Jesus Appears and Reveals Himself

Introduction

Good morning brothers and sisters of Lafayette Baptist Church. It is blessing to be with you today in worship and getting to serve you by sharing God’s word with you. Today’s passage is Luke 23:13-35, Luke 23:13-35. While you are turning there I want to share with that my wife and I got to attend the Together for The Gospel (T4G) conference for three days this week. T4G is a conference that is primarily targeted towards pastors and leaders in churches from multiple reformed backgrounds from around the world. As we listened to many great sermon’s, one thing stood out to me. That is, EVERY SINGLE speaker’s sermon had one thing in common, that is, the central message and crucial message was Jesus Christ and His Gospel for the Glory of God. I think that speaks volumes, as a room full of 11,000 pastors (who should all know, apply, and be able to articulate the Gospel well) found it most helpful/benefiting/refreshing to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ given to them over and over again for around 24 hours over 3 days.

In the same way, We too (all of us) need to be continually reminded of the goodness of God and His Gospel and what this implies in our lives over and over again. One thing I would like you all to know about me (and one that you will notice) is that I preach a method that would be best identified as Gospel Centered Expository. This means that I endeavor to go through the text verse by verse with few exceptions that is in line with what these pastors were so hungry for. I do not like or am I comfortable with Ted Talk like sermons or sermons that are simply the pastors’ musings over popular cultural things. Rather, I seek to know and share the full council of God; which applies to all areas of life. Now, With the idea of Gospel Centered, this means that I am looking for Jesus and His gospel in the text. This idea of Gospel centrality is important and has three implications, first that The Whole Bible is about Jesus; Second, that true change comes through Grace (and not law); third is that we find our worth through the Gospel (and not anything else).[1]If you look deep into today’s sermon will find these things. So, This is main point and title of this sermon, Jesus Appears and Reveals Himself.

The Text

Now, Let’s move into the text, Luke 23:13-35. (Practice thanks be to God) Now, if you will all please rise for the reading of God’s word. But first, let’s pray. Father, thank you for the chance to together as brothers and sisters in Christ; so we can know, grow, listen, and meditate on you and your word father. Your word is truth, and we thank you for that truth. We ask that sanctify us with it father. It’s in these thing’s we ask and in Jesus Christ’s holy name that we pray. Amen. Luke 23:13.13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 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. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 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. 24 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.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 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. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 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?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. This is the Word of the Lord (thanks be to God). Thank you, please be seated.

The Context

In this section, we find ourselves in some of the closing passages in The Gospel of Luke, and Lord Willing if I get to return again, we will finish up the Luke’s Gospel account. To this point in Luke’s Gospel, we would have seen Jesus’s ministry and His sacrifice for us on The Cross. You will remember from last week (were we covered Luke 23:50-24:12) that Jesus’s body was put in a tomb (that was provided by Joseph of Arimathea) and that after the sabbath day had passed some of the disciples came to attend to the burial needs of the Lord Jesus. However, they found that the tomb was empty and were visited by two angels who told them that Jesus was not there, but that He had risen. These disciples then went back to tell the 11 apostles what they had seen and Peter and John then ran to the tomb and found the body of Jesus of missing. Now we find ourselves where the narrative continues, this is probably a very familiar to many of you here and is often referred to as “The Road to Emmaus.” these two Disciples were leaving Jerusalem and heading back to Emmaus, which would have been around 3.5 to 7 miles from Jerusalem.[2]

The Exposition

My first point is that Jesus joins us on the roads and ways.(13-24)

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

We see here, very plainly that two disciples were leaving Jerusalem and heading to Emmaus. This disciples may have done this many times before, but, one way or another they had something quite extraordinary to discuss along their travels. You see, these two people had been following Jesus Christ, but now they were highly confused. They had it in their minds that the Christ, the Messiah was going to save their people from Roman occupation. In a sense they formed what Messiah was supposed to be into their own want and image. Now though, as far as they knew the Messiah (or so thought and want to believe) had died by the hand of Rome. “No doubt they were quoting various Old Testament prophecies and trying to remember what Jesus had taught, but they were unable to put it all together and come up with an explanation that made sense. Was He a failure or a success? Why did He have to die? Was there a future for the nation?[3]” These were troubled people. Then, Jesus came to them and walked along beside them, though they did not recognize Him. Can’t you imagine being in their place? Wondering if Christ is who He said He was? Being perplexed because what you wanted God to be, turns out to not be at all what you wanted, but instead He is working on something greater than we could imagine; working all things for our good as Romans 8 tells us He does.

17 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. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 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. 24 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.”

