Jesus Reveals Himself to the Insignificant

Luke 24: 13-

 On the road to Emmaus.

1. (13-16) Jesus joins two disciples on a road.

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

a. Two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus: On this Sunday, these two disciples traveled to Emmaus from Jerusalem. As they walked together (probably returning from the Passover celebration in Jerusalem) it gave them opportunity to talk.

i. These weren’t famous apostles, they were simple and half-anonymous followers of Jesus. “I take it as characteristic of the Lord that in the glory of His resurrection life He gave Himself with such fullness of disclosure to these unknown and undistinguished men… He still reveals Himself to lowly hearts. Here is the Saviour for the common man. Here is the Lord who does not spurn the humble.”

b. They conversed and reasoned: As they talked, they spoke of the things that were biggest on their hearts – all of these things which had happened, the things regarding the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.

c. Jesus Himself drew near and went with them: Jesus came along side these disciples, and went with them for a while. Yet for a time they were miraculously prevented from seeing who Jesus was.

i. “When two saints are talking together, Jesus is very likely to come and make the third one in the company. Talk of him, and you will soon talk with him.” (Spurgeon)

2. (17-24) The disciples explain what they talked about.

And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

a. What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? Jesus opened the conversation by asking them what they had talked about. From this, we can know that Jesus had walked silently with them for a while, just listening as they carried on the conversation.

i. It was evident in their countenance (and perhaps even in their manner of walking) that they were sad. Jesus knew both what they already knew (that they were sad) and what they did not yet know (that they had no reason to be sad).

b. Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened here in these days? Jesus probably smiled when they said this. He knew pretty well what had happened here in these days.

c. What things? In saying this, Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts. Even though He knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it to Jesus.

d. The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth: The men explained what they did know about Jesus.

· They knew His name and where He was from.

· They knew He was a Prophet.

· They knew He was mighty in deed and word.

· They knew He was crucified.

· They knew He promised to redeem Israel.

· They knew others had said He rose from the dead.

e. We were hoping: These disciples had a hope disappointed. Their hope was not truly disappointed; but in some ways their hope was misguided (that it was He who was going to redeem Israel). Jesus would show them that their true hope was fulfilled in Him and His resurrection.

f. Just as the women had said: The only thing these disciples had to go on was the testimony of others, but they were slow to believe. The report of the women meant little to them, and the report of Peter and John who had seen the grave clothes meant little – because Him they did not see.

i. Jesus wanted to know from them what He wants to know from us today: can we believe without seeing with our own eyes? We can believe and must believe based on the reliable eyewitness testimony of other people.

3. (25-27) Jesus teaches them why the Messiah had to suffer.

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

a. Slow of heart to believe: Jesus told them that the problem with their belief was more in their heart than their head. We often think the main obstacles to belief are in the head, but they are actually in the heart.

b. Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? They should have believed what all the prophets have spoken, that the Messiah would suffer first and then be received in glory.

· They were common, simple men.

· They had lost hope.

· They had lost joy – a sense of spiritual desertion.

· They had not lost desire – they still loved to talk about Jesus.

· They had not yet seen the necessity of the cross.

i. The prophets spoke in Isaiah 53:3-5: He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

ii. Isaiah 50:5-7 is another example of what the prophets taught concerning this. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

iii. Daniel 9:26 shows another prophet regarding these things: The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself.

iv. Zechariah 12:10 is yet another example: They will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

c. And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself: Jesus began to teach them what was surely one of the most spectacular Bible studies ever taught. Beginning in Moses and all the Prophets, He told them all about the Messiah.

i. “It is a sign to us that He is still the same, though He has passed into the resurrection glory, that He still goes back to the old familiar Scripture which He had learned beside His mother’s knee.” (Morrison)

ii. He told them that the Messiah was:

· The Seed of the Woman, whose heel was bruised.

· The blessing of Abraham to all nations.

· The High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.

· The Man who wrestled with Jacob.

· The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

· The voice from the burning bush.

· The Passover Lamb.

· The Prophet greater than Moses.

· The captain of the Lord’s army to Joshua.

· The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer mentioned in Ruth.

· The son of David who was a King greater than David.

· The suffering Savior of Psalm 22.

· The Good Shepherd of Psalm 23.

· The wisdom of Proverbs and the Lover of the Song of Solomon.

· The Savior described in the prophets and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.

· The Princely Messiah of Daniel who would establish a kingdom that would never end.

ii. “The Savior, who knows the Word of God perfectly, because of His intimate union with the Spirit who is its Primary Author, expounded to them in broad outline all the Scriptures that referred to Him, from the first books of the Old Testament and right through to the end.” (Geldenhuys)

iii. “We should not understand this as the selection of a number of proof-texts, but rather as showing that throughout the Old Testament a consistent divine purpose is worked out, a purpose that in the end meant and must mean the cross.” (Mor

Jesus acted as though he would go on further but they bid him stay: Jesus sat at the head of their table, and broke bread and blessed it. Their eyes were open as they remarked did not our hearts burn as he talked with us by the way. Just ordinary men, no body special. Jesus who was crucified, buried and rose again. Just like he said he would.