Sermon Tone Analysis

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: 04/22/18 File name: Post_Resurrection_02.wpd ID Number:

There are two "forty" day experiences in the life of our Lord.

The first forty-day experience is seen at the beginning of his ministry and was a period of temptation.

This period of testing ended in a great 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 writer 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.

Today let us look at an incident that occurred on the first day following His resurrection.

The story of what happened when He walked with two of His followers on the road to the village of Emmaus.

Their experience is an illustration of what can happen when we walk with Jesus.

Visualize for a moment the scene of a bright Sunday afternoon as two men stroll along on their way home to their village.

They were followers of Jesus.

You can imagine their confusion as they consider the events of the past week.

The triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem stirred their hope and expectation; “This is the moment ... Jesus is going to declared himself Messiah, and the nation will rise up and follow him.”

The week was filled with miracles and the Lord’s teachings.

The joy of the week had turned to deep sorrow when Jesus announced at the Seder Feast, “One of you will betray me.”

Withing hours his prediction had come true, and men who had openly pledged their dying loyalty to him, fled.

Then there were the humiliating trials before the Jewish High Council, Pilate and Herod.

Peter's denial.

The scourging, and the crucifixion.

An eerie darkness settled over the land, and an earthquake shook the city.

Now word has spread that the body has disappeared from the tomb, and some of the women who followed Jesus are reporting that they’ve seen him.

Could it be true, or is it just the wishful thinking of some hysterical women?

What are they supposed to think about these things?

Just at the moment they are in deep discussion about the possible meaning of all this, they become aware of a third person who has, from their viewpoint, overtaken them and joined them on their walk.

There seems to be nothing unusual about this.

Such casual meetings on a walk are common place.

Apparently there was nothing in His manner or opening conversation that was special.

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?”

Their experience is an illustration of what can happen when we walk with Jesus.

Let’s consider what takes place, "When We Walk With Jesus."

I. WHEN WE ARE WILLING TO WALK WITH JESUS HE WILL WALK WITH US

1. in the Bible, walking with God is one of the most theologically significant metaphors there is

a. we do not honor a dead religious hero, but worship a living Savior who walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way

ILLUS.

Tim Keller, retired pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, says, “To walk with God means to be exposed and totally accountable, to be befriended and totally loved, and to be growing and totally changed.”

2. the passage reveals Jesus’ desire to have fellowship and communion with us

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

(Matt.

18:20)

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (fellowship) with him, and he with me." (Rev.

3:20)

"God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

(I Cor.

1:9)

3. as we look at these two disciples walking along before our Savior joins them, we need to be careful about criticism of them

a. even with all their doubts and fears, they were seeking the ultimate truth about the Savior and the events that have transpired

1) the verb translated discussed in vs. 15 implies a vigorous debate over what has taken place

2) they are inquiring, questioning, reasoning ... “He’s dead.

No one survives a Roman crucifixion.

But some of the women, and even Peter and John, acknowledge that the tomb is empty.

What does it mean?”

A. THESE TWO WERE SINCERE TRUTH SEEKERS

1. they were communing and reasoning about the Savior

a. they were considering spiritual things

ILLUS.

If you don’t know it ... this is why we have Sunday School and mid-week services.

They are times when God’s people come together to commune and reason about the Savior, and the implication of his life on our lives.

2. God blesses sincere truth seekers

a. in defending himself to the Jewish leader, Jesus told them bluntly

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.

These are the Scriptures that testify about me,” (John 5:39, NIV84)

b. the story of Cornelius in Acts 10 clearly illustrates the reward of sincerely seeking the truth by faith

ILLUS.

Cornelius is a Roman soldier.

We’re told that both he and his family are devout and God-fearing.

He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

Then one day he has a vision; an angel of the Lord instructs him to send messengers to the city of Joppa to find a fisherman named Peter.

Meanwhile, the Apostle Peter is in Joppa having a vision of his own.

“He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.

13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter.

Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied.

“I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate.”

(Acts 10:11–17, NIV84)

Peter travels to Caesarea to find Cornelius, hears his story and preaches the Gospel to him and his household.

“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.

They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.

41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.”

(Acts 10:34–44, NIV84)

1) God went to a great deal of trouble, humanly speaking, to miraculously send a devout Jewish Christian, Peter, to share the message of God on equal terms with a Gentile

c. this ground breaking and earth shaking act occurred as God's response to a sincere truth seeker

B. GOD HAS PROMISED THAT THOSE WHO SEEK HIM WILL FIND HIM

1. Jesus has promised to abundantly reward real truth seekers

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

(Matt.

7:7-8, NIV)

a. these words are intended for all those who would walk with Jesus

b. to walk with him is to have a moment by moment awareness of his awareness of you