“I am the Resurrection”
ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
Today is the day before Easter, and we know that this isn’t a biblical custom... We know the cute little bunny rabbits and all those eggs, (the chocolate ones are the best) celebrate fertility and the pagan God’s of fertility and this was baptized so this date was baptized into Christianity along with many other pagan customs during the dark period of the middle ages.
What is the true symbol of The death, burial and Resurrection
of Jesus! Baptism....
So we don’t make a big to do about Easter .... But I like to any opportunity Possible to talk about the Lord and His wonderful resurrection back to life.
Let me ask you a question...
Have you ever found yourself walking on the
road to Emmaus?
-If the experience of losing a loved one has
brought you to despair- You have been on that Road
---if your experience with Christ doesn't
match your expectations of Christ –You have been....
----if your dreams and hopes have died, and
you leave them to be buried...You have walked on
the Road to Emmaus...
Three Days after the death of Jesus 2
disciples took a 6 mile walk to the town called Emmaus.
Turn with me, please, to their story
recorded in Luke 24:13-35.
(vs.13-16,21.....)
13
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which
was from
14 And they talked together of all these
things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they
communed together and reasoned, Jesus
himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden
that they should not know him.
21
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed
Their hopes had been high, as with the
masses of people who had come to
celebrate the Passover, they praised
Christ's entry into
"Hosanna to God in the Highest!"
Quickly and strangely their jubilation
changes to horrification as Jesus is
betrayed by one of His privileged
disciples, brought to trial, sentenced, and
summarily crucified.
How was it that such a"prophet”,
mighty in deed and word before God and all
the people" (vs
19) should suffer and be condemned to death?
And then they heard the story of "certain women" (vs 22), and agreement
of some of the disciples, that the tomb was
empty and Jesus was alive.
What to think of all these strange things.
And so we see that two men were taking a 6
miles walk to the
(vs 15) Who were
these men?
Only one is mentioned by name Cleophas/Cleopas
or Alphaus in the Greek, and that doesn’t help us
much because there were several Cleopas’s in the
Scripture.
But no matter who they walked. They walked and they talked.
In their confusion, in their doubt, Jesus comes to be with them.
1.
NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE JESUS WANTS TO WALK WITH YOU!
--I want to tell you today that if you are a
confused disciple of Jesus, Jesus wants to come and walk with you.
--when you're discouraged/perplexed/confronted
with doubt. That’s the time when Jesus
wants to walk closest.
And so Jesus asks them questions and Listens
17
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger
in
19 And he said unto them, What things? And
they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in
deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which
should have redeemed
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company
made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 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.
24 And certain of them which were with us went
to the sepulchre, and found it even
so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Did
Jesus know about what had happened? Of
Course, yet he allows them to go on and on.
-He listens to where we are at, then he
comes to help us.
Jesus meets us where we are at. Today if you feel far away from God, God has come to you and says I want to meet you were you are at.
-The disciples were full of doubt and discouragement. Notice “A MIGHTY PROPHET” a few days ago they were trying to crown him king, and shouting Messiah, no he is merely a mighty prophet. Notice, “And we trusted” “Past Tense” We have been, Hoping...He had hoped...
No Assurance, no faith that Jesus was the son of God.
I don’t know why these two disciples were going to Emmaus, but I think they might have been running. Maybe they were fleeing for their lives. I don’t know, but I do know that Jesus Meets us where we are at and then brings us to a higher place....
Look with me in Verse 25....what he does...
25
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not MESSIAH to have suffered these
things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself.
3.
JESUS LOVES US ENOUGH TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS!
You fools! Jesus didn’t mince words! And Slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken!
How
would you like to go and see the Doctor when he finds a big cancerous tumor in
your body. And then have him say...Well
you might have cancer, you might not...let’s do some more tests and take care
of yourself and then whatever it is maybe it will go away on its own.
Doctor
Level with me...You want to hear the truth from the doctor don’t you.
And
the Doctor of your souls isn’t going to tell you smooth things when your
eternal life is at stake.
Preacher
you talk to much about sin. It offends
me when you step on my toes...
“When
I come to church I want to hear only pleasant things, don’t discourage me by
telling me the truth about myself.”
-I want to eat the way I want to eat, I want
to dress the way I want to dress, I want to watch what I want to watch!
Oh Jesus if you were only here to tell us
how to live? But would we listen? Perhaps we do have him with us?
Look with me at verse 27
27
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning himself.
V. 16 Says their eyes were closed that they
should not know him
Why didn’t Jesus Just reveal himself to them? “Hey
look its me Jesus I rose from the dead!”.
Jesus wants to teach us that the scriptures are even more reliable than
seeing someone be raised from the dead!
Luke
Who
is he talking about in this parable being raised from the dead? Jesus!
IT IS WRITTEN! This is the foundation of our faith.
Before their faith was founded upon the
mighty deeds and words.
The miracles and the great preaching...But
Jesus sought to teach them that faith cometh by
Hearing and hearing by the word of God!
When Jesus came the first time the people
were looking for a king that would set them free from the roman yoke. Because they hadn’t studied the prophecies
aright they were mixed up and many rejected Jesus.
Dear friends we need to be studying our
bible’s as never before. We need to be
getting together in small groups and individually searching the
scriptures. Just because we know about
the Sabbath doesn’t mean we know the Scriptures. The Jewish People knew about the Sabbath,
they knew the true God, but they lacked faith.
