Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word this morning.
Heavenly Father,
before the reading and preaching of your word,
we pray to seek your help
because we know our desperate situation.
Because we know that
we are powerless on our own
to grasp eternal truth,
to come to faith in them.
Because we know that no matter how hard I preach,
no matter how well prepared I am,
apart from the work of your powerful Holy Spirit,
not a single person will be saved.
And so we ask
that you
speak to us this morning,
address us,
carry forth your word
by the breath of your spirit
so that we might hear
and so that we might believe
to your glory.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Luke 24,
verses 13 to 32.
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 indeed,
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 woman 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 further.
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.
This is God's holy
and authoritative word.
Even if you don't teach vocationally
like I do,
you have probably taught someone something.
We do all kinds of teaching informally
in various contexts.
And you may have experienced
that gratifying moment
when the person
that you're teaching something to
finally gets something
that you're saying.
That aha moment.
The moment when the penny drops,
as the expression goes.
When something finally clicks
in their minds
and their eyes are open
to new things.
That teaching begins
to affect that person.
Changes the way they think
where they do things.
And one of the most humbling aspects
of being a pastor
and a preacher of God's word
is that no matter how hard I try,
I can't,
in my own,
produce that
in the people that are listening.
I can't open the spiritual eyes
of a single human being
to the wonders of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
Christ.
And that's the case
not because of my personal limitations,
of which admittedly there are many,
but because of an inherently
human limitation.
This was the case
even for the 19th century
British pastor
known as the Prince of Preachers,
Charles Spurgeon.
He puts it this way
in one of his sermons.
The gospel is preached
in the ears of all.
It only comes with power
to some.
The power that is in the gospel
does not lie
in the eloquence
of the preacher.
Otherwise,
men would be
the converter of souls.
Nor does it lie
in the preacher's learning.
Otherwise,
it would consist
in the wisdom of man.
The power which converts souls
does not even lie
in the preacher's simplicity.
or adaptation
to his work.
That is a secondary agency,
but not the cause.
Again,
the power which converts souls
does not even lie
in the pathos
which the speaker
may employ.
Men may weep
to the tragic muse
in a theater
as well as
to prophetic strains
in a chapel.
Their creaturely passions
may be impressed
through the acting
on the stage
as well as
by the utterance
of God's own servants.
No.
There is something
more than this
needed.
And where it is absent,
all preaching
is nothing.
We might preach
till our tongues
rotted,
till we should exhaust
our lungs and die,
but never a soul
would be converted
unless there were
the mysterious power
of the Holy Spirit
going with it,
changing the will
of man.
O sirs,
we might as well
preach to stone walls
as preached to humanity
unless the Holy Spirit
is with the word
to give it power
to convert
the soul.
Our converts
are worth nothing.
If they are converted
by man,
they can be
unconverted by man.
If some charm
or power
of one preacher
can bring them
to Christ,
some charm
or power
of another preacher
can take them
from Christ.
True conversion
is the work
of the Holy Spirit
and of the Holy Spirit
alone.
Our passage today
is one of the
clearest demonstrations
of that reality
in all of Scripture.
It teaches us
that God
is the one
who opens
the eyes
of our hearts
so that we
understand his word
and believe
in Christ,
the Redeemer.
That's the main point
of this passage.
And I will unpack
that in two parts.
First,
we'll talk about
believing in the
spoken,
word,
in verses 13 to 27.
And then we'll talk
about partaking
in the broken bread
in verses 28 to 35.
So let's first
look at believing
in the spoken word.
So far in this
last two chapters,
we've seen
two clues
about Jesus'
resurrection.
First,
the empty tomb.
And second,
the angelic announcement.
But despite
the woman
sharing this news
of Jesus'
resurrection
and the vision
of the angels
to the apostles
and the disciples,
it said in verse 10
that they did not
believe them.
And that brings us
to this most dramatic
resurrection account
in all of the Gospels.
It says in verse 13,
that very day,
meaning still the same day
of the preceding events,
the Sunday morning
of Resurrection Sunday,
and two of them
were going to a village
named Emmaus
about seven miles
from Jerusalem.
Two of them
is a reference
to the group
of apostles
and disciples
that were just
mentioned,
the very group
that did not believe
the report of the woman.
