Tell me what’s wrong!

Luke 24:13–35 NRSV

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Intro:

Every one of us has had that one experience at least multiple times where something went wrong........

........and our expressions could’nt hide the pain we were dealing with!

(pause and expound)

Luke’s Gospel allows us to listen in on a conversation between 2 of the disciples and Jesus that sounds so familiar it’s hard to believe you and I are not there having the conversation ourselves......

Luke 24:13–14 NRSV

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

According to the text.......

As their instruments of mobility begin maneuvering against gravity creating a walking cadence.......

one leg moves upward..............while the remaining leg pushes into the dirt of the Emmaus road

....there is a rhythym being determined by vocabulary, syllables and tone

.....that is directly related to the pace of their discussion over the details of Jesus’s trial, crucifixion, and the women’s details regarding the tomb.

(pause)

Freedom family......

......even their walking is telling us a story

.......they are walking with their painful, and challenging realizations based on factual infromation related to the Jesus they were counting on.

And according to verse 15, as they are demonstratively calculating what has just taken place over the last several days

........they are joined by a guest traveler!

Luke 24:15 NRSV

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,

We are not given the description of his likeness.....

......we are not told what type of clothes he is wearing

......we are not told of the exact details of the particulars that would operate as the fingerprint necessary to point Jesus out of the crowd.

All we are told is that Jesus himself came near to them.....

(pause)

It could be that they are so engrossed in their heated debate, and mental me-lee (pronounced - May-Lay)

......that they have not taken the time to properly attempt to distinguish the characteristics of Jesus

..........but whatever the case verse 16 says to us......

Luke 24:16 NRSV

but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Picture this.......

Jesus is approaching them at the same walking pace that their feet are using to struggle through a journey that remembers a recent pain.......

........and their eyes are restrained from even recognizing who he is.

(pause)

There is no limitation physically........

They have the full operation of their gobular organs......

There is no retina damage.....

and there is no cornea decay.......

They see clearly........

..........but they have no idea who he is!

(pause)

And this is almost a tragedy worth preaching......

........if it were not for the fact that God is the one that is responsible for this providential prevention, or this Divine holding back.

(pause)

Freedom family.........

.....may I suggest to you that whenever God prevents something from happening

.......it doesn’t stand a chance of becoming a reality until God changes God’s mind!

(pause and expound)

And so according to the text.......

Jesus is clothed in a disguise that is divinely designed to make him appear as a random traveler

......and as he approaches these two of his disciples he asks them a question that I hear as a statement in my spiritual imagination....

when he asks what Luke’s Gospel writes in verse 17....

Luke says,

Luke 24:17 NRSV

And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.

But I hear this as a statement in my spiritual imagination that suggests the words.....

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause)

Jesus has already.......

.......been with them long enough to conclude what their conversation has revealed

.........bottom line is,

..........they are overwhelmed with a problem of gargatuan magnitude

As a matter of fact the text says......

......that when Jesus inquires of the nature of their conversation it causes their feet to lock into the earth.

........and their facial expressions curved under gravity as tears begin to rush to the edge of their eyelids.

(pause)

And I don’t know about you,

......but I wondered what kind of tone of voice did Jesus use to require so much of their attention and emotion all at the same time!

Because after all he is just a random traveler in this moment......

And while I understand that the nature of his question was impressively surprising to them....

I could not help but wonder if when Jesus speaks to them.....

In my spiritual imagination.......

He turns this question into a statement that PIERCES them deeply at the core of their problem as he says....

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause and expound)

Barrel:

I don’t know if you have ever experienced entering a room somewhere.......

.....and you overheard someone you loved discussing a situation with someone else and you can tell by the nature of their conversation that something is wrong....

If you’re anything like me........

.....the first thing that slips out of your mouth is,

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause)

And I don’t know about you but the Jesus that redeemed me of my sins as a resurrected Savior......

.......has too much love for me to walk up on my problematic scenarios, and conversations

.......and not open his mouth in my direction and say,

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause)

And that’s what I see Jesus doing here in this text,

I see him approaching these disciples who cares for deepely and in a fatherly tone saying,

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause)

May I also suggest to you that Jesus understands fully a Father and Son relationship......

..........and the necessary nature of alerting the Father when dealing with overwhelming painful situations

(slight pause)

For it was on the cross at the NINTH hour.......

........when Jesus cried out with a loud voice,

“Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani?

which means,

My God, My God, why hast thouh forsaken me?

(pause)

And for me it was in this moment that Jesus proves my point......

......as he tells his Father in heaven what’s wrong!

(pause and expound - optional)

And as Jesus approaches the two disciples I hear him saying,

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

(pause)

And according to the text.......

The disciple Cleophas speaks up in a response to Jesus by saying.......

Luke 24:18 NRSV

Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”

Sir,

Are you kidding me?

You got to be kidding me right........

You mean to tell me that you were in Jerusalem but you have no idea concerning the things that just happened over the last few days....

(pause)

Jesus responds in verse 19......

“What kind of things?”

And I love this question that Jesus is asking.......

Because it forces the disciples to repeat everything that they are calling a fact..........

........and it is forcing them to reveal how they are interpreting the facts with their faith

(pause)

He responds to Jesus by telling him the whole story......

I can’t believe you don’t know what just happened........

