And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs. And they walked together all of these things, and they talked together of all these things which had happened.
[3:24] And it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communication are these that you have one to another as you walk and are sad?
[3:41] And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things?
[3:52] And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed, and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and all the rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
[4:06] But we trusted that he had been he that which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, to this day, is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher.
[4:19] And when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them, which were with us, went to the sepulcher, and found that even so as the women had said, but him they saw not.
[4:35] Then he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ have suffered these things, and have entered into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them all the scriptures, the things concerning himself.
[4:52] And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone further. And they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.
[5:03] And he went in to tarry with them, and he came to pass, as he set it meet with them. He took bread, and blessed, and break it, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.
[5:14] And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
[5:32] And they told what things were done in a way, and how he was known of them, and the breaking of bread. Chase, if you come up here, you're going to pray for us. I just love this story so much. I love thinking about how Chase and Ashley, people seem to think that they have, real world problems, but the church is answering a question, that isn't relevant to their lives.
[5:51] Here, this picture of these disciples, that are walking, they were sad, and confused, but then the word of God, came into their life, and brought clarity, and it changed things.
[6:02] And Chase and Ashley, will have that joy of walking with people, through their lives, opening up the word, pointing Jesus out to them, from the scripture, and it makes all of the difference, in our lives.
[6:13] The word of God, makes all of the difference, in our lives. And I'm so grateful, for all that, they've done to prepare, for this day, to leave on this Wednesday, more than packing bags, which I imagine, was more Ashley than you.
[6:26] Okay. And that's how it usually works. But a lot of preparation for it, more than packing bags. As little Wesley said in the video, we learn scriptures, and we hid it in our hearts. Right? And these two people, have packed their bags, but they've hid the word of God, in their heart.
[6:39] And Chase has seen firsthand, how walking with Jesus, in the word, will change a life. It's a great testimony. So proud of you, Chase. Would you pray for us? Let's pray.
[6:50] Heavenly Father, we're just honored, and privileged, to be in your presence, this morning. And Lord, we first of all, want to give you, just the highest praise, for all that you've done, for us.
[7:01] Just for being so gracious, and merciful, as we sung to you. Lord, we come today, to get into the word, but Lord, I just pray that you would, just continue to work in our hearts, allow us to make the decisions, that would change us, to be more like you.
[7:19] And Lord, I pray that you would, give the pastor, the man of God, a door, an open door of utterance, to where he can, clearly present the gospel. And Lord, should there be someone, that's not saved, in this room this morning.
[7:33] Lord, would you just work in their heart, and save them. And I'll give you praise, for all that you do, in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. When you lead me, to the valley of vision, I can see you in the heights, and though my humbling, wouldn't be my decision, it's here your glory shines so bright.
[8:21] So let me learn, that the cross precedes the crown, to be low is to be high, that the valleys where you make me more like Christ.
[8:36] Let me find your grace, in the valley. Let me find your life, in my death.
[8:50] Let me find your joy, in my sorrow, your wealth, in my need. that you're near, with every breath, in the valley.
[9:07] In the daytime, there are stars in the heavens, but they only shine at night.
[9:30] And the deeper that I go into darkness, the more I see their radiant light.
[9:43] So let me learn, that my losses are my gain, to be broken is to heal, that the valley's where your power is revealed.
[9:58] Let me find your grace, in the valley. Let me find your life, in my death.
[10:12] Let me find your joy, in my sorrow, your wealth, in my need. that you're near, that you're near, that you're near, with every breath, in the valley.
[10:27] Let me find your joy, in my sorrow, your wealth, in my need. Let me find your joy, in my sorrow, your wealth, in my need.
[10:39] that you're near, in my need. That you're near, with every breath, in the valley.
[10:50] You're near to me. Amen. Amen.
[11:05] We'll be looking at two disciples, that found grace in the valley, of their life, as they walk on that road, to Emmaus. Luke chapter number 24, so we'll jump back into this. As I said, we'll look at this passage for us.
[11:18] It's really an extraordinary scene. You can't imagine, walking along, talking with a dear friend, about the Lord Jesus one day, and Jesus himself, joins in, on the conversation.
