It Was Me

Intro:

Luke 24:32

Today, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the title of my message if, [It Was Me].

If we were to look back over the past century, we would find various events that shaped each generation.

The circumstances surrounding the events were so pivotal that they made sense within that generation, and helped them weather storms that took place in following generations.

I wonder how those of my great-grandparents generation felt when the Stock Market crashed. What did they think or feel?

I used to ask my grandma how it was to live during the depression. She was nine years old when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. What did she think or feel?

My mom was a child during the race riots of the 1960s. She can remember hearing the rioting from her grandparents house in downtown Detroit.

I have been fascinated to listen to people who lived during the Cold War. I was five months old when it ended.

For me, I remember the fear and confusion that surrounded 9/11. I was only in the fifth grade. While it was devastating for every one, it was my first experience with the darkness of this world.

Now, I am old enough to be on the other side of this equation. It shocked me last year when someone in their early twenties asked me to explain 9/11 and what it was like. I asked him, how old were you, and he was an infant.

It makes me wonder as I look over the past two years, how future generations will explain the events that have shaped their generation.

As I read our text, I thought of generational challenges and history shaping events that occured. Of all that we have faced collectively in our lifetimes, nothing compares to the events surrounding the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth.

He showed up on the scene and developed a large following very quickly. People listened to Him teach. They witnessed His miraculous power. Many thought He was the One who would become the king of Israel.

Everything He did both amazed people and perplexed them at the same time. While they witnessed supernatural exploits never seen in their lifetime, He lived in a way that confused them.

His followers were poorer and unrefined.

His teaching went against conventional norms.

His lifestyle was void of any pomp or prestige.

He never owned a home. He never settled down. He never seemed content with this world.

Eventually, His methods caught the attention of the religious elite who ruled in Jerusalem. For them, they had to silence Him, even if that meant conspiring to kill Him.

And they did. They worked with the Romans, webbing a weave of lies and innuendo. All the hopes that people placed in Him seemed over as He hung, dead on a cross.

Talk about a pivotal event. It was life-changing for the generation that lived through the events of the crucifixion.

Luke introduces us to two disciples who were in Jerusalem during the weekend Jesus was killed. Let’s try to put ourselves in their shoes. How did they feel? What were they thinking? What were their emotions?

Think of an event that was so shocking and multiply that times 100 and that is what these two men endured. But in their grief and confusion, Jesus comes to them.

I want us to see that, [He Travels with Them], [He Talks with Them], [He Teaches Them], and [They Trust Him].

1. He Travels with Them

Luke 24:13-16

It was three days after Jesus was crucified. Two men had been in Jerusalem throughout the weekend. Finally it was too much and they decided to return home.

They started on their seven mile journey, speaking of all the events. I can only imagine what they discussed:

Can you believe the crowds hollering crucify Him?

I will never forget how they beat and humiliated Him.

I heard you could not even recognize Him as He hung on the cross.

At least he was buried in a nice tomb, it is a good thing Joseph of Arimathea was there had a new tomb for Him.

After recounting the events, I suspect that moved onto how they felt.

They might have wondered if it was all a fraud. They were among those who trusted Jesus. They believed that He was the Messiah. They had hopes that He would restore Israel to its rightful place in society.

How could we have been so wrong?

You saw His miracles, you believed in Him too.

What about His teaching? No one ever taught like Him.

With their heads bowed in discouragement and sadness life looked very bleak for them. The future they thought was so sure and now it all looked hopeless.

As they travelled, someone began walking behind them. Luke tells us that it was Jesus. He finally caught up to them, but they did not recognize Him. I wonder if Jesus thought, if only they could see, IT WAS ME.

Notice, in their worst day, their lowest point, Jesus came and began traveling with them. Then...

2. He Talks with Them

Luke 24:17-19

What a peculiar question of Jesus, you’re in deep discussion about something. What are you talking about that makes you so sad.

What kind of question is that?

That would be like someone asking the question on September 12, 2001, why is everyone in New York City sad?

Or during the Covid shut-down, why are all the big cities sitting empty?

Cleopas can’t help himself. He looks at the man he thinks is a stranger and asks, are you the only one in Jerusalem who is unaware of the things that happened the past few days?

As one who appreciates a good question, I love Jesus’s question, what things?

I expect Cleopas and the other disciple were frustrated with the strangers questions, but they took time to explain what happened:

There was a man named Jesus of Nazareth, I am surprised you have not heard of Him. He was a prophet and performed miracles. We just knew that He would redeem Israel.

We all believed He was the answer to the problems for our people, but sadly three days ago, the chief priests and religious leaders had Him crucified.

To make it more confusing, some of the women who followed Him went to His tomb early this morning and it is empty. They claim they had a vision of angels telling them He is alive.

We went with some others to the tomb, and it is empty, but we haven’t seen any angels and He is no where to be found.

Jesus listened, then He spoke.

Luke 24:25-26

To them, this stranger was strong spoken. He called them foolish people who were slow to believe the prophets. Why couldn't they see, IT WAS ME.

Then He asked, wasn’t it necessary for Christ to suffer these things so that He can enter into glory?

By this point He had their attention. To them, He was a stranger and they were ready to listen to what He had to say...