And one of them
is named Cleopas,
verse 18.
And since he's not
one of the remaining
eleven apostles,
and presumably
his companion
is also not an apostle
since he's not named,
these two are part
of Jesus'
larger group
of disciples.
And the fact
that there's two
of them should be
alert to us already
if you've been with us
throughout the Gospel
of Luke,
because at every
critical juncture
of the Gospel
of Luke,
Luke has taken pains
to tell us
that there were
two or at least
three witnesses
to attest to
every event
of Jesus' life.
At his birth,
at his trial,
at his death,
at his resurrection.
So Luke wants
to note here
by showing us
that there were
two witnesses
that this is not
a fanciful story
made up by a disciple
who is eager
for people's attention.
It's a valid testimony
confirmed by two witnesses.
And they're headed
to Emmaus
from Jerusalem,
meaning that they're
likely headed home.
They had come
to Jerusalem
as pilgrims
to partake
in the Passover feast,
the biggest festival
of the year
for faithful Jews.
And perhaps
they had come
hoping to witness
Jesus' rise to power
as the Messianic king.
Maybe they even wanted
to partake
in a revolution,
a political revolution,
to overthrow
the Roman Empire.
But they had
been disappointed.
Jesus was crucified,
buried,
and despite
titillating reports
of the empty tomb,
no one had
seen Jesus
in this gospel
account in Luke.
They decided
that they have to
get back
to their normal lives.
But on their journey,
they could not get
the significant events
that had just
transpired in Jerusalem
out of their minds.
So it says in verse 14,
they were talking
with each other
about all these things
that had happened.
So earlier
in chapter 24,
verse 9,
the woman returning
from the tomb
told all these things,
the same phrase
to them.
And so all these things
that they're talking
about right now
refers both to Jesus' death
and to the reports
of his resurrection.
And it says in verse 15
that they were talking
and discussing together.
The word discuss there
means to debate.
It means to argue.
Earlier in chapter 22,
verse 23,
it was translated this way
that saying more,
they began to question
one another,
referring to the 12 apostles
debating among themselves
which of them
will be the unfaithful
disciple
that betrays Jesus
as he just predicted.
And it's the same word
that's used
in Luke's sequel
in Acts chapter 6,
verse 9,
when it says
that some of the Jews
rose up
and disputed
with Stephen.
It's a heated discussion
because that dispute
eventually leads
to Stephen
becoming the first
Christian martyr.
He's stoned to death
as a result
of that heated discussion.
This is not just
the kind of a casual
small talk
kind of conversation.
This is an intense debate
that these two disciples
are having
about the significance
and the reality
of the events
that had just transpired
on their way back home
from Jerusalem.
But while they were doing that,
it says,
Jesus himself
drew near
and went with them.
It's so ironic.
It's almost comical.
While they are
intensely debating,
what just happened?
Jesus died.
But what are these women
talking about
that he's raised
from the dead?
These visions of angels.
As they're doing it,
Jesus himself
comes alongside them
and starts walking
with them.
But it says
in verse 16,
their eyes were kept
from recognizing him.
It's possible
that the disciples
failed to recognize Jesus
because after his resurrection,
he appeared to them
in a different form.
Mark 16, 12
mentions that
Jesus appeared
in another form
to the two
of his disciples.
But to focus
on Jesus'
altered appearance
in this passage
is to miss the point
that Luke
is himself making.
Because Luke's focus
is not on
Jesus' appearance,
but on the disciples'
lack of spiritual vision.
Their eyes
were kept
from recognizing him.
This is another instance
of the divine passive
that biblical writers
often use
where God
is the assumed subject
of a passive verb
that lacks a subject.
In Luke 9,
verses 44 to 45,
after Jesus
predicted his death
to his disciples
very explicitly,
he said that
his disciples
did not understand
this saying
and it was concealed
from them
so that they might
not perceive it.
similarly,
in Luke 18,
verses 31 to 34,
after Jesus prophesied
that he would be
delivered over
to the Gentiles
and will be mocked
and shamefully treated
and spit upon,
and after flogging him,
they will kill him
and on the third day
he will rise.
He said that
his disciples
understood
none of these things.
