When The Dust settles3
Text: Luke 24:13-35
Title: I see and now I know Him
Antithesis: Sometimes I just can’t see Jesus. It is life’s trials and circumstances that block you from seeing Jesus. People block you of seeing Jesus. Your job can block you from seeing Jesus. Your money can block your from seeing Jesus. Your intelligence can block you from seeing Jesus. Your thoughts can block you of seeing Jesus. A lack of faith can block you from seeing Jesus. All of these things hinder you before you can see Jesus and the life He has for you to live.
Thesis: But Jesus does not want you deprived of seeing who He really is. The Lord has a special way of arresting your attention even the midst of life’s circumstances so that you will see Him and know Him.
Relevant Questions: What has to happen for you to see Jesus?
Luke is telling us the story of two disciples who encountered the Lord on an old dusty road after they found out that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Luke shows us in this story that even though we have seen Jesus at work and we know His promises, we still don’t know him until we have an intimate encounter. Our text tells us what happened on a special day when Jesus came in the midst of two of His disciples after His crucifixation. We see several things in the lives of these two disciples that challenge us to discover Jesus in a more intimate way.
First Challenge
1. We need to refocus our attention from the Life’s disappointments. vv. 13-15
Refocus your destination
Here we have in the text, two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus leaving from Jerusalem sad about what has just happen. It was a hostile time for believers who were being killed for their faith which may have been the cause of these two disciples leaving the place where the prophecy of Jesus has now come to pass. It was the 3rd day after the crucifixion and they just discovered that the tomb was empty. Emmaus was place known for its medicinal spring bathes. These brothers were on their way to relax and doing some male bonding. The text says that they communed and reasoned together. They were questioning and reflecting on what had happened in Jerusalem. As they we were talking, somebody jumps in the conversation but it is good thing. The scripture says that “where two or three gather in his name, he is there in the midst”. Jesus shows up! This is a reminder that Jesus shows up whenever He hears His name. Just call his name! But there is a problem in this fellowship. Jesus shows up and these brothers are going to a day spa rather than going to the place of their promise. They were focused on the wrong destination. They were leaving Jerusalem, place of the resurrection, the place where the destiny of all believers is promised. This showed that they had a lack of faith and commitment. They look many of us today when we show a lack of faith and commitment when things don’t go as we expect. Faith and commitment distinguishes a disciple from a churchgoer. These two disciples witness miracles, saw healing but did not know who Jesus really is. They ran away from their blessing. They left too soon! How many of us can kick ourselves because we left to soon: out of that relationship, from that job and from that church. You just left too soon! When you are focused on Jesus in should move you more towards Him than away from His promises.
Second Challenge
2. We need to Recognize vv. 16-24
The disciples did not recognize Him. The text says, “Their eyes were restrained”. Something was blocking their vision of Him. The cliché “you better recognize” echoes when I read this text. Jesus is here eavesdroping over their conversation asking them what they are talking about. At first I couldn’t understand why Jesus asking them what they are talking about. Jesus does not have to ask, He already knows! He is omniscience, the all knowing God. He knows our thoughts from a far off. But I believe He was just asking to see if they knew what they are talking about. Just like God in the Garden of Eden asked Adam, “where are thou”. That was not for God, it was for Adam. Many times God will ask you questions to see if you know who He really is.
In verse 19, one of the disciples named Cleopas and the other disciple is telling this so called stranger (Jesus) all happenings that occurred. He tells Jesus that He was a Prophet mighty in deed and in word. That chief priest and the rulers delivered him and crucified him. He was to redeem Israel. And they even found the tomb empty like He promised. In other words Mr. Stranger, you better recognize who Jesus was! But the disciples needed to recognize that Jesus is never a “was”. He is! (Somebody shout He is!). I am telling you, in order to experience Jesus in your life in a different way you better recognize who He is! Who is he in your life? You have to recognize who he is right now!
Third Challenge
3. We need to be Reminded vv. 25-27
Everybody now and again needs a reminder so they won’t forget things that are important and significant. This is why I believe, God gives us reminders of Himself through the Word. But sometimes our reminders need to be in the form of a rebuke so we don’t have to get reminded again. In verse v. 25 in our text, Jesus rebukes the disciples saying, “O fools, and slow of heart…” He openly rebukes them because of their ignorance. In order for many of us to get it right, we need to get rebuked. God only rebukes us in order for us to be better believers. He chastens the ones He loves.
