Post-resurrection Sayings of Jesus - What Are You so Concerned About?

Text: Luke 24:13-35

Theme: The two disciple’s experience on the Road to Emmaus shows us how God responds when we walk with Jesus.

Date: 04/23/23 File name: Post_Resurrection_02.wpd ID Number: NT03-24

There are two "forty" day experiences in the life of our Lord. The first was at the beginning of his ministry and was a 40-day period of temptation. This period of testing ended in Jesus’ triumph over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The second forty-day experience follows his greatest triumph of all — his victory over death and the grave. Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, speaks of this triumphant period: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1–3, NIV84)

It’s this forty-day period — and the things Jesus said to his disciples — that we’re taking some time to look at. This morning I we’re going to study the second post-resurrection saying of Jesus. It comes in verse 17 of this morning’s test. It’s simply called the Emmaus Road event.

Visualize for a moment the scene. It’s mid-morning on Sunday as two men make their way home from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus — a distance of about seven miles. These two men are disciples of Jesus. You can imagine their confusion as they talk about the events of the past week.

The triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem a week ago stirred the disciple’s hopes and expectations; “This is the moment ... Jesus is going to declare himself Messiah, and the nation will rise up and follow him.”

The first thing he does is cleanse the Temple. He spends the rest of the week publically teaching about the destruction of the Temple, the end of the sacrificial system, and the coming Kingdom of God.

The disciple’s joy and excitement of the last seven days turned to despair when Jesus announced at the Seder Feast, “One of you will betray me.” Within hours his prediction comes true. He is arrested, and men who had openly pledged their dying loyalty to him, all fled.

Then there were the humiliating trials before the Jewish High Council, Governor Pilate and King Herod. Peter's denial. The scourging, and the crucifixion. An eerie darkness settled over the land, and an earthquake shook the city.

Sunday has arrived, and rumors have spread that Jesus’ body has disappeared from the tomb, and some of the women who followed Jesus are reporting that they’ve seen him ... alive! Could it be true, or is it just the wishful thinking of some hysterical women?

What are the disciples supposed to think about these things? While Cleopas and his companion are in deep discussion about the possible meaning of all this, they become aware of a third person who has overtaken them and joined them on their walk. There seems to be nothing unusual about this. This is a busy road. Apparently there was nothing in His manner or opening conversation that was unusual. That is until this stranger asks a simple question, “What Are You so Concerned About?” Their response is akin to our adage, “Have you been living under a rock these last few days? How can you not know about what has taken place in Jerusalem?”

Let’s consider what is taking place.

I. THE DISCOURAGEMENT OF A CONFUSED HEART

“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?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 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.” (Luke 24:18–21, ESV)

1. here we meet two of Jesus’ disciples

a. they are not a part of the inner circle of the twelve apostles, but they are followers of Jesus

b. one of them is named Cleopas, and the other has gone down in church history as a second “unnamed disciple”

1) Cleopas appears here in Luke 24 and is never mentioned again

2. do you hear the discouragement in the voice of Cleopas?

a. they are so discouraged — their trudging along, solemn, dejected, defeated

1) when Jesus catches up to them, they can hardly even look up

2) vs. 17 says they were looking sad — literally, the word means sullen or gloomy

3. like the Apostles, they had heard Jesus tell them that “ ... The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31)

a. but Mark 9:32 tells us, “But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.”

b. that misunderstanding led to disappointment; and disappointment led to doubt; and doubt led to discouragement

A. THE JESUS WE NEED IS NOT ALWAYS THE JESUS WE WANT

1. I told you this last week, but it bears repeating — too many people cling to the Jesus the want rather than clinging to the Jesus they need

a. some people want Jesus, the Cuddly Baby of the nativity stories

1) this is a Jesus who is sweet, and smiles, and coos affectionately, and doesn't make any demands on our lives — like take up your cross daily and follow me

b. some people want Jesus, the Moral Teacher

1) this is a Jesus who makes the rules, and we'd better abide by the rules or else, and if I obey the rules better than you do, well ... I'm the better Christian

c. some people want Jesus, the Prince of Peace

1) this is a Jesus who gives you the warm euphoric feeling of inner serenity ... you make him your spiritual dopamine

d. some people want Jesus, the Goodie-Giver

1) this is a Jesus who gives you all the desires of your heart, all you need to do is visualize it, speak it, and wait for Jesus to deliver

e. some people want Jesus, the Righteous Judge

1) this is a Jesus who makes a whip and delivers judgment to all those horrible sinners around you

f. some people want Jesus, the Social Warrior

1) this is a Jesus who loves the poor, and the prostitute and demands social justice for them