The saying
was hidden
from them
and they did not
grasp
what was said.
These were all instances
of divine concealment.
God conceals
until in his perfect time
he reveals.
To conceal
and reveal
spiritual realities
is God's
sovereign prerogative.
And in this instance,
God conceals
the identity of Jesus
from these two disciples.
Verse 17 continues,
And Jesus said to them,
What is this conversation
that you are holding
with each other
as you walk?
And they stood still
looking sad.
It's a very dramatic moment.
They were walking
and as Jesus came
alongside them,
they didn't stop walking.
They kept walking,
probably assuming
Jesus is another one
of those pilgrims
that are heading back
from Jerusalem
after the Passover feast.
But then when Jesus
asks this question,
it stops them
right in their tracks.
They stop.
And it says
that they were looking sad.
that shows how fresh
this grief is.
It's been three days.
They really had put
their hopes in Jesus.
But Jesus died.
And they were sad.
And they can't believe
how clueless
this companion is.
One of them named Cleopas
answers Jesus in this way
in verse 18.
Are you the only visitor
to Jerusalem
who does not know
the things that have happened
there in these days?
In other words,
have you been living
under a rock?
How can you not know
what has happened?
The whole city
knows about it.
But Jesus wants to hear
their take on
the recent events.
So he feigns ignorance.
He says,
what things?
It's so funny.
And they say
in verses 19 to 20,
concerning Jesus
of Nazareth,
a man who was
a prophet,
mighty indeed
and were before God
and all the people.
And how our chief
priests and rulers
delivered him up
to be condemned
to death
and crucified him.
So Jesus himself
noted his prophetic
identity throughout
the gospel
many times.
And the crowds
widely acclaimed
Jesus to be a prophet.
So this is not
a surprising
assessment of Jesus.
He was a man
who was a prophet,
mighty indeed
and word
before God
and all the people.
But they say
that their own
people,
the Jews,
our chief priests,
they say,
our chief priests
and rulers
delivered him up
to be condemned
to death
and crucified him.
Of course,
the Romans
were involved
in condemning
Jesus to death
and carrying out
the execution.
But these disciples
lay the chief blame
on their own leaders.
for delivering Jesus
and crucifying him.
So the disciples
are relaying to Jesus
a summary report
of what happened
over these last three days.
And then in verse 21,
they start to get personal.
But we,
but we had hoped
that he was the one
to redeem Israel.
it's really hard
to imagine
the depth
of their disappointment.
The Jewish people,
if you study history,
are some of the most
persecuted
and marginalized
and oppressed people
in all of human history.
And they had been waiting
for hundreds
and hundreds of years
for their redemption.
And they thought
their redeemer,
the prophet said,
Messiah,
had finally come.
They're putting
all their hopes in him.
And then just like that,
after that triumphant entry
to Jerusalem
on Sunday,
that very same week,
tried,
sentenced,
crucified.
They had hoped
that he would redeem Israel.
This is the hope
that was first expressed
by Zechariah's prophecy
in Luke 1,
67 to 75.
Blessed be the Lord God
of Israel,
for he has visited
and redeemed his people
and has raised up
a horn of salvation
for us
in the house
of his servant David.
This expectation
that Jesus would redeem Israel
was confirmed
by prophetess Anna
in Luke 2,
verse 38.
When she,
at the time Jesus
was being dedicated
in the temple,
when she gave thanks to God
and spoke of Jesus
to all who are waiting
for the redemption
of Jerusalem.
to redeem
is to pay
for the freedom
of a slave.
To redeem
is to pay
for the forgiveness
of a debtor,
of a sinner.
The idea of redemption
primarily recalls
in biblical background
the Exodus.
In order to commemorate
how the Lord
brought Israel
out of Egypt
from the house
of slavery,
commemorating
that God
did this
by killing
all the firstborn
in the land
of Egypt.
Exodus 13
commanded the Israelites
consecrate
all your firstborn
by sacrificing
to the Lord
all the firstborn
male animals
and by redeeming
all the firstborn
sons.
they had to pay,
make a payment
of redemption
for their sons
so that they
could remember
that their sons,
their firstborn sons
belonged to God.
That they too
deserved to die.
