Dinner with the Disillusioned

Have you been on the Emmaus road? I think we all have, some of us may be on the road right now....

It is the same day as the resurrection, just a few hours after the news had broken about Jesus’ exit from the tomb. Two of Jesus’ followers, his disciples, his friends, find themselves walking along the Emmaus road, returning home after a very bizarre and emotional 3 days. It is seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus, so they had plenty of time to walk and talk. The Bible tells us a lot about what they were felling in those moments. Listen to some of the things its says:

v16- they stood still, looking sad

v21- But we had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel

It is peculiar in this passage, we have 2 groups of people with 2 very different reactions in 2 very different states of mind. Jesus has been raised from the dead, and the news has begun to spread. The verse directly before this passage tells us about Peter’s response to the news- “But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.” Peter sees and hears that Jesus’ is out of the grave and he is filled with joy, these disciples are filled with doubt and sorrow.

Peter sees and hears that Jesus’ is out of the grave and he is filled with joy, these disciples are filled with doubt and sorrow.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

But have you asked yourself why? Why are these disciples, walking the Emmaus road, Cleopas and his companion, why are they so upset? They are upset because Jesus did not meet their expectations or their desires.

Here’s what I mean. These friends of Jesus were part of the group that thought they knew what Jesus was going to do. They fully believed that Jesus was going to redeem Israel, we see that in v21. While they believed in what Jesus was going to do, they also fully believed that they knew the method by which Jesus was going to accomplish the plan. They believed that Jesus was going to lead a revolution, a civil war, they were expecting a militaristic other-throw of the government and Jesus was going to be commander in chief as he lead Israel to create their own independent nation and separate themselves from Rome once and for all....turns out they were wrong.

Here’s the thing, Jesus had spent 3 1/2 years telling them the plan- telling them he was going to be killed and telling them he was going to rise from the dead. The problem is they missed it- even when the tomb was empty they missed it.... they stood disillusioned with Jesus even though the empty tomb should have pointed them to the promises of Christ, it instead pointed them back to their own failed expectations and desires...

Have you been there? Let’s be honest, we have all been there. Jesus has spoken promise after promise, the Bible assures us of the deep truths. The problem is that sometimes we find ourselves walking on the Emmaus Road wondering what in the world God is up too, because things do not look like we imagined.

But take heart, church because remember God is more sovereign than your missed expectations. Just because it does not look like you think it was going to look does not mean God is done or that God has left you…God is not done.

The question we must ask ourselves when God fails to meet our desires or expectations is who is wrong? God or us? Too many times we just assume that it is God who is wrong. I had this all figured out, God! We think. All you had to do is follow my plan and we could have avoided this entire mess! We forgot that it was God who spoke in :

But take note what Jesus does in the midst of their crisis- v27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” When Jesus confronts the doubt of the disciples- he turns the story of Scripture. You see the enemy wants you to turn away from the Bible in the face of doubt, but Jesus says allow that doubt to propel you into God’s Word. Too many times we just assume that it is God who is wrong. I had this all figured out, God! We think. All you had to do is follow my plan and we could have avoided this entire mess! We forgot that it was God who spoke in :

English Standard Version Chapter 55

8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

These Disciples on the Emmaus Road are perfect examples of what not to do when things go unplanned with God. Listen to some of the phrases here:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The only perception that they give in the story is the human one. The begin to recite all that their human minds know and understand. They turned to what they thought and felt, but let me read to some of the words and teachings of a Jesus they could have run to:

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body

English Standard Version Chapter 2

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth

- 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

And just in case we are fooled into believing that Jesus’ predictions were coded or only certain people knew of them. They were actually common knowledge. Listen to the conversation that the Pharisees had with Pilate just after Jesus’ death in  The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

ake note what Jesus does in the midst of their crisis- v27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” When Jesus confronts the doubt of the disciples- he turns the story of Scripture. You see the enemy wants you to turn away from the Bible in the face of doubt, but Jesus says allow that doubt to propel you into God’s Word. Jesus turns to the story of Scripture to ease their hearts and show them the way. When things are not going how you plan, do you run to the Bible, or from it? Because I guarantee you there is a relation between your use of Scripture in hard times and the measure of your faith. When we do not understand what God is up to, we are not called to sit around and wallow, complaining “God, I do not understand!” we are called to open our Bibles and say “God, help me understand!”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Now, pay attention to the end of the story, because it is beautiful. They find themselves sitting at a table with this new friend, who has been teaching them all day about the Scriptures, and it comes time for dinner. This new guest takes bread and breaks it and blesses it. Very different than common practice- the guest did not offer thanks for the meal, the host of the home did.

Now, there is a lot of debate about why and how Jesus’ identity was hidden from the friends from Emmaus. Was it God? Was it their own unbelief? Was it just the way the sun hit their eyes that day? I am not sure, I wonder if it was not a combination of God’s word and their unbelief. Consequently, there is also a lot of debate about how, when, and why they all of a sudden recognized Jesus sitting at the table with them. Can you I give you the picture that my mind paints?

I imagine these three travelers who have been together all day sitting down at the table after a long emotional day, I imagine the one who has been teaching them the Bible all day blessing the food and breaking the bread. I then have a picture of the 2 travelers reaching to get the bread from his hands, and seeing the holes from the nails, and then looking and seeing the face of their redeemer…realizing that the one they have been in the presence of all day was none other than Jesus, and after being the word and being in his presence, and seeing the proof of his redeeming work they had no other reaction than to see him.

Do you know why I have this picture? It is because I had experienced it. I have seen in it hospital rooms with many of you, I have seen it in funeral homes, tense family discussions, and Bible studies, I have seen it in this very pulpit- I have seen many of you, my family and friends, and my own self experience God in this way. I believe this is how faith works. Our plans blow up, Jesus shows up, sometimes disguised, we learn from God’s word, Jesus gives us proof of his redeeming work, and we recognize the redemption and presence of God that has been with us the entire time…