The Road to Emmaus
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Intro
Everybody close your eyes...real tight. Put your hand over your eyes....so no light can be seen. That’s not much fun...is it?
What if it was that way for you 24 hours a day? Susan Lansing was a beautiful young girl. She had been blind since birth.
She had never looked upon things we all take for granted: colors and shapes and beauty of every kind.
And...there seemed no prospects that Susan would ever get to see the world around her. She seemed to be in a hopeless situation.
Her story reminds me of the two men Jesus met on Easter Sunday. He met these 2 men on the road to Emmaus.
Now...These men weren’t following seeing eye dogs, They weren’t fumbling around with dark glasses and a white cane.
These men could see.
But as we read the story in the Gospel...
you would think that they were blind. Let’s read it in the book of Luke
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up 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 happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even 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 him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
When Jesus walked with them, they did not recognize Him.
However, when Jesus walked with them it was more than a stroll from one place to another. It was a spiritual journey that resulted in changed lives. Little did these men know that the One who walked with them would change their lives forever. And...That’s the way it still is!
When we actually walk with Jesus...things change. When Jesus is your companion things never stay they same. There are always major alterations.
When we meet Jesus: He Meets Us In Our Blindness:
When we meet Jesus: He Meets Us In Our Blindness:
Verse 16:
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
What was it that prevented them recognizing Jesus?
Was it their sorrow?
Were they so focused on their shattered hopes that they couldn’t see?
Were their eyes tear blinded?
Was it their fear and anxiety?
Were their minds just a fuzz and confusion?
Was it some divine intervention that closed their eyes for God’s own purposes?
Was it they simply did not expect to see Him?
They thought that He was dead and buried. These two had allowed themselves even given the reports of Jesus rise, to be focused on the situation as they saw it.
In Verse 25 Jesus called them "foolish" and "slow of heart to believe."
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Their eyes were blinded
2 Corinthians 4:3-4. says,
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Whatever it was, they didn’t recognize Jesus. They thought He was a stranger.
Sometimes we, too, are blinded. We fail to notice His presence with us:
When life comes crashing in...we think we’re all alone.
We can’t see any hope when life gets tough...All we can see is the misery and the gloom.
We can’t see the way ahead...because of our sorrow or fear.
We can’t see things ever being right or good or happy again.
Cleopas and his friend represent all those · who have lost sight of Jesus. They represent each of us whose eyes are blinded
by sin or fear or doubt or dismay.
But as they spent more time with Jesus their eyes were opened. And they saw Him for Who He truly is. And so can we.
Susan Lansing was born blind. But when she was 12 years old… a new type of surgery was developed. If this operation was successful, Susan would receive the gift of sight. Her parents took Susan to Chicago. The surgery was performed. But the outcome would not be known for several days. Time passed slowly. And after the bandages were removed her eyes had to be protected from the light. So she sat in darkness waiting. Her mother spent long hours trying to answer Susans questions about what things looked like. They spent many hours talking about beautiful things she might see: flowers, and rainbows and sunsets. For the very first time in her life… Susan Lansing had a tiny ray of hope that she might be able to see.
As the disciples walked with Jesus, He spoke with them. And somewhere deep within them, a spark of hope which after Jesus died
had seemed to grow cold now began to glow again. That’s how it is with Jesus is your companion.
When we meet Jesus: He Walks With Us in Our Hopelessness:
When we meet Jesus: He Walks With Us in Our Hopelessness:
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 happened.
Notice their past-tense hope: "But we TRUSTED...we were hoping ..." "We gave that hope up; “We used to hope... but not any more."
Proverbs 13:12 says:
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Their hopes had been deferred.
· Their plans had been shattered.
· They were very discouraged and depressed.
WHY?
Because they looked at the circumstance rather than the power of God. They forgot the promise of Jesus that after being slain He would rise again. Maybe they remembered, but in light of the circumstances in their livesd it was easier to focus on the world rathe rthan the enormity of God’s Promise.
These men whose hope was gone represent each of us when our heart is heavy with gloom and when our hope has withered. But when Jesus revealed Himself to them, their hope was revived.
And what did they do? They ran to tell others.
Well, Susan Lansing had her surgery. Finally the moment came when her eyes could endure enough light for her to look out the window. She stood there for a long time without saying a word. Outside the spring day was ideal. Bright and warm with fluffy white clouds garnishing the blue sky. Apple tree blossoms falling to the ground made it look like snow had fallen. Sunny yellow dandelions were sprinkled through the green grass. Susan stood there, taking in every color, viewing every shape, relishing every scene.
Her heart thrilled as the world changed for her at the joy of sight.
These 2 men got a taste of that sort of joy when they realized who this stranger was who walked with them.
When we meet Jesus: He Takes Us from Cold to Burning:
When we meet Jesus: He Takes Us from Cold to Burning:
When we Meet Jesus He changes that which is within us from cold and dead to burning with the fire of God
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
What does that mean that their hearts burned?
It doesn’t mean they ate too much chili.
It doesn’t mean they needed Tagamet or Rolaids.
Their hearts burned with gladness and joy which totally displaced their sorrow. They burned with excitement which crushed their apathy. They burned with a revived faith & hope.. . in place of doubt.
They burned with the awareness of resurrection which replaced the gloom of the tomb. This was a case of Heavenly Heartburn. Their hearts were re-ignited.
Romans 1:4 says this about Jesus Christ our Lord
and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
1 Corinthians says
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When these 2 men realized that Jesus was alive, their hearts burned. Cleopas and his friend represent all of us whose hearts have been touched by the Master’s Hand.
· As Spring re-awakens the slumbering flowers,
the Lord can bring back the fervor in every heart.
Lives grown dim can glow again!
Hearts grown cold can be rekindled!
Spirits grown weary can be refreshed.
Well....Susan Lansing’s heart burned within her. Susan stood there for a moment...not saying a word. Mrs. Lansing felt Susan’s grip on her hand grow firm. When Mrs. Lansing looked at her daughter she saw that tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Oh Mother. Why didn’t you tell me it would be so beautiful?"
It must be experienced.
As these 2 disciples fellowshipped with and listened to Jesus, their eyes were opened. And they experienced the beauty of the Risen Lord.
They went from blindness to sight; from despair to hope; from coldness to hearts aflame.
Then, just like all others who truly believe, they went to share the good news with their friends.
The good news today is that just as Jesus walked with the 2 on the Road to Emmaus,
He will walk with us.
He will walk with you through your grief and sorrow;
He will walk with you through your failure and discouragement;
He will walk with you through your worry and anxiety;
He will walk with you through your sickness and pain and even through the valley of the shadow of death.
He will walk with you...
if you will walk with Him.
Altar Call