3. He Teaches Them

Luke 24:27

He took time to carefully show that ALL Scripture pointed to Him as the Christ. He started with Moses, worked through the prophets.

He would have taken them through:

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

1 and 2 Samuel

1 and 2 Kings

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadaih

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

and Malachi

His point was simple— this man Jesus was and is the fulfillment of all God’s promises.

We do not know exactly what He told them, but maybe He started with:

Genesis 3:15 NKJV

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

He could have told them, this Man, Jesus was the seed of the woman. Wasn’t He born to Mary? I remember hearing she was a virgin and the Holy Spirit came upon her?

Perhaps He took them through

Isaiah 53:3–7 NKJV

3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

I can almost hear Him going through the crucifixion and showing how He fulfilled this prophecy. Many looked to Jesus as the Triumphant King, which He is, but in order to become that, He had to suffer.

Most people do not want to suffer. Jesus could have told them how He suffered in their place:

People despised Him

The rejected Him

He was beat and bruised for them

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter

I like to think they were listening, thinking about Jesus as the Son of God, but also as the Suffering Servant.

Maybe He took them to:

Zechariah 12:10 NKJV

10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Could it be that He explained, the crucifixion which was horrible was an act of God’s grace. Remember, they pierced Him in the side, instead of doubting Him, think about looking to Him.

Whatever passages Jesus selected, He reintroduced these two men to the Old Testament with one purpose— Jesus came to fulfill every promise and prophecy about God’s plan for humanity.

The journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus was seven miles. They could have walked together for nearly three hours. His message was simple, everything you have ever thought about God, IT WAS ME.

To them, a stranger came from behind to travel with them, to talk with them, and now He spent time teaching them… So...

4. They Trust Him

Luke 24:28-30

The finally arrived to Emmaus, and with rapt attention, they wanted this stranger to come to their home. It was already evening and it was time to eat.

Jesus did not force Himself in their home, He wanted for an invitation. When they extended it to Him, He willingly accepted.

They sat at the table for supper, hoping He would share more information. Finally, the bread came to the table. For some reason, they let the stranger take the bread.

This was not the first time He broke bread. He took it, raised it to heaven, and thanked God. Then something happened.

Luke 24:31-32

Their eyes were opened and realized this was not stranger, He was their Savior. Instantly, He vanished. Then they realized, He really is alive.

They spoke between each other, what is wrong with us, didn’t our hearts burn within us while He talked with us and taught us. Why didn’t we get it, His message was simple— IT WAS ME.

He tried to get us to see:

The Man walking the Garden in the cool of Day with Adam and Eve— It was Me

The seed of the woman— It was Me

The ram caught in the bush for Abraham— It was Me

The One that wrestled with Jacob all night— It was Me

The flame in the burning bush of Moses— It was Me

The flame of fire by night and the cloud by day— It was Me

The manna from heaven— It was Me

The commander of the Lord’s Army that met Joshua— It was Me

The still small voice that spoke to Elijah— It was Me

The fourth man in the fiery furnace— It was Me

The one who walked on water— It was Me

The one who cleansed the Temple— It was Me

The one who fed the 5000— It was Me

The one who calmed the storm— It was Me

The one who died and rose again— IT WAS ME

It hit them, He really is the resurrection and the life and on the DAY that He rose from the dead he took an entire afternoon to travel with, talk with , and teach two discouraged disciples who needed the revelation— Jesus, really is the Savior of the world.

They left Emmaus, ran back to Jerusalem to see the other disciples and tell them what happened. And by that point, Jesus had already appeared to Peter.

They then spent time sharing their experience with Jesus— the one who was dead, but now lives again!

Close:

It was Me.

The essence of Jesus’s message to the two men walking on the Emmaus Road. They had been through an earth-shattering event, one that not only shaped their generation, but every generation to follow.

The Lord, in His great love and compassion, appeared to two disciples who needed help.

Jesus helped them by showing, EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER WANTED, EVERY HOPE YOU EVER HAD, EVERY NEED YOU EVER BROUGHT TO GOD, IT WAS ME WHO HELPED YOU.

I feel somewhat like the men who walked on the Emmaus Road. For the past four or five years, I have longed to preach from this passage on Easter.

It never fully made sense to me. But over the past few weeks, as I have prayed and reflected on God’s word, I felt like Jesus walked next to me like He did them with revelation of what His word is for us.

And if I could share with each of you a message from God on this resurrection Sunday, it is this, Jesus wants each of us to know, IT WAS ME.

If we were to look back over our lives and view it all from God’s perspective, we would find, it was Jesus who got us to where we are right now.

He wants us to know:

It was me who made you

It was me who protected you

It was me who helped you

It was me who guided you

It was me who cared for you

It was me who loved you

It was me who died for you

It was me who says to you— LET ME OPEN YOUR EYES TO ALL I HAVE FOR YOUR LIFE

We never could have made it without the help of Jesus.

And today, He stands with us like He did with the two men on the Emmaus Road, just waiting for an invitation to come inside and spend time with us.

The question is, will we invite Him? Will we say, abide with us? Spend time with us Jesus?

Maybe you’re hear and you are not where you need to be with God, He is ready for your invitation.

Let’s invite Him into our lives, marriages, families, relationships, and futures.

For He shares with us today— IT WAS ME, IT IS ME, and IT WILL BE ME who will help and lead.