Easter Sunday 2025

Hope on our Journey - Encountering the Resurrected Christ

Luke 24:13–35

Luke 24:13–35 NIV84

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 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. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 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?” They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Imagine visiting the grave of a recently departed loved one, expecting to further attend to the body of the deceased and discovering instead an open grave with a stone rolled away. What would you think had happened? ‘Someone has taken the body away! Why?’

This was the inevitable reaction of the women who first arrived at the tomb and the questions being asked by the disciples as the reports are circulating that there might be a different explanation, for hadn’t John gone into the tomb after Peter and “believed’, though ‘they still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”(John 20:8-9).

Likewise, Mary Magdalene was now reporting that she had stayed on at the tomb and had seen “two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot....she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”(John 20:10-17).

Rumours were circulating and frankly some of the disciples did not know what to make of it. Thomas for one doubted and as we shall see, so did the two disciples here on the Emmaus Road.

The death of Jesus had brought despair and damaged expectations but these rumours were perplexing and for some hope was rekindled.

This is why the account of the resurrection is so wonderful. It’s not just an ancient historical story - a documented fact supported by over 500 witnesses - it is a personal invitation to believe and experience the hope of resurrection, as it is offered to us in Jesus, “the resurrection and the life.”

This historical claim invites us to examine our faith critically. Of course this claim, if true, is a miracle!

Jesus’ disciples knew, as we know today that a resurrection (not resuscitation!) is not normal - generally people who die, stay dead! But this unique, scientifically inexplicable historical claim shook the earth and was not only history-shaping, it was life-transforming for individuals and nations and still is, over two thousand years later!

And for Christians today, because we believe that Jesus truly rose from the dead, we need to ask what implications does this hold for our lives today? - Yes it means that because of His death on the cross for our sin and His resurrection to defeat sin and death and provide eternal life. Yes, we rejoice in the words of Jesus to His disciples, “because I live, you will live also!”(John 14:19).

But more than that, we “have eternal life”(1 John 5:13) now, which means we live in the “hope” and “power” of the resurrection life of Jesus, at work in us, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians believers: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.”(Eph 1:18-20).

And this point is what I wish to emphasise this morning. It is not enough to simply consider the merits of the historical facts, you must believe it and you must experience the living Jesus for yourself!

As we shall see in this passage, Jesus is the risen King who is victorious over death, recognised by His disciples, validated by Scripture, and enthroned over all creation.

That truth changes not only our thinking and core belief but also our homes, dreams and lives!

Let us notice then the...

1. The Disciples Disappointment on their Journey!

These two disciples travelling to Emmaus are confused and perplexed and somewhat downcast by how things had turned out and as they walk together they toss things around in their conversation. (Grk: antiballo, literally meaning "to throw back and forth." The disciples' conversation was one of tossing ideas back and forth with great emotion in their search for answers). - Luke 24:13–21 “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.”

They spilled all of this out to someone they thought was just an ordinary man, a stranger out of the shadows joining them on their journey. Luke employs a clever narrative device called literary irony, in which the reader is aware of important facts that are hidden from the characters. There a delightful paradox as one of the Cleopas responds to Jesus' question about “what are you discussing together as you walk along?” with the response, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in these days?" (Luke 24:17-19). His question was laughable - If anyone understood what had happened, it was Jesus! If anyone was clueless, it was Cleopas!

Nevertheless, Jesus encourages the disciples to talk, not to humiliate or chastise them, but for a very different purpose. He plays along with them by asking, "What things?" To which Cleopas replies, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene," they replied, "a man who, with his powerful deeds and words, proved to be a prophet before God and all the people; and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel." (Luke 24:19-21). And with that statement, Cleopas revealed the source of his trouble, his expectations for a social, political, and economic Messiah had failed to materialise! His limited perspective would not allow him to embrace the Messiah's true agenda, of which economic prosperity and political liberation were only a tiny fraction.

Cleopas understood events in human terms from human perspectives and failed to see things from God’s perspective! Notice how he recognised Jesus as "a prophet before God and all the people" but he believed Jesus was nevertheless subject to the power of the chief priests and rulers who "handed Him over" and "crucified Him." Cleopas' expectation at this time however revealed very little of this divine perspective. He, and his companion saw everything clearly in the sense that they had all the facts; nevertheless, they lacked the ability to see what should have been plainly visible. “The verb kritunto has been called by some a divine passive. It’s a passive verb in verse 16, “Their eyes were prevented from recognising Him.” It wasn’t that this was their own inability, it was that they were prevented from recognising Him by Him. This is consistent. Every time Jesus appeared, they didn’t know who He was….Mary Magdalene thought He was the gardener. Nobody knew who He was until He disclosed Himself to them…this is in the physical sense a demonstration of how it is in the spiritual sense, Luke 10:22, “No man can know the Son except the one to whom the Son reveals Himself. No one can know the Father except the one to whom the Son reveals Him.” (John MacArthur)

Jesus, however, didn't see the events that way. In His trial before Pilate, He said, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11). Later Peter would declare to the same "chief priests and rulers," that "Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know ..this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles." (Acts 2:22-23). And what Peter knew by divine revelation, all the disciples came to know when they said, even while enduring persecution - "Indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed to do as much as your power and your plan had decided beforehand would happen" (Acts 4:27-28 NET) - Now, that's viewing the world from a divine perspective! They recognised that the people who thought they were playing such a significant role in history - people like Pontius Pilate, Annas, and Caiaphas - were in fact nonetheless actors in a play, directed by God in the fulfilment of prophecy.