2. the disciples wanted Jesus, the Political Messiah and Jesus, the Warrior King

a. the prophets had prophesied a kingdom

b. the poets had pictured a kingdom

c. the angels had announced a kingdom

d. and Jesus had preached a kingdom

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:14–15, ESV)

e. when Cleopas tells this stranger who has joined them, But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel the redemption he is referring to is Israel’s liberation from the rule of Rome

1) Cleopas doesn’t yet realize that what he really needs is redemption from his sin

3. the previous Sunday had begun with great promise and anticipation

a. Jesus makes a triumphal entry into the capitol of Israel

1) there is exuberance ... the air is electrified with excitement ... all it will take is the command of Jesus and all Israel will rise up to follow him

b. but less than a week later, their king has nails for a scepter ... He has a cross for a throne ... His kingdom has contracted to the narrow confines of a tomb

1) what had happened to the kingdom?

2) this wasn’t how it was supposed to be

c. well ... actually ... this was exactly how it was supposed to be — the disciples just didn’t yet know that

1) Jesus MUST ... CANNOT be not defined by cultural expectations or desires

2) a suffering, dying Messiah was far from their expectations

3) at this moment they don’t see how any good can come from his crucifixion and death

4) they did not know, as Paul Harvey would have said, the rest of the story

a) they had only seen part of the story, and they did not understand that Jesus was turning Calvary to Easter, and Pentecost was coming

b) like the two disciple on the road to Emmaus, sometimes we don’t understand when we’re going through our own Gethsemane and Calvary that God is going to turn our hurts into hallelujahs, and our Calvary into an Easter, and our tears into shouts

5) we only see a part of the story

c. the redemption they had in mind wasn’t the redemption Jesus had in mind

3. when we don’t get the Jesus we want, we will find ourselves discouraged

a. but the Jesus we need brings the redemption we need

B. THEY WERE LOOKING AT LIFE WITHOUT RESURRECTION

ILLUS. The secularists, and the naturalists, and the humanists, and the progressive elites of our culture have spent the last fifty years attempting to remove all traces of Christianity from the public sphere. Unfortunately, they’ve succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. The result has been a massive cultural value shift from the sacred to the secular. Generation Z, those born between 1999 and 2015, are considered the most narcissistic generation, the most socially conscience generation, the most sexually fluid generation, and they measure their value by likes and tweets. And, they are the loneliest generation. This is the generation that, Increasingly, doesn’t want to go to work, doesn’t want to get married (or even date), and doesn’t want to have children. No wonder they are the loneliest of the generations. Just a mere 4% of Generation Z, has a biblical worldview. The result is an almost complete disconnection from religion, spirituality, and the larger questions of life.

James White, in his book Meet Generation Z, says, “The most defining mark of members of Generation Z, in terms of their spiritual lives, is their spiritual illiteracy … They do not know what the Bible says. They do not know the basics of Christian belief or theology. They do not know what the cross is all about. They do not know what it means to worship.”

The secularists, and naturalists, and humanists, and progressive elites have pretty much accomplished what the set out to accomplish fifty years ago. And now, these same secularists, and naturalists, and humanists, and progressive elites are befuddled about the breakdown of American society. They believed that if we just got rid of the corrosive nature of religion — especially Christianity — that people would flourish in their moral emancipaton.

But what’s happened? The latest Wall Street Journal survey found that Americans no longer highly value patriotism, religion and community. What do they value? Money!

