EXPECTATIONS (Luke 24:13-34)

Pictures

Emmaus - Town in Judea which appears only once in Scripture (Lk 24:13).

The Text

Luke 24:13–34 NLT

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.” 19 “What things?” Jesus asked. “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

Brief Thoughts...

Cleopas MAY have been Clopas, and the other disciple MAY have been his wife...

John 19:25 NLT

25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.

Jesus’ resurrected body made it possible for him to be obscured to people - although I do not know why or how… But, it does happen...

John 20:11–16 NLT

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

Jesus is making good on his promise to be with the Church

Matthew 18:20 NLT

20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

Jesus gives a Bible study on Old Testament interpretation. A study I wish I could take from Jesus Himself (LUCKY DISCIPLES!)

Jesus is revealed after the Study and then the Breaking of Bread (some suggest that his cloak covered his wrists so that the nail marks were hidden, and when Jesus broke bread the disciples could see the nail marks)

Jesus is made known in the Word and Sacrament!

Thoughts on Expectations

Hopelessness, disillusionment, frustration, anxiety, etc set in when expectation meets reality and reality wins

William Shakespeare once said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache”

These disciples were hopeless and anxious because Jesus’ reality did not meet their expectations of Jesus

Luke 24:21 NLT

21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

The irony is that Jesus DID fulfill their hopes of rescue, but he did it in a different way than THEY EXPECTED!

Jesus did not come to fulfil expectations - he came to be OBEDIENT to the FATHER

In being obedient Jesus actually fulfilled his mission and purpose - but not in fulfilling expectations.

Remember Jesus and John the Baptist in Matthew 11?

Matthew 11:2–3 NIV

2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Matthew 11:4–6 NIV

4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Jesus’ answer to John is that he is doing what the Messiah is supposed to do. But, Jesus has this understanding when what he is to do as a faithful Son will conflict with what others EXPECT him to do.

Ultimately, Jesus had to be about the Father’s Business

Luke 2:49 NIV

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

A way of saying being about the business of the Father...

Expectations are like handcuffs - they apprehend us and hold us hostage to other people’s ideas for us and about us...

Imagine Jesus fulfilling his mission with handcuffs...

“He was swimming in a sea of other people’s expectations. Men had drowned in seas like that.” ― Robert Jordan, New Spring

Jesus, the perfect, spotless, Son of God did NOT fulfill people’s expectations of him.

Sure, you could say they were faulty - but no matter what, people had expectations of Jesus and he FAILED their expectations of him. But, his purpose was NOT to fulfill expectations, but to be FAITHFULLY OBEDIENT to the FATHER!

I have GOOD NEWS! You will FAIL people’s expectations of you (maybe not all the time, but a good portion of the time).

You will FAIL your wife’s expectations as a husband and your husbands expectations of a wife

You will FAIL your children’s expectations of parents, and their expectations of you as a child

You will FAIL the people’s expectations of a pastor and they will FAIL your expectations of sheep

Boards will FAIL their expectations of the pastor and the church and the church will fail the expectations of the board

Where there is expectations YOU WILL FAIL

And you think, that’s not good news!

Let me continue… You weren’t CREATED to fulfill others’ expectations of YOU - You were created to be faithful and OBEDIENT to WHAT AND WHO GOD TRANSFORMS AND CALLS YOU TO BE!

You were created to fulfill expectations, you were created to obediently follow God!

Think of handcuffs again… Can you be obedient to God while being apprehended by someone else’s expectations.

Maybe, to a point, you could successfully do both. But, what happens when God’s reality calls you to step aside form others’ expectations of you - then what?!

You will either fail their expectations, or you will fail to be obedient. What do you choose?

And, when you fail their expectations, to be obedient to God, they will yell, fight, become frustrated, hopeless, disillusioned, despondent, gossipers, haters etc… They will fight and bite when THEIR expectation of YOU is not met equally by reality.

But remember, YOU weren’t CREATED to fulfill expectations - your were created to be faithful and obedient to God! PERIOD!

Galatians 1:10 NLT

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Matthew 7:21 NLT

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

Remember, Jesus CONSTANTLY failed people’s expectations of Him - and if he FAILED, then you will too. But, also remember, His purpose was NOT to fulfill human expectations but to be faithful to God’s call as an obedient Son.

So it is with YOU. You are NOT created to fulfil other’s expectations of you. You are created to be faithful and obedient to God and fulfill GOD’S purpose for you.

You are NOT to be handcuffed by others’ expectations. You are set free to serve God!

AMEN!