[11:29] This road to Emmaus experience, is told in one verse, in the book of Mark, but Matthew and John, don't report it, but Luke gives us, great detail, all the verses, that we have read, today.
[11:41] This is a seven mile, journey, together. If I get the confidence, over the next three weeks, God invites you, to join me, on a seven mile walk, where we talk about Jesus. Talking about Jesus, is the easy part, the walking the seven miles, is the part, I'm scared about, alright?
[11:57] And just walking, and talking about Jesus, if a few of you, would show low interest, we might just do that, on the green way, we might make a row, an Emmaus walk out there, and walk, and talk about Jesus, because it really can, change your life, to have somebody, in your life, that will talk to you about, that will help you, hear the words of God.
[12:14] So beautiful here, as we'll look at, and I'll say this, many times, over the next three weeks, but we have Jesus, teaching the words of God, and they don't recognize, who it is, that's hearing it, but the words of God, make a difference, nonetheless, because of the fact, that the words of God, are powerful, that's encouraging to me, because I have that same ability, to walk with somebody, and to talk to them, about Jesus, from scripture, as well, because the word of God, can really make, a difference.
[12:41] So if you're picturing, if you've got the flannel graph, in your mind, or you have some kind of picture, maybe a movie, or a scene, or how you just imagine, when you read the Bible, they're walking down this road, and I don't know, who you're picturing, most of us might be expecting, two men, but in this passage, we know for sure, one of them is a man, named Cleopas, we don't know, we don't know, who's walking with them, it just says, them.
[13:03] And so, knowing it's Cleopas, who would say, if he's going to be walking, with somebody, another woman, that it will be his wife, and so, we might look and see, if his wife, is in the story, and around, and in John chapter number 19, it says, now they're stood by the cross, of Jesus' mother, and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
[13:23] Cleopas is walking, with his wife, down the road, it couldn't, it might not just be, two men, it might be a man, and a woman, having a conversation. I'm picturing Charles, and Mary, you know them as Chuck, and Lisa, but I like to call them, Charles, and Mary, because it makes like, I have some friends, that are royalty, when I talk about my friends, Charles, and Mary.
[13:44] And so, picturing these two people, walking down the road together, in a just a sad, confused time of life, and this is a sad walk, to remember. And it's Jesus, that describes this walk, I don't have to guess, what it is that's going on.
[13:57] I could imagine, watching the disciples, knowing that Peter, was in the tomb, wondering, knowing that they don't know, what's going on, I could guess, what kind of emotion, emotional state they're at, but Jesus describes it, and that's what happened, in verse number 17, he gives a description, Jesus, he said, what manner of communication, are these, that you have one another, as you walk, and are sad.
[14:19] You guys are walking, you're walking, and you're sad, and he notices that, about him. Sadness, and confusion, is not a stranger, to people, that are disciples of Christ, they're not things, that as believers, that we don't experience.
[14:36] This does not say, that this, this couple, or these two men, that were walking, on the road that day, that they weren't genuine, disciples of Christ, that had followed him, in his life, but now they're at a place, and they don't understand, what God's doing, they don't understand, the will of God, they don't understand, what's next, in their life, and they're sad, and it was obvious, you could see, on their face, that they had been, weighed down, with something.
[15:02] We can look, throughout the Bible. When I think about, somebody expressing, a sadness. Nehemiah, had a sorrow of heart, for his condition, of his hometown, and his people. In Nehemiah, chapter number two, verse number one, it says, and it came to pass, in the month of Nicene, in the twelfth year, of Artaxerxes, the king, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king, and it says, now had not been, before time, sad in his presence.
[15:28] The king, had never seen, Nehemiah sad, before. And he said, wherefore, and the hymn, why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else, but sorrow of heart, that I was very sore, afraid.
[15:43] The king noticed, that there was something, about Nehemiah, that was off. Some of you, that are a little more extroverted, that are always happy, and bubbly, when you're kind of, having an off day, everybody's like, what's going on?