The only reason
they survived,
the only reason
Israel was redeemed
out of their slavery
in Egypt
was because
they killed
the lamb
following God's
instruction
and daubed its blood
on their doorposts
so that God
went judging
and killing
the firstborns
of all of Egypt
passed over
their households,
sparing them.
With this biblical
and historical
background in mind,
we can better
understand what it
means that Jesus
is the redeemer
of Israel.
To be sure,
these two disciples
and others
probably had hoped
that Jesus would
redeem Israel
from their political
slavery to Roman
empire as well.
But biblically,
the expectation
for redemption
goes way beyond that.
Jesus is the one
who pays
for the forgiveness
of their sins,
for the freedom
from slavery
to sin
and death.
As Titus 2,
verse 14 says,
Jesus Christ
gave himself
for us
to redeem us
from all lawlessness
and to purify
for himself
a people
for his own possession
who are zealous
for good works.
Apart from Christ,
we are all
slaves to sin.
apart from Christ,
we're all debtors.
But because Christ
paid the price
of our redemption
by dying on the cross,
we who have been
united with Christ
through faith
have full forgiveness
of our sins
and freedom
from slavery
to sin.
These two disciples
had hope
that Jesus
was the one
to redeem Israel.
but he was killed.
Their hope
was snuffed out.
But then something
else happened.
They continue
in verses 22 to 24.
Yes,
and besides all this,
it is now the third day
since these things happened.
Moreover,
some woman
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 woman
had said,
but him
they did not see.
Only Peter
was mentioned
as going to the tomb
after hearing
the woman's report
in verse 12,
but we find out here
that Luke
was being selective
in his reporting earlier.
There were others
that went with him
and we know
that that's confirmed
by John 20,
33 to 10,
which tells us
that Apostle John
also accompanied Peter
to the tomb.
But the most telling
point of this
recounting
of what has happened
is at the end
of verse 24.
They found it
just as the woman
had said,
but him
they did not see.
Once again,
there's a contrast
between hearing
and seeing,
which we have seen
frequently throughout
the gospel of Luke.
Luke has been telling us
over and over again
that instead of
seeking to see,
we should hear
the gospel of Jesus Christ
and believe.
And that's again
his emphasis here.
We saw earlier
in verse 11
that the woman's report
of Jesus' resurrection
seemed to these disciples
an idle tale
and they did not
believe them.
And so these two disciples
on the road to Emmaus
lack faith.
They have heard
the report
but they're still waiting
for the decisive evidence.
They won't believe
until they see
the risen Jesus
with their own eyes.
And until then,
for them,
resurrection is just
hearsay,
a rumor.
The irony of it all,
of course,
is that they have
Jesus
right in front of them.
They're seeing
Jesus
yet they are not
seeing
because they do not
see with eyes
of faith.
So Jesus
roundly rebukes them
in verse 25.
O foolish ones
and slow of heart
to believe
all that the prophets
have spoken.
The exclamation,
O foolish one,
that conveys
Jesus' emotion.
He's passionately
lamenting
their lack of faith.
O foolish ones
and slow of heart
to believe.
Foolishness
literally means
lack of understanding,
a senselessness.
But it's not
merely a mental lapse
or an intellectual
deficiency
that leads to unbelief.
It's also
slowness of heart.
The heart
is a reference
to the center
of a person's
inner spiritual life.
The seedbed
of one's emotions,
will,
thoughts even.
The disciples
thought that
what was lacking
was the evidence.
They were waiting
to see Jesus
with their own eyes,
but what was
actually lacking
was their understanding.
They thought
that they were
waiting on God
to act
to redeem Israel,
but in reality,
it was their
spiritual sluggishness.
They were the ones
that were slow of heart.
That's what
prevented them
from believing
in God's redemption
through Jesus.
Perhaps some of you
are here
and you do not
yet believe
in Jesus
because you
don't think
there is
enough evidence.
You won't
believe in God
until you see
an unmistakable
sign,
an indisputable
sign.
But God's
word
tells us
that our
unbelief
is a reflection
of our own
foolishness
and of our
own slowness
of heart
to believe.
So we are
not
excused
from our
unbelief
because the
blame lies
not with God
who failed
to reveal
himself,
but with us.
And notice
what Jesus
rebukes
these disciples
for in verse 25.
