On the Road to Emmaus

Intro:

Good Morning, you will want to take your copy of God’s Words and turn to 1 Cor. 15:3 as well as Luke 24:13. Today’s title will be “On the Road to Emmaus”

This morning we are starting a series within a series, as you are fully aware of we started a series back on Easter Sunday, Entitled “The Feasts of the Lord” now we are not done with that series, in fact that series is broken into parts or pieces, meaning we will look at each feast of the Lord as they happen on through out the calendar year. We have already covered three of those feast, (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. On June 9th we will cover the Feast of Weeks also known as the Feast of Pentecost, which takes place 50 days from First Fruits.

That is why we are going to have a series within a series.

The Life, Ministry, Death, and Resurrection of Christ is one of great amazement and fascination.

From the time of Christ’s death on the very day of Passover, to His resurrection on the very day of the Feast of First Fruits, there is a period of time from the First Fruits to the Feast of Weeks that number 50 Days.

Before Jesus would ascend to Heaven to seat at the right hand of the Father He would remain on this earth for 40 more days after His resurrection. The question is why and what was Jesus doing for those 40 days prior to His ascension?

It is what we will call, The Post Resurrection Ministry of Christ.

The Bible tells us that Jesus appeared at least 10 times over 40 days (Acts 1:3) after He arose from the dead. It is during these encounters that we see what He did. We also learn some interesting things. So, first let's look at who He appeared to. Then for the next three weeks we will look at what He did and said during those 40 days.

The people Jesus appeared to after He arose is briefly described by Paul to the Corinth church in 1 Cor. 15.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NKJV

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

In (Acts 1:2-3) mentions three primary things Jesus did during His 40 days:

Acts 1:2–3 NKJV

2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

#1. to give "commandments to the apostles,"

#2. "to present Himself alive.... by many infallible proofs,"

#3. "to speak(ing) of things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

We can sum them up this way,

Presented Himself Alive (Give Hope)

Taught them God’s Word (Give Truth)

Gave them Commandments (Give Direction)

Now, let's look at a key thing Jesus said and did during His 40 days.

Lets read from the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 24:13)

Luke 24:13–35 NKJV

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 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. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 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.” 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Two people were traveling to Emmaus from Jerusalem. The distance of about seven miles. As they traveled they were discussing the events of the previous day, and Jesus caught up with them as they journeyed.

They could not recognize Jesus, not because he looked different, but because in God prevented them from recognizing Him for His sovereign purposes.

When Jesus inquires about the topic of their conversation, Cleopas responds by identifying Jesus as a prophet through whom God had worked in a mighty way.

Nevertheless, he had been executed by the religious leaders, indicating that he could not be the Messiah (v. 21). Our at least the Messiah that they was expecting the Messiah to be.

To make matters worse, some women were saying that this Jesus was alive. They were right that the tomb was empty, but such a report could not be believed because no one had seen Jesus.

Jesus counters the belief of these two by pointing to the Scriptures. The Old Testament Scriptures clearly teach that the Messiah must suffer before he enters into glory.

For the texts that Jesus used, we would need to refer to the messages in the Book of Acts (Acts 2:14–39; 3:12–26; 13:16–41).

Jesus is persuaded by the two to spend the evening with them, and in a scene that recalls the Last Supper they recognize him as he breaks bread and gives thanks.

On the other hand, these two people were probably not present at the Last Supper, and thus they may simply be recalling being with Jesus on other occasions when he gave thanks.

Jesus immediately vanished, and they decided to return to Jerusalem and tell the others the good news. But when they arrived the Eleven spoke first, informing them that the Lord had arisen and had “appeared to Simon” (v. 34).

Then the two companions related the story of their encounter with Jesus (v. 35).

Jesus Expounded on How things in the Old Testament Pointed to Him and what the Messiah would do.

One of the main ministries of Christ after His resurrection was to expound on how things in the OT pointed to Him, that is, teach them the truth about God’s Holy Word, now look again at Luke 24:27.

Luke 24:27 NKJV

27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

and He showed them how His death and resurrection fulfilled OT prophecy

The New King James Version

Ps. 22; Is. 50:6; 53:5; Dan. 9:26; Hos. 6:1; Zech. 13:6;

These passage as well as countless others from the OT where the scriptures Jesus and the Apostles proclaimed on how the scriptures beginning with Moses and the Prophets where about Jesus who would be the redemptive work of God

Luke 24:44–48 NKJV

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.

For 40 days after His resurrection Jesus did the following: And each of these He did each time He was see.

Presented Himself Alive (Gave Hope)

Taught them God’s Word (Gave Truth)

Gave them Commandments (Gave Direction)