It's Heart Thing - Sent Series Week 1

Luke 24:13-35

Summary: The conditions of the heart that Jesus described on the road to Emmaus. Two men were walking on the road to Emmaus discussing all that had happened, and wishing things were different. Jesus shows up and walks and talks with them, but they aren’t aware that it is Him. He breaks bread with them and they realize it is Jesus and then He disappears and they return to the other disciples to tell them the news.

Read Luke 24:13-35

Luke 24:13–35 NLT

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.” 19 “What things?” Jesus asked. “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.” 35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.

3 different heart conditions can be seen in this story.

1. A Heart that is Sad or Broken

These men were saddened by what had happened to Jesus.

These men were certain that things were going to be different, and when things didn’t turn out the way they had anticipated, they didn’t know how to deal with the sadness/hurt/pain.

Even when speaking to Jesus, they were downcast and distraught over the hurt and disappointment.

A heart that is broken is difficult to mend, but it can be done by the power of God’s Spirit, through the work of His Son.

N. T. Wright provides helpful context for what the disciples must have been thinking when Jesus was crucified: “Nobody dreamed of saying, ‘Oh, that’s all right—he’ll be back again in a few days.’ Nor did anybody say, ‘Well, at least he’s now in heaven with God.’ They were not looking for that sort of ‘kingdom.’ After all, Jesus himself had taught them to pray that God’s kingdom would come ‘on earth as in heaven.’ What they said—and again this has the ring of first-century truth—was things like ‘We had hoped that he was the one who would redeem Israel’ (Luke 24:21), with the implication, ‘but they crucified him, so he can’t have been.’. … When Jesus was crucified, every single disciple knew what it meant: we backed the wrong horse. The game is over. Whatever their expectations, and however Jesus had been trying to redefine those expectations, as far as they were concerned hope had crumbled into ashes. They knew they were lucky to escape with their own lives”

Hurt and pain that we feel is not wrong and does not make us a bad person. We must learn to expose the hurt to the Lord to allow healing to come.

2. A Heart that is Slow to Believe

Jesus calls these men slow of heart, because they had heard the Word of God over and over and had yet to believe it.

How is it that some hearts are so hardened or slow to believe that the truth doesn’t penetrate regardless of how many times that truth is revealed or spoken?

Usually, the biggest obstacle to believing is our denial or our stubbornness in refusing to believe.

It is time that we allow God to replace our hearts of stone, with a heart of flesh that is tender and open to Him and His Word.

3. A Heart that Burns

The men talked of how their hearts burned with passion as Jesus had spoken to them.

It is the desire of God for our hearts to burn with a passion for Him and for His Word.

Those who have a heart that burns for God with passion, need not allow circumstances of life or the input of people to put out that fire.

There are times in our lives when we need Christ to come and speak to us so that the fire in our hearts will be stoked and will grow.

“When the stranger (as in the Lord’s Supper) takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and begins to distribute it, their eyes are opened. They recognize that the stranger is Jesus, and his teachings concerning the divine necessity of the passion are confirmed. Jesus then disappears (24:28–32). The final part involves the return of the two disciples to Jerusalem, where they are informed that the Lord has risen and appeared to Simon (24:33–35). In turn they share their experience of the risen Christ and how he was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread”

When your heart burns, you cannot help but share.

Luke 6:45 NLT

45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

According to Business Insider, 94 percent of the world’s population recognizes the Coca-Cola label. Clearly people have shared their love for Coke products around the world. Can the same be said of Christians who love Jesus?

Closing: Which is your heart? How does that make you feel? Are you ready to change?