But after the rebuke, Jesus takes the two disciples back to Sunday school for a time of recall with a refresher course. The text says “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”. They were reminded of His love for us, they we reminded of the power He gives and the promises He has for us. They were reminded how He made away out of now way and how He put food on the table. The Scriptures remind us who God is and it enables us to recall what He has done for us! You have to get in the Word so you can be reminded of His Goodness!
Now that you know that you need to refocus, recognize and be reminder of all that Jesus is and what He does:
Result: You’ll get a Revelation vv. 28-35
As disciples get close to their destination, I believe Jesus tested their faith. The scripture said Jesus acted as He was going a “little farther”. This holds true for many of us. When we get close to where we are going in our lives after an encounter Jesus, He often gives you a test to see if we are satisfied with the encounter you just had or do you want more? You must do what the disciples did by holding Jesus back with them. After a strong encounter with Jesus, you just can’t let go of Him. You want to maintain a further relationship with him because it is on good to be with Jesus. They stopped Jesus and asked him in to the house. The disciples invited Jesus to stay. That is all God wants from you, to invite Him in and He will take residence in your heart.
Something happens when you let Christ in your house. If you let him, He automatically takes over. He assumed the roll of the host. The text says that He took bread, blesses it and breaks it then their eyes where open. Revelation came in the breaking of bread. It was a release from ignorance. It was a holy awakening. That which was hidden is now revealed! They knew who He was. Revelation is something that is unveiled by God to humans. He gives you a vision on who He is and what He has for you!
The breaking of bread is also metaphor of what Christ does to us. If you look over your life and see how the Lord met you on life’s journey but it was not enough to turn you around. You see how the Lord gave you a Word but still it was not enough to turn you around. But when he broke you, your eyes were open and you had a change of heart. Jesus takes us then he blesses us and breaks us. He has to break you in order to get to what is on the inside. Sometimes he hast to break your heart to get to the pride, selfishness, bitterness and anger that blocks you from receiving His fullness. When we are broken, we can be more intimate with Him. But the blessing is that Christ not only has the power to break you but the power to make you whole again.
But after their eyes open Jesus disappears. You would think that Jesus would not leave so soon. But this is not like a one-night stand, where the disciples felt cheapened by the experience. On the contrary, something happened way down in their souls. Their hearts caught on fire for the Lord. They said “did not our heart burn from within…”. One glimpse of Jesus will give you a real heartburn, a fire in your soul that longs for Him. One glimpse of his goodness, one glimpse of his glory, one glimpse of Jesus will set you on fire! Something happens from within that changes your outlook, direction and devotion to the Lord. Look what happened to the disciples. Their circumstances did not change. They were on the same road and able to find the same trouble because of their faith. But now they were ready to go back to the place of prophecy and promise. This revelation stirred their souls so much that they were ready to risk it all because they knew they had a promise. When God promises you anything, nothing can stop you! They got up and went back 7mi. in the dark to Jerusalem but they had light! A revelation from God will give you destiny and purpose. But it starts by seeing Jesus for who He really is.
Celebration: Slow. What has been blocking me from seeing Jesus has now been removed and I know Him because I got a revelation! I needed to refocus. I needed to recognize. I needed a reminder and a rebuke. But I got a revelation now that gives me joy, that gives me peace, that gives me love, that gives me power, that gives me purpose. I am able to look beyond my problems and see my promise! That is the revelation of the vision of my future!
I don’t know about you but I’m like those disciples. After my encounter with Jesus, I got funny feeling going on inside of me. It is hard to explain but it feels so good! The songwriter says it “something on the inside”. These disciples said it was heart burn. But Jeremiah said it was like fire shut up in my bones. I am on fire with the love of Jesus! And there is only one way for me to respond to this fire. I am going to holla! I got to give Him praise! I got to praise God for revealing Himself to me when did know any better. I am going to praise Him for showing in himself when I was foolish. I am going to praise Him for showing Himself when I was going to in the wrong direction. Praise Him if you got a revelation! I got a revelation and I can see him now. I can hear him now. I can feel him now! I got revelation that things are going to be better. I got a revelation that I will not be defeat. I got revelation….