So the feelings that dominated the hearts and minds of Cleopas and the other disciple as they travel away from Jerusalem, filled with confusion and despair over Jesus' crucifixion.

And by the way who is Cleopas? And who is the other disciple? We don’t know but as Amy B. Hunter writing in “The Christian Century” in 2002 said: "...Cleopas and his companion are nobodies who have no idea what God might be doing. They could be any one of us. Their road to Emmaus is an ordinary road, the road each of us is on every day. This is what sets this story apart from other accounts of Jesus? Easter appearances."

And perhaps this Easter day you also are disappointed on YOUR life’s road!

Perhaps life has delivered you some hard knocks and major disappointments to the point of disillusionment.

Let me encourage you by pointing out that Jesus joins them on their journey, unseen at first, as He often does with us in our moments of grief but He is with them nonetheless; listening to them; paying attention to their concerns and questions with a view to transforming them from despair to hope.

There is a wonderful story in the gospels of the disciples seeking to row their way out of a storm on Galilee at night, and Mark 6:45–51 “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,”

Now this story perplexes at first - Jesus sent them on their way and they got into trouble. They struggled for hours fearing for their lives and then He came to them but looked as if He was ignoring them in the hour of their need, but then they cried out and He went to them, calmed the storm and brought them peace! Here is the lesson - Jesus can calm the storms in your heart and life but you must cry out to Him for help. He will not force Himself into your life, you must invite Him in (Rev 3:20).

The Hymn writer Francis Crosby wrote in 1868:

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry, While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

Trusting only in Thy merit, Would I seek Thy face; Heal my wounded, broken spirit, Save me by Thy grace.

Saviour, Saviour, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

Can I encourage you today to be open to the presence of Jesus, even when it isn't immediately obvious that He is with you or near you or cares!

Jesus cares, He cares for you! He is intimately involved in our daily lives and challenges.

He walks alongside us in our struggles, inviting us to see beyond our immediate circumstances ready to offer you a listening ear; a comforting word and a renewal of hope!

2. The Disciples Discovery Through Scripture!

Initially filled with grief over His death, these two disciples are enlightened as Jesus explains how the Scriptures foretold His resurrection - Luke 24:22–27 “In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

This unveils a pivotal event in the life of these two disciples where understanding begins to flow into their lives and the misunderstanding, the doubts and the fears begin to evaporate! This is their eureka moment when the illumination of Scripture and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit shines into their hearts and minds and removes all doubt and fear.

Beginning in Genesis, Jesus expounded the Scriptures for them! He demonstrated how the sacrificial death of the Messiah was required to defeat evil. He very likely reminded them of the "Servant Songs" in the book of Isaiah and the recurring theme of a figure called "the Servant of the Lord," who will bring justice to the world (Isa. 42:1-4), lead His people into a right relationship with God (Isa 49:5), enlighten the nations and bring salvation to everyone (Isa 49:6), endure unjust humiliation (Isa 50:6), and bear the divine punishment others deserve (Isa 52:13; 53:12) until finally the Servant comes through the path of sacrifice to a path to glory through His own humiliation = He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him (Isa. 53:5-6).

Yet at this point they still remained in ignorance! Why? Because as yet they failed to acknowledge the resurrection! They had heard the reports; they had all the facts BUT they simply refused to believe with their whole hearts. And their lack of belief affected everything. If these two disciples had believed that Jesus was alive, they would have behaved differently in at least two respects. First, they would have been walking toward Jerusalem, where Jesus was last seen, not away. Second, they would have accepted the trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus as the fulfilment of all He had promised, not as the end of their hopes.

They were blinded by their own prejudices which they brought to Scripture. As David Gooding comments - “Death and resurrection form no part of their concept of Messiah’s office and program which is why they had not really taken in what Jesus had said about His coming death. They were hoping for a Messiah who would break the imperialist’s domination by the Romans by force of arms, a Messiah who managed to allow Himself to be caught by Jewish authorities, handed over to the Romans and crucified before He had even begun to organize any guerilla operations, popular uprisings or open warfare. What use was He? If the Old Testament prophesied a liberator who should not die but be triumphant, Jesus was already disqualified because He had died. After that, it was almost irrelevant to talk about resurrection.”

And yet, we must not lose sight of the importance of Scripture in enlightening our understanding and informing our minds!

It is vital as the Word of God and it is given so that as Paul puts in in 2 Timothy 3:15–16 “you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” However, it is not scripture alone which saves it is salvation by gracem, through faith and this is not from yourself it is a gift of Go”(Eph 2:8-9).

It is as the Holy Spirit breathes on the Word and makes it alive in our hearts that we can really begin to see!