[15:55] Why aren't they, the way that they normally are? Nehemiah was like that, that one day. The king could look there, and they would say, what's, you know, what is your sorrow, of your heart? Worried about something else, being preoccupied, about the condition, of people that he loved.
[16:09] David, in Psalm 38, which we studied, many months ago, and that is a psalm, of a sick sinner's only hope. He was physically, and spiritually, this, he had the sore effects, of his sin, in his life.
[16:23] Psalm 38, for it says, They're gone over my head, as a heavy burden, they are too heavy, for me. And David knew, that his desires, and groanings, were before the Lord.
[16:34] And that same chapter, in verse 9, he said, Lord, all my desires, before thee, and my groaning, is not hid, from thee. That's a heavy burden, of guilt, and shame, that sin brings, into our lives.
[16:47] David, a man after God's heart, he has the guilt, and the shame, that is there. It's affected his countenance, affected his life, he wasn't optimistic, about the next day. He was a person, that was carrying, something.
[16:59] Continue through the Bible, we have Elijah, and his ministry. Things didn't happen, the way that he expected. He wanted to see, a national revival, calling fire down, from heaven, and then the next day, he's being criticized, and he says, he requested, that he might die.
[17:15] He just felt, so burdened, about what was going on. He wanted something, that wasn't happening. Life was not measuring up, to his great expectation. I love that story.
[17:26] Just as a side note, when Elijah thought, his life went off script, that it wasn't being lived out, the way that he thought, that in the New Testament, we find that Jesus, takes him up, there on the Mount of Transfiguration, and he helps him, see the bigger picture, of what he was doing, and is doing, the biggest picture.
[17:41] Moses, he was a person, that was grieved, over the sins, of his people, and they were wayward, and we had been there before. And then lastly, Jeremiah, we read his, the book of Lamentations, and a man that wrestled, with loneliness, and feelings of deceit, defeat, and insecurity.
[17:58] Jeremiah 20, verse 14, cursed be the day, wherein I was born. Let not the day, wherein my mother, bear me, be blessed. He says, I don't want anybody, celebrating my birthday, ever again.
[18:10] That's a bad day, isn't it? And so, he's the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, constant rejection, from his people, that he loved. And so, why would I bring up, Nehemiah, David, and Elijah, Moses, and Jeremiah?
[18:25] Well, maybe because, on a Sunday morning, it isn't my place, for me to tell your story. Or maybe you wouldn't know, if it was my story. But even in following Christ, Old Testament, and New Testament, the day in which we're living in, there's times that in our lives, from different things, being burdened for other people, from the guilt and shame, of our own sin, from disappointments, in life, in life, that we just feel this.
[18:46] We feel the weight, we're wrestling with fears, and insecurity. If you're visiting the day, you know that, I should let you know that, about the people around you. That even though, we are followers of Jesus, like these two people, on the road to Emmaus, it doesn't mean, there isn't times in our lives, where Jesus could come to us, and say, why do you walk sad?
[19:05] And why do you look so confused? And that's where Jesus finds us, many times, in our path of life, of following him, as we live in this broken world. Because we walk in some of the same paths, as others in this broken world, but we rejoice in the fact, that we know that, we do not walk it alone.
[19:22] Besides the companion of each other, as they walked that day, they were willing to walk, Jesus was willing to walk alongside them, while they were confused and scared. What a precious verse, in number 15.
[19:34] It says, And it came to pass, that while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
[19:45] That's so encouraging. That Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. Charles Spurgeon said, When two saints are talking together, Jesus is very likely to come, and make the third one in the company.
[19:57] Talk of him, and you will soon talk with him. I love that expression. Talk of him, and you will soon talk with him. So I gave some examples, and I gave some examples, of why sadness, confusion happened in the life, of those other people.
[20:10] Those are reasons, that it may come, in your own life, that you would be walking, sad. But what was the cause, of confusion and sadness, for this, two people, that are walking, that day.
[20:21] And it's this. The reason they were confused, and disappointed, was this. Jesus had not done, all that they hoped, he would do. Jesus had not done, all that he had hoped, he would do.
[20:33] You know, I rewrote that, many times, because I don't like that. I didn't like saying it, I don't like writing it. I don't like the idea, that we would ever accuse Jesus, of not being enough.