It's really
interesting.
He doesn't say
all foolish
ones and
slow of heart
to believe
even after
the vision
of angels.
He doesn't
say all foolish
ones and
slow of heart
to believe
even after
seeing the
empty tomb
or foolish
ones slow
of heart
to recognize
me and
believe in
me when
I'm right
in front
of you.
Jesus
doesn't say
that.
He says
instead
all foolish
ones and
slow of heart
to believe
all that
the prophets
have spoken.
Jesus
doesn't
rebuke them
for not
believing
what they
see with
their eyes.
Jesus
rebukes
them for
not
believing
what they
have heard
from the
scriptures
believers
because they
should have
believed
from what
they have
heard
in God's
word.
And so
Jesus
continues in
verse 26
was it not
necessary
that the
Christ should
suffer these
things and
enter into
his glory.
Luke often
uses this
language of
must or
necessity to
describe something
God has
foreordained.
he's saying
here that
his
humiliation
and his
glorification
his death
resurrection
and ascension
they were a
divine
necessity.
Scripture
demanded it
because it
was the
means that
God had
foreordained
and written
about throughout
his scriptures
for the
salvation of
his people.
for example
Isaiah
chapter 53
verse 5
prophesied
that the
Messiah
would be
pierced
for our
transgressions
that he
would be
crushed
for our
iniquities
but then
later on
that after
suffering
these things
he would
be raised
he would
be given
glory
victory
for the
salvation
of many
and so
it was
necessary
that the
Christ
should
suffer
these
things
and enter
into
his
glory
just as
a grain
of wheat
must first
be buried
in the
earth
experiencing
a form
of death
in order
for it
to then
sprout up
into life
and bear
much
fruit
it was
necessary
for Jesus
to suffer
and die
as Hebrews
chapter 2
verse 14
and 15
says
since
the children
of God
share in
flesh and
blood
Jesus
himself
likewise
partook
of the
same
things
that
through
death
he might
destroy
the one
who has
the power
of death
that is
the devil
and deliver
all those
who through
fear of
death
were subject
to lifelong
slavery
Jesus
had to
first
divest
himself
of his
heavenly
glory
and take
on human
flesh
so that
he might
take sinful
men and
women
who wallow
in shame
and dishonor
and lift
them up
to his
glory
Jesus
had to
first
die
in order
to defeat
death
on our
behalf
and raise
us up
to eternal
life
Jesus
had to
first
stoop
low
into
our
mire
of sin
in order
to raise
us up
and wash
us clean
that's
what Jesus
did on
the cross
he was
bearing
the weight
of our
sins
think about
it this
way
imagine
sin is
like a
great
boulder
beneath
which we
are all
being
crushed
we're
suffocating
underneath
it
utterly
hopeless
under
its
bone
crushing
heft
but
Christ
himself
crawls
underneath
it
and
appeared
that at
first
he
himself
was
overcome
by it
crushed
by its
massive
weight
he
disappeared
underneath
it
the rock
didn't
seem to
budge
at all
but
then
on the
third
day
with a
great
heave
as if
there's
an
earthquake
the
boulder
stirs
is lifted
up from
the ground
and
Jesus
emerges
from
the ground
to carry
that
massive
weight
and to
cast it
into the
seas
so that
we could
go free
his
suffering
his
humiliation
his
death
was
necessary
for our
redemption
and
then in
verse 27
Jesus
proceeds
to
show
these
disciples
this
truth
from
the
scriptures
he
says
and
beginning
with
Moses
and all
the
prophets
he
interpreted
to
them
in
all
the
scriptures
the
things
concerning
himself
Moses
and the
prophets
refer to
the two
of the
largest
sections
of the
Old
Testament
scripture
the
law
and the
prophets
it's
often
used
as a
shorthand
for the
entirety
of
scriptures
and
notice
the
repetition
of the
word
all
in
this
verse
beginning
with
Moses
and
all
the
prophets
he
interpreted
to
them
in
all
the
scripture
the
things
concerning
himself
in
other
words
Jesus
the
son
of
God
the
incarnate
word
the
word
become
flesh
himself
he
believed
that
all
of
scriptures
from
Genesis
and
now
to
revelation
spoke
of
him
he
fulfilled
all of
the
Old
Testament
scriptures
earlier
in
Luke
chapter
16
in
the
parable
of
the
rich
man
and
Lazarus
when
the
rich
man
who
was
in
torment
in
Hades
begged
Abraham
in
heaven
to
send
poor
Lazarus
who
was
in
heaven
with
