The Emmaus Road

The Emmaus Road

Us, walking with Jesus?

 Jesus, walking with us?

 Do we recognize Him?

On the Road to Emmaus

 Now that same day [Easter Sunday] two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” [And do what?] 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

-John 20:11-16

Q: Have you ever pictured Jesus saying YOUR name?

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was [Past tense] a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 

NOTE: Prophet, powerful in word 

   “The temple guards … 46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. 47 “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. [Angry response]

 -John 7:45-49

Powerful in deed [Miracles] before God [Remember that God the Father spoke at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” –Matthew 3:17] and all the people. [Impressed by his miracles]

20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped [past tense] that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. [But we don’t hope anymore] And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. [and we haven’t seen him] 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

NOTE: They should have believed the women and Peter & John who found an empty tomb, even though they did not YET see Jesus to VERIFY that he was risen just as he said he would.

 [Remember Heb 11:1, that FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not [yet] see.] 

25 Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if [Pretending] he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

1. Jesus opened the Scriptures.

2. He opened their eyes to recognize him.

3. He opened their understanding to comprehend. 

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told [their story] what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “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.”45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” [Holy Spirit at Pentecost]

 -Luke 24:13-49

Fact:

Jesus is walking with you.

Question:

Do you see him with eyes of faith?

  Fact:

Our faith has different speeds.

 “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (v. 25) 

Jesus’ Bible Lesson about SACRIFICE to the two on the Emmaus Road and to the Disciples gathered on Easter night

Genesis 3:15

(A descendant of Eve to crush Satan)

Genesis 22

(Abe willing to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah)

Exodus 12 

(The real meaning of Passover)

Numbers 21 

(about the Servant being lifted up in the wilderness)

The Bronze Snake

“The people grew impatient… 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; [Cross] anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”

–Numbers 21:1-8

John 3:14–15

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Psalm 2:1-2 

 “Why do the nations conspire [Romans & Jews] and the peoples plot in vain? The kings [Pontius Pilate] of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed…” [Jesus]

Psalm 22

  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”

Isaiah 53 (Suffering Servant)

  3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… he was despised… 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, stricken … and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Q: Do you have heartburn?

 Q: Do you have the good kind of heartburn?

 God’s prayer is that we all do.

 He wants so badly for us to read his Word and allow his Spirit to burn faith into us.

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me…”

 -Psalm 23:4

Part of God’s grace is that He walks with us always!