[20:45] That we would ever accuse Jesus, of being our cause, of disappointment, and sadness. But that's what Cleopas says, in an honest conversation, with the Lord. He tells him, we thought he was going to redeem.
[20:59] We thought he was going to make things different. He just didn't meet, we didn't meet our expectations. So it says, in verse number 14, that they were walking, and as they were walking, they were talking, all these things, which happened.
[21:12] That's what they were talking about. That they were talking about, all the things that were happening. They had a lot to talk about, right? A lot had happened, in a few days.
[21:23] You know, do you have anybody, in your life, that likes to talk something, to death? I mean, I won't mention anybody, with a woman, and she can talk something, to death, all right?
[21:34] There's two little women, in the house as well, they can just want to talk, at the death. Let's talk about it, all right? When, sorry dear, when Stephanie says, let's talk about it, there's like a deep breath, and like excitement, like, let's get into this.
[21:47] And I'm like, I don't want to talk about it. All right? Like, please, there's nothing more to be said. You know, let's just, let's just move on, but let's just talk about it. And so, Jesus, Cleopas, and Mary, and a husband and wife, it was really fit here, to just imagine, because we know, the married couple, you know what it's like, to just talk something, into the ground, and to talk about it, every angle, every detail, trying to figure it out.
[22:12] They gathered up all the information, they had, but here they are, they're just sad, and they're confused. I heard one woman say, if you ever see a group of, middle-aged women walking, and talking, don't mess with them, because they're saving lives.
[22:23] And you're like, what do you mean they're saving lives? Because they're solving problems, and your life may be one of them, that they're solving, alright? I'm gonna kill them, no, you better not kill them, that ain't gonna go good for you, alright?
[22:34] And so they're walking, and talking, solving a problem. Here, these two people, are walking and talking, they gathered up all the details, of what needs to be said, they've said everything, but it still leaves them sad, and confused, because trust had been broken.
[22:49] They thought the answer had come, but now they're facing more questions today, and they're redeemed than ever before. Verse 21, but we trusted, that he had been, he which should have redeemed Israel.
[23:01] We trust that he was the Messiah, and this was the Jesus, that was going to deliver us, from our oppression, that he was gonna change the government, he was gonna overthrow, and that we were gonna have everything, the day that they, we wanted, and they needed a word from God.
[23:17] And then speaking of the resurrection, they said, or they were speaking of his, being in the tomb for three days, and they said, and beside all this, on top of it, as if this isn't bad enough, besides all this, he's been dead now, for three days.
[23:31] We've been beyond the point, of any hope. He is dead, dead, right? It's been three days, is what they said. So the trust was broken, he didn't do all that they expected, he was going to do.
[23:43] They were at a point, where they thought it was of no return, and it's said that they were unable to see, their eyes were holding, verse number 16, as they communed together, and they reasoned together, one to another, that's when Jesus drew near to them, their eyes were holding.
[23:58] Read a story, about a young man, five years old, and he was from Texas, and his family said, we're going to take you to the Grand Canyon. And so the little boy went there, and he heard that it was bigger than Dallas, and so he went there, and then when he did, he saw it and he frowned, and they didn't understand what was wrong.
[24:14] And they asked him, he says, he said that it was a big cannon, and so he thought that he was going to the big cannon, and not to the Grand Canyon, all right? And so even if you see something as majestic as the Grand Canyon, if you're a little boy who thinks you're going to see a cannon that is shot off, then you're going to be spectacularly disappointed when you get there.
[24:37] And so there's a discouragement that kind of affect your view of reality. Kind of like my illustration today, I'm quite discouraged because I didn't realize that when I say canyon and canyon, it probably sounds the same to you all, all right?
[24:50] And so I'm going to have to think of a different way to tell that one next time, all right? And so a kid was disappointed at looking at the big hole in the ground, all right? The Grand Canyon. And so here we are. They shouldn't be disappointed, but they are, because this isn't what was supposed to happen.