him
to
send
Lazarus
to
his
brothers
who
are
living
in
ignorance
about
God
he
says
so
that
he
may
warn
them
lest
they
also
come
into
this
place
of
torment
Abraham
answered
them
this
way
they
have
Moses
and
the
prophets
let
them
hear
them
for
if
they
do
not
hear
Moses
and
the
prophets
neither
will
they
be
convinced
if
someone
should
rise
from
the
dead
those
words
are
literally
being
fulfilled
in
our
passage
Jesus
has
literally
been
raised
from
the
dead
and
he
is
announcing
to
them
this
redemption
God's
salvation
plan
and yet
these two
disciples on the road to Emmaus do not believe
because they have not listened to Moses and the prophets
they have not listened to scriptures
they are like two men who are tinkering around with like a new toy or a gadget
or a tool that they just received as a present
it's a really intense discussion they are earnestly debating what it's for
I think it's for this
no then it wouldn't have this button right here I don't think it's for that it's for that
and they seem really smart and serious and articulate but then it's all silly if they're ignoring the instruction manual
they should have known better
these two disciples were intensely debating the significance of the recent events was Jesus really the Messiah
why did he die
what does it all mean
are these reports of the resurrection true
but all along
the scriptures that they claimed to believe
had explained
everything
had prophesied of everything
and too many people nowadays
still do the same
you sit around debating God
and religion
and Jesus
oh no one really knows
God they say
no one really knows the way of salvation
all religions are basically the same
they're all talking about the same thing
getting to the same place
they're all partial pictures of this ultimate reality
that's what they say
well that sentiment sounds noble
and humble
until we remember
that God has actually
revealed himself to us
God has spoken through his scriptures
God has said
in his word
that to know him
and to love him
and to worship him
is the reason we were created
that's the purpose and meaning of our lives
God has said in his scriptures
that he has accomplished
his salvation plan
through his son
Jesus Christ
through his death
and resurrection
God has said in his word
that if we confess
with our mouth
that Jesus is Lord
and if we believe
in our hearts
that he
has been raised
from the dead
that we will be saved
God has spoken
he has revealed himself
and for us to listen
to all of that
and then to plead ignorance
and to claim uncertainty
that's not humility
that's hubris
that's foolishness
slowness of heart
to believe
and these very same scriptures
are being proclaimed to you
right now
do you believe it
we must believe
in the spoken word
but we also must partake
in the broken bread
that's my second point
it says in verses 28 to 29
so they drew near
to the village
to which they were going
he acted as if
he were going further
but they urged him
strongly saying
stay with us
for it is toward evening
and the day is not far spent
so he went in
to stay with them
so as they're approaching Emmaus
as Jesus acted
as if he were going further
this is typical
kind of Middle Eastern
Asian courtesy
you don't impose
on others
hospitality
in this culture
by asking them
hey I don't have
a place to stay
for the night
can I stay at your place
this evening
you don't ask that
in this culture
because to do so
would be a breach
of etiquette
because by asking them
you're really forcing
their hand
because now they can't
say no
because if they know
that brings great shame
to them in that culture
so instead
even though Jesus
wanted to stay with them
he acted as if
he were going further
but the disciples
urged him strongly
saying stay with us
this too is typical
Middle Eastern hospitality
when your guest tells you
hey I really need
to get going
you assume
that they're just
being polite
they don't want
to over stay
they don't want
to be rude
so you insist
that they stay
no you really
must stay
when your guest
tells you
I have had enough
food to eat
I'm full
you assume
that they're just
being demure
and then you keep
heaping more food
onto their plates