But this incident does also serve to remind us of how Jesus often walks with us in our misunderstandings, gently guiding us towards deeper truth of His word and way. Let us see how Christ uses His word to open our hearts to hope and joy, even when situations seem bleak.

3. The Disciples Recognition in Communal Fellowship

The journey ends with a meal and an offer to spend the night - Luke 24:28–31 “As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 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. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”

At Supper Jesus and the two followers talked on about how the will establish His kingdom and reign over it if He's dead? And then : “he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished out of their sight (Luke 24:30-31 NET).

The Greek phrase translated "their eyes were opened and they recognized Him" literally means "their eyes were completely opened and they came to fully comprehend Him." This was more than a passive, casual recognition of His features. They came to recognize Jesus in all His significance as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, and their risen Lord!

Luke doesn't tell us why or how the breaking of bread opened their eyes. Maybe they saw the nail prints on His hands when He held up the bread to offer thanks. Perhaps they were present at the feeding of the 5,000 men and their families in the wilderness and recognized the manner in which He broke the bread. We can't be certain the final meal in the Upper Room on Passover didn't include more disciples than the inner Twelve. All we know for certain is that the scales fell from the eyes of the two disciples, and they saw everything clearly for the first time.

This moment of recognition that occurs during the breaking of bread, where the disciples suddenly realised that it was Jesus' among them. This became for them a sacred moment and reminds us that Christ makes Himself known intimately through communal acts of fellowship and worship.

Today we have engaged in worship and praise; in communion, all of which can be a profound opportunity for encountering the risen Christ, just as it was for these disciples who moved from ignorance to awareness in a heartbeat.

Have you experienced Him today? Are you aware of His presence with us today? Has He not said in Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.””

And did you notice in our reading again the phrase: Jesus acted as if he were going farther! Why? To see how much they wanted to know about Him; wanted more of His presence and the comfort of His nearness!

Are we urging Him to come into our house and be with us? - Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

4. The Disciples Newfound Zeal for the Risen Christ!

In Luke 24:32–35 we read that the two disciples were utterly transformed by the presence of Jesus - “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?” They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread.”

Their transformation and newfound zeal experienced by the disciples once they encountered the risen Christ, turned their despair into a burning desire to share the good news. Their joy and excitement led them to declare with conviction “It is true! The Lord has risen!”

They are now witnesses of the resurrection and their revelation from the Lord Jesus led to empowerment by the Lord Jesus to be His messengers to the world.

Historically, the resurrection of Jesus stands as a pivotal event that turned History from despair to hope! It declares Life’s victory over death and transforms our private despair into a confident hope for the future!

This illustrates that the resurrection doesn't merely change history; it changes hearts, offering encouragement that despair can always give way to hope in our lives today.

Conclusion:

C.S. Lewis, once noted that, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

The resurrection of Jesus stands as a claim cannot be taken lightly! It cannot be easily dismissed because in this claimed event, hangs the hope for humanity with its offer of the possibility of life after death, and of a transformed life which gives meaning and purpose, rooted in the reality of His resurrection?

And to demonstrate this let me introduce you to a philosophical concept known as Pascal's Wager. Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher and mathematician, proposed the idea that it is rational to believe in God, even without absolute proof of His existence.

Pascal argued that the potential benefits of believing in God outweigh the potential costs of not believing. Top apply this to Lewis, if Christianity is indeed true and one chooses to believe, the rewards are infinite, you will by embracing the teachings of Christianity, find comfort and hope; purpose and moral guidance, and the possibility of an afterlife. Even if those beliefs turns out to be false, the believer would have still led a purposeful life founded on principles of love, compassion, and forgiveness.

On the other hand, if Christianity is false and someone chooses not to believe, they may gain fleeting benefits such as freedom from religious obligations or scepticism towards dogma. However, the potential costs of rejecting Christianity are far greater. All the guidance, moral compass, and eternal hope that Christianity can offer would be forfeited, leaving individuals to navigate life without God and without any eternal hope beyond the grave! And then what? Judgement to come!

Life or Death? Heaven or Hell? - Place your wager! You must choose!

This Easter Sunday, let the Resurrection of Jesus empower you in your moments of doubt and despair, reminding you that Jesus can enlighten your way and turn your grief into joy and your despair into hope!

Colossians 3:1–4, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Be encouraged to actively seek Christ in your daily experiences and through communal fellowship, gaining hope and revelation from the Scriptures in your daily journey of faith.

As Paul says in Romans 6:4 “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Live in that newness of life, rising above sin and shame; guilt and despair to the nope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Jerry Goebel, "Let’s act like these disciples acted on that Easter Day so long ago. Let's invite Jesus to become part of our daily life. Let’s walk with him; study his word; seek others who are hungry for him and then go serve him by taking the in-burning fire (enthusiasm) of his love to everyone who needs Great News…..Do you have a long and lonely walk that seems filled with sorrow and doubt? Do you have a hurt which seems difficult and confusing to bear? Invite Him! He is hungry to attend. Invite Him! He can make the deepest loneliness and the longest journey full of purpose and hope. Invite Him!"”