“Well, there was a prophet named Jesus of Nazareth,

who performed miracles of healing and deliverance

His teaching and preaching was remarkably, mind blowing........

and not only that but everything He did was approved by God!

(pause)

Yes, go on..........

“Well, the Sanhedrin handed Him over to the Roman governor for him to be sentenced to death, and then they crucified him. [Lns, TG]

(pause and expound - optional)

And then in verse 21 the disciple that is retelling the story to Jesus in my spiritual imagination.....

Lowers his head deeper than the pit that held Joseph after he was thrown from the grip of the hands of his brothers.........

.......and barely whispered,

“We were hoping...........

........that he would be the one

...........to redeem us from Israel!”

Sir.............

“We might as well just stop believing!”

Because........

......Not only that but

....today is the third day since all of this has happened

(pause)

And.......

........now we can’t even find the body!

Some of the women went up to the tomb and.........

........we don’t know who could have been able to remove the stone

.........or how anyone was able to get in there past the guards

............but Peter and John went to confirm

......and sure enough

.......NO JESUS!!!!

(pause)

Freedom.........

What do you do when the facts say,

........NO JESUS!

(pause and expound)

And so .......

........here these disciples are now standing

wondering if Jesus has abandoned them

wondering if Jesus has aborted their mission

phlabergasted at the facts that for the moment are speaking louder than anything else

And make no mistake about it.......

All of the facts are true......

Jesus did Suffer..........just as they said

Jesus was crucified............just as they said

The tomb is empty...............just as they said

All of the facts are true............

(pause)

But then..........

in verse 25 Jesus has the unmitigated gall to tell them,

“This is real FOOLISH!”

And I hear the disciples asking,

Sir,

If these are the facts........

.....tell us how this is Foolish!”

(pause)

Well......

“the reason that this is Foolish,

......is because you have the Facts,

......but you have disconnected the Facts,

....from your FAITH!

(pause)

And so now..........

your mind is in a dilemna and your ability to hope at the heart level is paralyzed and disjointed from your Faith

And.......

........now every you look at the FACTS you don’t see any of your FAITH

But........

.........I can look at every FACT you just shared with me and show you every reason why you should still have FAITH

(pause)

Because first of all.......

this Jesus of Nazareth prophet had to Suffer these things that you are talking about

.......because His suffering is necessary in His work of salvation and His symphathy towards us.

.....and the fact that His body is missing makes sense,

.....becuase He has to Enter into his glory!

(pause)

And so........

........where you have allowed the FACTS to disqualify your HOPE in Jesus as the MESSIAH

......is actually where your FAITH should be corresponding His COMPATIBILITY as the MESSIAH

(pause)

And then according to verse 27.......

Jesus starts expounding the scriptures concerning himself........

And in my spiritual imagination,

I see him starting with Genesis 3.15 dealing with Eve and the serpent

Genesis 3:15 NRSV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

then....... I see him going to,

Numbers 21:9 NRSV

So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

and as he is building a comparative from OT to NT of himself I see him going over to....

John 3:14 NRSV

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

and continuing to build I see him speaking of himself in

John 19:36 NRSV

These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.”

and then explaining a central prophecy through Isaiah 53...........

sharing Daniel, Johna, and Zechariah with them as well.........

(pause)

And by the time Jesus is done.........

........they still don’t know who he is

....but they are so encouraged that they don’t want him to leave just yet

......so they make the obvious observation that....

....it’s getting late, and he might as well stay with them for the night!!!!

(pause)

And so........

Jesus agrees to stay for supper.........

...........and as they are sitting at the table

............the guest of honor starts SERVING

And he......

........took the bread

......blessed it

......and broke it

.......and gave it to them

(pause)

and that’s when it happened!

And in my spiritual imagination I hear them saying......

“Wait a minute........

Wait a minute.........

We know who you are............”

And after Jesus departs,

They started talking about it......

“Remember when he said,

Tell me what’s wrong!

.......we were sad at first

(pause)

............but then when he started talking

did you feel that!?!?

Wasn’t it like a FIRE BURNING on the INSIDE of us!

Freedom.....

.....that’s what happens for the BELIEVER

God Rekindles the Fire!

And.......

.......that’s what happens when the UNBELIEVER comes to Jesus

.....and tells Jesus what’s wrong!

......they may not recognize HIM at first

......the FACTS may not be connected with FAITH

(pause)

But by the time Jesus is done talking.........

..........the FIRE is started!

Uh oh............!!

..........and when JESUS starts talking

Uh oh...................!!

Death loses control

The Grave has to claim bankruptcy

Tears start SHOUTING

Uh oh.............

And in my spiritual imagination........

Over 2000 years ago

Jesus saw God the father looking for a solution to a problem.........

....and Jesus said Father,

Tell me what’s wrong

and I hear God saying I need to Save humanity from SIN

and Jesus said Father.........

Prepare me a BODY

I’ll GO DOWN........and save the WORLD

Tell me what’s wrong!

He Came DOWN......................for my sins

..............and HE came down for your sins

And........then one Good Friday

..............a BAD thing happened for a GOOD REASON

..............and they crucified our Savior

...............and it looked like death had WON

All SATURDAY during the day.........

And all SATURDAY during the night........

............it looked like death had WON

BUT because LOVE is stronger than DEATH.........

EARLY Sunday MORNING!!!!!!