so when the disciples
insist that Jesus
stay with them
he says okay
he obliges
he stays with them
in verse 30
when he was at table
with them
he took the bread
and blessed
and broke it
and gave it to them
this verse
shares numerous parallels
with two other
significant meals
that have taken place
in the gospel of Luke
first was the feeding
of the 5,000
in Luke 9 verse 16
and the second
was the last supper
Luke chapter 22
verse 19
and in all three
of these meals
Jesus does the same
things
in the same
order
he takes the bread
he blesses it
or give thanks
for it
he breaks it
and he gives it
to his disciples
at the institution
of the Lord's
supper
in Luke 22
verse 19
Jesus took bread
and when he had
given thanks
he broke it
and gave it to them
saying this is my
body
which is given
for you
do this
in remembrance
of me
so it's
significant
and not
an accident
that in the
breaking of bread
as it says
in verse 31
their eyes
were opened
and they
recognized him
and he vanished
from their sight
once again
a divine passive
their eyes
were opened
who opened
their eyes
it was God
who opened
their eyes
it's a reference
to their spiritual
sight
because they had
no trouble
finding their
way to Emmaus
their eyes
physically are
working
but they lacked
spiritual vision
but they
were
because it says
in verse 16
they were kept
from recognizing
Jesus
but now
in the breaking
of bread
their eyes
are opened
the verb
to open
occurs six times
in the gospel
of Luke
and in the sequel
the book of Acts
and in all six
occurrences
it refers to
divine revelation
when God
sovereignly
opens
something
opens the eyes
of people
so that they
might perceive
so that they
might understand
and in nearly
all of those
occurrences
it specifically
refers to
God
revealing himself
through his
scriptures
and that
connection
is made
explicitly
here
in verses
31 to 32
their eyes
were opened
and they
recognized him
and he vanished
from their sight
they said to
each other
did not our
hearts burn
with us
while he
talked to
us on
the road
while he
opened to
us
the scriptures
formerly
they were
slow of heart
to believe
but when
Jesus was
opening up
the scriptures
to them
their hearts
burned
with the light
of knowledge
and the fire
of passion
and the opening
up of the
scriptures
is what
prepares them
and is what's
connected to
the opening
up there
of their
spiritual
eyes
which happens
in the breaking
of bread
and this
sequence
anticipates
the corporate
worship of the
church
in all future
generations
where the
word
and sacrament
become the
focal points
a true
church
is a
gathering
of believers
where the
word of
Christ
is spoken
and the
bread of
Christ
is broken
that's the
definition
of the
church
a true
church
is where
the
scriptures
are opened
and the
sacrament
is eaten
and this
episode is
also a
culmination
of the
motif of
blindness
and sight
that Luke
has been
using over
and over
again
in Luke
chapter 4
verses 18
to 19
Jesus
gave his
mission
statement
at the
onset
of his
public
ministry
and that
was this
the spirit
of the
Lord
is upon
me
because
he has
anointed
me to
proclaim
good news
to the
poor
he has
sent me
to proclaim
liberty
to the
captives
and recovering
of sight
to the
blind
to set
at liberty
those who
are oppressed
to proclaim
the ear
of the
Lord's
favor
these
verses
were
structured
in a
mirroring
chiastic
structure
to highlight
the middle
element
the center
element
the recovering
of sight
to the
blind
opening
the eyes
of the
blind
literally
Jesus
does that
as well
but even
more importantly
figuratively
is what
Jesus
came to
earth
to do
in Luke
chapter 6
verse 39
he uses a
parable of
blindness
can a blind
man lead
a blind
man
will they
not both
fall into a
pit
a disciple
is not
above his
teacher
but everyone
when he is
fully trained
will be
like his
teacher
verse
chapter 8
verse 10
Jesus spoke
of those
people
who are
seeing
yet do
not see
the truth
and this
recurring theme
of Jesus
leading his
blind
disciples
to see
comes to
a climax
in this
chapter
in the
road to
Emmaus
when their
eyes are
finally
opened
and this
opening of
eyes
in the
breaking
of bread
is a
wonderful
reversal
of what
happened
in the
fall
Genesis