[25:04] Jesus wasn't supposed to be killed. Jesus wasn't supposed to be taken away from them. And so this discouragement is going to affect their view. Their outward inability to recognize Jesus, it mirrored an inward unbelief of what the scriptures revealed about him.
[25:21] And so Jesus, when he speaks to them and he identifies the problem, he says, Oh fools and slow of heart to believe all the prophets had spoken. They were so depressed and negative in their confusion, it was beyond their capacity to make the obvious connection that was there to recognize that it was Jesus.
[25:41] And if you've ever been depressed or tried to help someone who's depressed, you know that people are amazingly resourceful in finding reasons not to take comfort in anything you say to them.
[25:53] They were blinded by discouragement. We know that to be the case. And we know what that's like. We've experienced it. Is that depression and discouragement blinds you from anything that's good that is happening there in your life.
[26:06] And so they determined they weren't going to hear any. All they heard was bad news. It's been three days. And now the empty tomb, it compounded the tragedy. They thought maybe his body had been stolen or an insult to injury.
[26:18] They did not know. And they were just hopeless. And here Jesus comes into the story. He comes to them in their sadness and their confusion. And he is there. And Jesus wanted them to look the scripture and not to an experience.
[26:32] I love this picture. I find it really funny. Some of you will think it's great and some won't have any idea what I'm talking about. But that's the nature of this, right? Is that a picture of Clark Kent takes his glasses off and he sets it on the kitchen table.
[26:47] Clark Kent is Superman, right? And Lois Lane looks at the table and says, whose dinner table is that, dear? All right? Because Clark Kent being Superman, the only difference is he takes his glasses on and off, right?
[27:00] And so if you've ever watched Superman, you wonder, why in the world can she not recognize that Superman? I mean, he's Superman. The only difference is he's not wearing glasses. And so I'm thinking, how do you not recognize that it's Jesus?
[27:13] You know, like, why don't you know it's Jesus? The first part that we'd understand is that there's a discouragement. But I believe that there's more going on than this discouragement. I believe here that God withheld the view of Jesus supernaturally and with intention.
[27:29] That as they walked with him, they did not recognize Jesus. And that was by his divine plan. So Jesus knew where they were at. So notice the priority of Jesus' revelation before he opened their physical eyes.
[27:43] He purposed that he was going to open the eyes of their heart. Because we're taught in Scripture that it's important that we walk by faith and not by sight. That the word of God needed the work in their hearts.
[27:54] If they were going to be really moved in life to clarity, it was going to happen by God's word. And so this resurrected Christ, Jesus, he not only knew geographically where they were located on the road to Emmaus, but he knew what was going on in their hearts.
[28:09] He knew the terrain of their soul. And our God is omniscient. And that means, that sounds like a cold word, and it sounds distant. But here in Jesus, we see how it's so tender and it's so personal.
[28:21] The psalmist in Psalm 139 says that he knows our down-setting and our uprisings. He understands our thoughts from afar. He understands all that he's acquainted with all of our ways.
[28:32] And so Cleopas here, his confusion, his depression, his disillusionment, his shrinking faith, and his anger. Here Jesus comes and walks beside him.
[28:43] And we see and we're reminded that our Lord honors honest spiritual conversations. This is how the conversation goes on. He looks at him and he says, Jesus asked why they're so sad.
[28:56] And he looks and he said unto them, Are you the only person in all of Jerusalem who doesn't know what is going on? And so then after he says that to Jesus, he says, How do you not know what's going on?
[29:09] And I remind you that the story of Jesus was not something that happened just among a few people. That historically, when Jesus came into Jerusalem, the whole town knew about it.
[29:20] Everyone was speaking about it. It was historically documented, historically proven that this is a major event there in that city. And so he's saying, How do you not know what happened?
[29:33] This person that we've been following, Jesus, he had been crucified. And it's a reminder there, this historical event. And so then after he says that, he just lays it out all before that stranger.
[29:45] In verse number 14, in verse 19, he says, What things? What do you mean what things? And then he told them, he gave them the scripture. And he says, This is concerning Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet. He was mighty indeed.
[29:56] And in word of God. And the chief priests and all the rulers, they delivered him to death and to be crucified. But we trusted that he would redeem Israel. And besides all of this, it's been the third day.