Faith is not just intellectual, nor is it
based upon personal experience, but it
can be strengthened through hearing the word of God.
Today in our world we are inundated with
stuff to grab our attention, emails, junk mails, Tax Codes, Television,
Magazines, Newspaper. Never before has
mankind had so much to absorb our attention.
BUT WE MUST NOT LET THIS STOP
They’ve done surveys, and the text that is
most recognizable from the Bible is “God helps them who helps themselves.”
O fools, how slow are you to understand what
the prophets wrote about!!!
Do
you listen to the prophets today? Are
you studying diligently the Bible, the Spirit or Prophecy to hear God’s Voice
Speaking to your souls....
Oh that God would help us, to get serious
about our relationship with him. That it
might be founded upon his word, Not just feelings...
-Is your faith founded upon Music? There is nothing wrong with music, it is a
wonderful way for God to encourage us.
But I see today Christians Singing Songs, being filled with emotion, but
when the music ends the lives aren’t changed.
The feelings go away, and the faith isn’t there.
-Is your faith based upon the miracles? When things are going good, praise God!!!
Isn’t he awesome, yet when things are bad, “I don’t know what it is but I don’t
feel God loves me anymore”
Is your faith based upon the mighty words of
a preacher who can captivate you and entertain you and speak wonderful words!
May your faith be founded upon the Word of
God.
Pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to
you in His Word.
28
And they drew nigh unto the village,
whither they went: and he made as
though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide
with us: for it is toward evening, and
the day is far spent. And he went in
to tarry with them.
Jesus would have continued on if they hadn’t
invited him to stay.
What if they hadn't, but simply said how
nice it was to have traveled some together.
--"It sure was nice talking with
you--must go to supper now.
--we'll have to do this again sometime.
"--so close to the blessing
--to the most thrilling experience of their lives?
Could it be that today--- Jesus comes close
to you to encourage you--to bring you to
realize your need ??
--to enlighten you--And to give you an
opportunity to
receive a life-changing, cherished moment and
you fail to invite Him to stay? To really abide?
Is it any wonder so many never know He has
been walking with them, because they don't invite Him to stay!
--professed followers who enjoy an occasional walk with Christ, but don't hunger and thirst after His righteousness!
Our hearts may "burn within us" (vs 32)--but it is not enough.
We must invite Jesus, as a Divine Guest,
to grace us with His presence.
Would you invite Jesus home if he came here this morning? Would you offer
him hospitality, true friendship and love?
Would you care enough to talk about Spiritual things with him, or merely
the weather and politics?
TODAY, MOST OF GOD’S PEOPLE DO NOT INVITE HIM IN BECAUSE THEY ARE MERELY
PEW WARMERS. . .They miss the blessing of God’s presence because aren’t
involved in true ministry. JESUS SAYS,
Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done
it unto me...
How many times have we missed opportunities for a blessing because we
were unwilling to give a blessing to others.
--All someone else needs is your friendship, Your love, Your
encouragement, Some of your Time!
Jesus didn’t ask for a place to stay! He went on like he was still on his
way! How close these disciples came to
missing the greatest blessing of their lives...
30
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew
him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 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?
He gave the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened.
If you are in pain he wants to come and
listen to you.
If your understanding is faulty, he wants to
show you the truth. He wants to tell you
like it is.
If you are hungry this morning God wants to
give you the bread of life.
If your faith is weak this morning he want
to open your EYES.
If you are alone this morning, if you will
invite him in, He will come in and
Abide, and reveal himself to you like never
before.
Jesus is ALIVE THIS MORNING! HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!
Go tell your friends, go tell others. He is has risen!
I want to close by telling you a story that probably many of you have heard before. It's such a beautiful story I just have to tell it today.
Miss Jones taught special education in and elementary school. In this school everybody was mentally challenged. As she taught this class it was Easter time, so she instructed the class, "When you come to school tomorrow, please bring with you one of these plastic Easter eggs. Put something inside of it that to you is very important and speaks of Easter. Bring it to school. We're going to have each of you open your egg." The next day, she called the name of each child and the child would come forward and place their little plastic egg on the teacher's desk. The teacher would have them open it and would see what was inside. There was a candy heart in one of them, a chocolate chicken or something in another. Finally it was Jeremy's turn. Now Jeremy was the worst of the twenty students. He was the most disturbed. She called his name. He came slowly up to her desk with his egg.
"Go ahead and open your egg," she said.
With a big smile, Jeremy opened his egg and it revealed nothing.
"But, Jeremy, your egg is empty. You were supposed to put something in there."
"I know," he said with a smile. "But Jesus' tomb is empty, too."
And the teacher was silenced.
Jeremy died three months later. His little life came to an end. On top of his little casket as a testimony to his faith in the empty tomb were nineteen plastic eggs. Everyone of them empty indicating the faith in the empty tomb.
I want to tell you that that's how you can be saved. Have faith in a risen Savior. Have faith in Jesus. That tomb is empty. He went through a lot for you. If you will just accept Jesus as your Savior you're going to be in heaven. It's a fact. I urge you today on this special weekend to give your heart to Jesus Christ. Re-commit your whole life to Him. Please do that. He would empty love to save you. He emptied his life to save you. You are worth saving. He loves you. I urge you today to give your life to Him.
Jesus said, “John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am
the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
If you are dead this morning in your
trespasses and sins, come to Jesus.
He will put new life in you. He will forgive you, that is why he
died. Jesus wants to baptize you and
give you a brand new life.