chapter 3
verses 6
to 7
it says
that Eve
took
of the
fruit of
the tree
of knowledge
of good
and evil
and ate
she also
gave some
to her
husband
who was
with her
and he
ate
then the
eyes
of both
were opened
and they
knew
that they
were
naked
notice
all the
verbal
perils
take
give
eat
eyes
opened
at the
fall
when the
first man
and woman
disobeyed
God
and took
and ate
and gave
from the
forbidden
tree
their eyes
were open
to sin
their eyes
were open
to their
nakedness
and shame
their eyes
were open
to death
and in
the new
covenant
Christ
takes
and gives
us to
eat
the bread
which
represents
his body
that hung
on the
tree
of the
cross
the fruit
that he
takes
from that
tree
and gives
to us
is his
own body
and when we
eat of it
our eyes
are open
again to
his glory
our eyes
are open
to eternal
life
and as
if to
say
that as
long as
our
spiritual
eyes
are open
as long
as the
eyes of
our hearts
are open
seeing
Jesus
physically
is not
necessary
right after
that opening
of their
eyes
he says
Jesus
vanished
from
their
sight
Jesus
resurrection
body
is obviously
no longer
subject to
physical
limitations
as soon
as the
disciples
see with
faith
they do
not need
to see
with eyes
and that
should be
encouragement
to us
because we
don't get
to see
Jesus
physically
this is
Luke's
encouragement
to us
without
seeing
you can
see
you can
believe
God
opens the
eyes of
our hearts
so that we
understand his
word and
believe in
Christ the
redeemer
and this
reality should
drive us to
our knees
it should
lead us to
prayer
when you
realize that
you are
absolutely
powerless
to save
that family
member
that neighbor
that friend
that you
love dearly
when you
realize really
that you
cannot save
that person
you can't
help but
pray
it drives
you to
your
knees
sovereign
God
open
their
eyes
so that
they
might
see
so that
they
might
know
you
and
believe
in
you
this
is why
apostle
Paul
prays
this way
Ephesians
1
17
to
19
that
the
God
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
the
father
of
glory
may
give
you
the
spirit
of
wisdom
and
of
revelation
in
the
knowledge
of
him
having
the
eyes
of
your
hearts
enlightened
that
you
may
know
what
is
the
hope
to
which
he
has
called
you
what
are
the
riches
of
his
glorious
inheritance
in
the
saints
and
what
is
the
immeasurable
greatness
of
his
power
toward
us
who
believe
that
immeasurable
greatness
of
his
power
that
glorious
inheritance
that
we
as
believers
have
experienced
we
have
not
come
to
that
experience
because
of
our
own
abilities
God
has
revealed
that
to
us
the
spirit
has
opened
the
eyes
of
our
hearts
and
that
should
be
our
prayer
for
our
loved
ones
every
day
because
unless
God
himself
illuminates
the
eyes
of
our
hearts
no
person
can
see
this
should
also
make
us
cherish
and
prioritize
the
corporate
worship
of the
church
the
means
of
grace
that
God
has
given
us
if
you
are
lacking
in
faith
and
zeal
this
morning
I
exhorted
to
open
up
God's
scriptures
ask him
to speak
to you
and give
you
understanding
listen
to the
reading
and
preaching
of
God's
word
avidly
and
prayerfully
on
Sunday
mornings
partake
in the
breaking
of
bread
and
the
fellowship
of
believers
in the
local
church
these
are
means
of
grace
that
God
has
furnished
his
people
with
these
are
the
means
by
which
God
conveys
his
saving
grace
to
us
these
are
not
optional
for
the
spiritual
flourishing
of
God's
people
that's
why
Hebrews
10
24
25
says
let
us
consider
how
to
stir
up
one
another
to
love
and
good
works
not
neglecting
to
meet
together
as
is
the
habit
of
some
but
encouraging
one
another
all the
more
as you
see
the
day
drawing
near
that
day
of
Christ's
return
of
our
full
redemption
of
our
of
the
consummation
of
our
union
with
Christ
that
day
that
we
look
forward
to
every
day
of
our
lives
that
day
is
coming
and
when
that
day
comes
our
faith
will
turn
to
sight
we
will
see
everything
but
until
then
we
must
see
with
faith
and
in
order
to
do
that
we
need
each
other
to
remind
each
other
to
exhort
each
other
because
there's
no
eternal
life
apart
from
it
please
take a
moment to
reflect on
that
truth
and
afterward
we will
respond
by
praying
out
loud
together
as
a
church
happy
ever
we
do
this
it
for
the
us
have
to