1. when this life is all there is ... when death is the end ... when you’re looking at life without resurrection, you’ll be downcast and discouraged, too

2. two Sundays ago we greeted each other with the traditional Easter confession: “He is risen!” to which the congregation responded, “He is risen indeed”

a. indeed ... undeniably ... Jesus is risen, and that reality will change lives ... as soon as they come to believe it

b. but for the moment, all Cleopas and his companion can do is lament about “what could have been”

1) they tell their new companion “He was mighty in word and deed”

2) they are astonished that he hasn’t heard about and doesn’t know about all that has happened in Jerusalem the last few days ... “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” (vs. 18)

3. to look at life without resurrection is to look at life without eternity and without hope

ILLUS. This is what is so sad about Generation Z. The secularists, and naturalists, and humanists, and progressive elites have turned them into the most hopeless of all living generations of Americans. They’ve swallowed the lie that they are self-autonomous; that life is all about them, that nothing else matters but their personal preferences. But then the secularists, and naturalists, and humanists, and progressive elites turn around and tell them, “but you have to treat people as if their valuable. You have to believe in human rights. You have to care for the oppressed.”

a. if there is no resurrection, if there is no eternity, why care about these things?

4. the sadness of the disciples is rooted in misunderstanding and unbelief

a. Jesus actually calls them fools and faithless — “And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25, ESV)

b. they believed part of what the prophets had said ... they need to believe all of what the prophets had said

... Because Their Minds Were Confused Their Hearts Were Discouraged

II. THE DISCOVERY OF A CHALLENGED HEART

1. to story opens with two disciples on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus

a. they’re discouraged, depressed, and confused

1) they are depressed because Jesus, their spiritual leader, has been crucified

2) they are discouraged because they thought Jesus would redeem Israel and that dream has vanished

3) they are confused because of the rumors that are circulating that his body is no longer in the tomb

“Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 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.” (Luke 24:22–23, ESV)

2. Jesus meets them and challenges them with the Scriptures

a. in these verses we see that Jesus sought them, he caught them, and then he taught them

3. 1st, Jesus sought them

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.” (Luke 24:15, ESV)

a. these two men are already disciples, but they’re confused because their hearts and minds don’t know the full truth of Jesus’ redemptive ministry

b. it’s no accident that Jesus sought these two men out — Jesus is a seeking Savior

1) he seeks out the lost to save them

2) he seeks out the believer to fellowship with them

c. Jesus sought out Cleopas and his companion to claim them, to calm them and to comfort them

d. Jesus doesn’t just save a sinner and then move on to the next lost soul — he draws near and then goes with us as our permanent friend and guide

4. 2nd, Jesus caught them

a. not only did Jesus seek them; He caught them

b. even though they don’t yet know it, these two disciples are forever secure in the risen Christ

1) Jesus finds his sheep, he feeds his sheep and he never loses his sheep

“While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” (John 17:12, NIV84)

5. 3rd, Jesus taught them

a. here is the most important part of the story — the risen Christ opened their eyes to the Scriptures

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27, NIV84)

b. that must have been quite a sermon that Jesus preached to these two disciple

ILLUS. J. Barton Payne, a church historian and Presbyterian seminary professor, lists 574 verses in the Old Testament that directly refer to the Messiah.

A. OUR EYES NEED TO OPENED TO THE SCRIPTURES TO SEE JESUS

1. the big question everyone has about this passage is, Why didn’t Cleopas and this other disciple recognize Jesus?

a. several natural explanations have been theorized over the centuries

1) it was still dawn, and the sun was to their backs and they couldn’t make out the stranger’s features

2) these disciples were discouraged — as vs. 17 says their faces were downcast, they are so full of grief that they can’t even look up

b. but vs. 16 gives us the answer; “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him”

1) God in some way distorts their vision

2) now why would God do that?

3) you’d think Jesus would want to say, “Look guys. It’s me ... in the flesh! Ta-da!”

2. Jesus is getting ready to go to heaven, and what He is doing for them then is what he does for us now

a. he points his disciples to the Scriptures for all the proof they need about his life to come to faith in him

1) as he walks them through the Scriptures we can here Jesus saying ...

Genesis 3:15? It’s Messiah who crushes the serpent’s head

Exodus 12:21? It’s Messiah who is the Passover lamb

Leviticus 16:21? It’s Messiah who is the scapegoat

Numbers 21:8? It’s Messiah lifted up on a pole like the bronze serpent

Deuteronomy 18:15? Messiah is the prophet greater than Moses

Ruth 4:6? It’s Messiah who is the kinsman redeemer

Jonah1:17? It’s Messiah who is “dead” for three days and comes back to life

Isaiah 53? It’s Messiah who is the suffering servant

2) and so the sermon goes ... Here’s the Messiah. Here’s the Messiah. Here I am

b. no generation of believers since that first generation of believers have seen Jesus in physical form but we do have the Word of God that testifies to the Son of God

1) what Jesus is doing is putting their dependence, not upon His physical presence with them, but upon the Word of God

ILLUS. Here is the simplicity of the Gospel: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” A lot of people are waiting for a voice from heaven before they’ll become a Christian. They are waiting for angels to show up. They want to see fireworks. They are waiting for the ‘Damascus Road’ experience — the blinding light that knocks you down. Very few people have that kind of experience.