[30:08] And now certain women went there of the company and they were astonished. And they came back and they shared the story with us. And when they found not his body, they saw a vision of angels. And they told him that he was alive.
[30:20] And certain of them that went, the subclare found it, even as the women had said. But him they saw not. And so he just lays it out to this man, to this stranger that is before him.
[30:31] But unknowingly, he brought his questions to the only person who could answer them. And Jesus could have rightfully answered it like this. Because he said, What things? How do you not know?
[30:42] Are you the only stranger who doesn't know? Are you the only person in all of the land that doesn't know what's going on? And Jesus could have answered, I'm the one person on earth who understands, comprehensively, every single thing that has happened in the last few days.
[30:58] He said, I, he completely understand. Jesus knew everything in the details. But he didn't recognize who he was speaking with. They didn't recognize the beauty that was available to them.
[31:12] They were just walking from point A to point B. And they were confused. And they were sad. Some of you might have seen this story some years ago, where a famous violinist, Joshua Bell, was playing at Washington, D.C.'s subway station.
[31:26] He was playing in that city. And people were paying hundreds of dollars to listen to him play the violin. But he went to a subway station. He was just dressed like any of us would be, going through a subway station. And he played for 45 minutes.
[31:38] And nobody recognized that it was the famous violinist, that people were paying lots of money to hear him. They were just busy about their day. And they weren't recognizing the beauty that was there.
[31:49] Hear this, two people, as they're walking down the road, they're not recognizing. They share that they are sharing with the only person that could give them any answers. And one of the first things we learn in the Bible is that we have a God who is willing to walk with us.
[32:04] And this is what Jesus does. He doesn't answer the question, but he rebukes them. And he says, O fools and slow of heart to believe. And I say that Jesus graciously rebuked him, even though it's not necessary.
[32:17] Because by nature, a rebuke by Jesus is gracious. Because if you're headed in the wrong direction and somebody tells you that you're headed in the wrong direction, that's by definition, gracious.
[32:29] And so Jesus here, he rebukes them. And he says, O fools and slow of heart here. He doesn't call them, he doesn't say they're not intelligent. He doesn't say that they're dumb.
[32:40] What he says is that they're foolish. And so this isn't an intellectual assessment. This is a moral one. This has to do with their heart. It doesn't have to do with their understanding. It wasn't that they weren't great enough students of the Old Testament.
[32:53] It wasn't that they didn't understand all the prophecies. Their eyes had been affected by seeing the reality was being affected by what was going on in their heart. And so he walks with them on the road to Emmaus.
[33:06] But he's walking with them from confusion to clarity. And then he begins with Moses and all of the prophets. And he continues teaching him, the sad disciples. And so Jesus answered in a way that was available for all of us that know God's word.
[33:21] Jesus does not provide comfort to them by a new revelation or by some supernatural experience. But he does it by explaining the word that is available to all of us that know it.
[33:33] I like this quote by Ken Hughes. It says, as musicians come, I like to read this too. It says, we may feel insignificant and alone. But when we see Jesus fresh from the cosmic trauma of death and resurrection, monitoring the footsteps and heartbeats of a despairing couple, we know that we too are known and loved.
[33:55] Jesus was willing to walk with these two people at that time. And what he does is something that every one of us are able to do, which is to point people to him and the scriptures.
[34:09] It says, and we'll look at it next week, Lord willing, that he expounded unto them all the scriptures and the things concerning him. So there's no better way to help a friend than to walk with him where they're at and to point them to Jesus from the scripture.
[34:24] I want to be as practical as possible because that's what I find in Christ. He walked with him. These are people that were already believing. These are people that were defined as his disciples, but he needed to help them move from confusion in their life to clarity.
[34:41] And so I'll say it like this. A walk with a friend who will point you to Jesus from scripture can absolutely change your life. Here in a moment as we pray, and I'll ask you to stand in a time of response to the believers in here.
[34:56] I want to encourage you, your personal confusion in your life. It's more directly related to your lack of understanding of the will of God than you may know. You need to get in the word.