2) for 99% of believers their faith comes down to their eyes being opened to the truth of the Scriptures

c. Jesus is opening their eyes to see Him now, not after the flesh, but to see Him by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God

3. in John 5:39 Jesus tells the Pharisees, “Search the Scriptures; for … they are they which testify of me.”

... When Jesus Challenged Their Hearts with the Scriptures, They Discovered Who He Was

III. THE DELIGHT OF A CONVINCED HEART

“As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if 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?”” (Luke 24:28–32, NIV84)

1. the conclusion of their encounter with the risen Savior is especially moving

a. in your mind's eye, try to envision what is happening here

1) Jesus is in their home and sitting down at their table for dinner

2) they've enjoyed an afternoon of fellowship with this "stranger" and are amazed at his understanding of the Scriptures

3) they remain unaware of their guest’s identity until the moment he breaks the bread, offers a blessing and passes it to them

2. by inviting Him into their home and life, they opened themselves to the tremendous blessing of not only fellowship with Him but truly knowing Him and having all their doubts dispelled and fears assuaged

a. the resurrected, glorified Christ wants to fellowship with those who are His own

1) but he only fellowships with those who believe in Him

b. those of us who have been born from above by grace through faith have invited him into our heart and our life

c. because he is in our heart, he abides with us wherever we find ourselves — in the home, in the school, in the work place, and yes, even when we're on Facebook

d. to abide in Him means that he sits on the throne of our life

3. their delight is expressed in their statement: "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?"

a. they are now convinced that the “rumors” of an empty tomb are not just rumor, but evidence that Jesus is a living Savior

b. their hearts are convinced!

... When Your Convinced That Jesus Is the Christ, Does it Make Your Heart Burn Within You?

IV. THE DECLARATION OF A CONFIDENT HEART

“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 what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” (Luke 24:33–35, NIV84)

1. what do hearts convinced about Jesus do? ... The confidently declare Jesus to others

a. think about what has just happened

1) there’s this “wow moment” where Cleopas and his friend and any others who have been there for dinner just look at each other in amazement, and then in a moment they all blurt out simultaneously, “He’s alive! We’ve got to go tell the others!”

b. with that, they go racing back to Jerusalem to find the Apostles

1) but when they get there (and I love this), before Cleopas can say a word the Apostles all blurt out "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."

2. the gospel is that Jesus died according to the Scriptures, and that Jesus was buried and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures

a. this is news that must be shared

ILLUS. People who know go to people who need to know Jesus. People who love go to people alone without Jesus. For there are people who need to see, People who need to love People who need to know God's redeeming love. People who see go to those who are blind without Jesus.

We can draw some helpful general lessons from this dynamic encounter.

To the lost I say, will you come to the Jesus of the Scriptures. The Jesus you need is the Jesus who will redeem you from your sin.

To the saved I say, are you walking with Jesus? In the business of your life let him “catch up with you” and then let him teach you.

ILLUS. Joshua David Bell is an American Grammy award-winning violinist and conductor. He is considered one of the finest talents in the classical music world. In 2007, he was part of an experiment that was the idea of The Washington Post newspaper. The paper asked him to play his violin incognito in a Washington D.C. subway station. Bell donned a baseball cap, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and blue jeans and played as a street performer — on a Stradivarius violin valued at $3 million. The experiment was videotaped on a hidden camera; of the 1,097 people who passed by, only seven stopped to listen to him, and only one person recognized him. For his nearly 45-minute performance, Bell collected $52.17 from 27 passersbys. Three days before, he earned considerably more playing the same repertoire at a concert. Even when we aren’t aware of Jesus’ presence, that doesn’t mean that he’s still not right there along side of us ... blessing us.

*The major headings come from Adrian Roger’s sermon on this passage. The bulk of the message is my own work.