[35:07] So you say, I'm so busy and life is so hard and life so challenging. I don't know how to prioritize my life. I don't know how to get things in order. And I would like to get, I'd like to find some time to get in the word with my friends, but it's just not fitting.
[35:21] And so you have this separation here between what's going on in this building and what's going on when we study the Bible. And then all this thing that all these things that are going on in your life.
[35:32] And can I tell you that those things that are going on in your life, you can talk all about it. You can talk all about it with somebody else. But until you invite Jesus into that conversation, you're not going to have the clarity that is available.
[35:46] So simply ask a friend. You don't need to walk seven miles. All right. Because I won't be talking after the second mile if you're walking with me. All right. I can either breathe or I can talk. I can't do both on a walk like that.
[35:57] But get with a friend and open up the scripture. Commit this week that the word of God is going to be open with you and a friend. Because that's what Jesus did. Was, is Jesus more than a friend?
[36:09] Most certainly. Had Jesus died for them? Most certainly. But as he walked with them, he did and he modeled for us what is possible for every one of us. He just pointed these sad and confused friends of his to the Jesus of the scriptures.
[36:25] And it changed their life. Secondly, as Americans, as Christians, and I'm so thankful for what's been said today. Tomorrow we should celebrate and honor the sacrifice made for us.
[36:38] And I'm very grateful for the country we live in. But we have a tendency to be far too individualistic. We come to church for years. We sit next to people we don't even know.
[36:49] And can I encourage you? Go walk with a Christian friend and recognize that Jesus is with you. Just go sit down with a friend and get together and speak about the goodness of God in your life.
[37:01] And this couple here, they provide an example. Because they, they have shortly after he rebukes them, they're going to invite them into his home. And so we should welcome correction from the word of God in our lives.
[37:14] We should be looking for it. We should be looking for him to interrupt our state of mind and heart and where we're at with the clear teaching of God's word.
[37:26] What an example. What an incredible story we have today. Let me encourage you, wherever you're at, if you're dealing with what Nehemiah dealt with or what Moses dealt with or what Cleopas is dealing with. If there's confusion in your life, would you recognize that Jesus is available and ready.
[37:43] The wonderful thing that Jesus tells us that when he ascends up to the heaven is that he, he must go, but he won't leave us as orphans. He won't leave us without care that the Holy Spirit will come, which means no matter what road you walk down this week, you can walk with him, that you can commune with him, that you can talk to him.
[38:01] And we get to a place where we just got to say, I've tried everything that I can to make this life work together, but I'm just still sad and I'm still confused. You need to recognize that Jesus wants to walk that walk with you.
[38:13] Would you mind standing with me? And as you stand, heads bowed and eyes closed, believer, speak to the Lord there. Find a place in your seat or here at the altar. Recognize that he wants to take this walk with you.
[38:26] And this week we see the value Jesus puts upon teaching the Bible, how loving it is for us to teach the word of God to our friends. How loving is it for us to help people see the simplicity of Christ.
[38:40] And so I encourage you to do that. As believing people is praying there in your seats. If you're in here today, I would love to tell you about Jesus Christ. As it was said, do you not know?
[38:52] Had you not heard? The most enjoyable thing that we get to do as Christians is to tell other people about Jesus Christ and how it can change our lives. And I encourage you to, before you leave today, to speak with somebody.
[39:07] Go to the next steps table. See me in the foyer. And allow us the joy of telling you about how his death and resurrection changes everything about our lives. Before we sing together, let's pray.
[39:19] Heavenly Father, I thank you for this story, Lord. How we get to see ourselves, Lord, in him. Father, I don't know who's walking on that road with Jesus that day. I know that I can walk with you.
[39:31] I know that me and my wife, Lord, we walk many times and we don't invite you into that conversation. And we just make a mess of things. We get sad and we get confused. Father, that is such a shame that you're so willing to be willing to walk with us.
[39:48] Lord, I pray that we would be the type of friends that would open up the scriptures and that we would share it with somebody. Father, may that be what would happen this week. May this group of people in here today be willing to take the word of God and share it with others.
[40:03] Help walk them from confusion to clarity. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.