Here we see that Jesus asks them what they were talking about, essentially asking what was troubling them as he saw their sad demeanor and knew their thoughts. Then one of the two, Cleopas (he is the only the two named in the narrative, two strong traditions hold that the other person could have been Luke himself or even his wife Mary) speaks up. He tells Jesus of the things that were troubling him. He told Jesus about what had happened, that the Nazarene Man named Jesus, who he called a prophet mighty in power and deed) had been killed. That He was killed by chief priests, the rulers, and the Roman authorities. That he hoped that this Jesus would redeem Israel from their occupation from Rome. He was wondering how this could be, as now he was dead. He knew it, he just knew it, he was dead! To add on top of it, some of the women had amazed and astonished them all, as they said that his body was not where it was supposed to be and that they were visited by angels. Once again, can’t you see yourself there? What you desired so greatly, had seemingly been pulled away from you. Jesus though, he sees this and he patiently listens to Cleopas. He cares about what Cleopas cares about . Jesus cares about what you care about. Even though Jesus made it clear to the apostles and disciples, they still did know or understand who Jesus was; even the ones who confessed Him as Lord, like Peter in Matthew 16 where he says, ““You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yet Peter still denied Christ in His final day. Know this, Jesus hears you and He loves you.

My second point is Jesus knows and corrects our concerns and fears.(25-29)

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So we all know. God consists completely and perfectly as three entities as one being. We call this being, the God Head. This is the three, God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). So, it would be appropriate to add God and The Holy Spirit where I am saying Jesus in these major points as well. So, God knows and corrects our concerns and fears. We see in this section, with Jesus still keeping Himself hidden from the two disciples that he is teaching them what they should have already known about Himself both from His own words and the Old Testament. In this section the great Theologian and Teacher Matthew Henry says that, “A golden thread of gospel grace runs through the whole web of the Old Testament. Christ is the best expositor of Scripture; and even after his resurrection, he led people to know the mystery concerning himself, not by advancing new notions, but by showing how the Scripture was fulfilled, and turning them to the earnest study of it”.[4] We know today that the entire Bible is about Jesus, so there was no shortage of things that Jesus could have been teaching these disciples about. Some of the likely candidates are: Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[e] and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Where God tells the serpent (the devil) of the coming savior. And Isaiah 53 which reads about Him (Jesus), Get ready, this is a long one. I highly encourage you to read it with your family after service. Here it is.

Isaiah 53. Who has believed what he has heard from us?[a]And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected[b] by men, a man of sorrows[c] and acquainted with[d] grief;[e] and as one from whom men hide their faces[f he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 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 pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds 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; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living ,stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;[g] when his soul makes[h] an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see[i] and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,[j] and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,[k] because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

This would be just a few examples of what Jesus would have taught them about himself. He taught them that it was necessary that the Christ would die (as He had) and that His sacrifice would pay the price that hangs over everyone’s head because of our sin debt t God. Now, all that believe in Him, repent, and call in on Christ’s name will be saved. This was true for them, and it is true for us as well. He know your fears as well and desires to love and comfort you through them.

Luke 23 Verse 28 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 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.

After hours of walking, the end of the day has come, and it was almost nightfall. It’s important to know that it was customary for Jewish people to be hospitable to others, so the two disciples invited the still hidden Jesus to join them. How could they not, He had just taught them for hours, corrected their misunderstandings, and calmed their fears about their lost messiah. So, how do we hear the words of God that calm our doubts and fears. My brothers and sisters, the answer comes through your devotional reading in the Holy Scriptures, meditating on them, and applying them to your lives. When you have doubt or fear, hear the words of Christ (God Himself) and dig deep into the life-giving Word of God.

My Third Point is Jesus reveals Himself to us and is Lord. (30-35)

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 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?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

At the end of a tiring day, the two disciples and Jesus sat down to dinner. Here something profound happens, Jesus (still hidden) takes up the bread, blesses and breaks it and hands it to them (everything seems normal so far). Then, BOOM! It happened. The two disciples saw and understood. This was JESUS WITH US THE WHOLE TIME, HE IS HERE!!!! In an instant, Christ is gone. Then the disciples say, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” These disciples’ hearts were almost consumed as they listened to Christ expound the scriptures about himself.[5]” A mature Christian should be the same, we should never be able to hear about Christ with a cold heart. We should rejoice when He is revealed to us. Rejoice, Rejoice, I say it again Rejoice! They then went quickly back to Jerusalem, to tell the others what they had just seen. The apostle John would later go on to write about Jesus in 1 John, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—" Jesus was real to them, they have seen, heard, and touched Him.

Just like the women we read about last week, they knew, they had seen and heard Jesus. They knew they had to Go and Tell the others, that Jesus Christ had revealed Himself. This was not just a reveal of normal man though, he proved to them that He was Lord. That He was and is God. He proved that He has power over death, power over sin, power over the sin nature that we all have that separates us from God. This was true for them, it is true for us also. Jesus reveals himself to us through the ministry of the Word of God, the sharing of it, and the conviction of the God the Holy Spirit; convincing us of The Truth, which Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life and NOONE gets to the Father without HIM. Jesus reveals Himself to us and is Lord.

Closing Thoughts and Conclusion

To bring things to a close today, I want to remind you of the things we learned in this passage. That is that, Jesus joins us on the roads and ways, Jesus knows and corrects our concerns and fears, and Jesus reveals Himself to us and is Lord. So, how is this possible? How is that the person Jesus does all of these things? As you all know, Jesus Himself is God!; The second person of the Trinity. When you are in Him and surrendered to Him, He tenderly leads you. Our sin separates us from God Himself, but Jesus died for us so that we can be forgiven from sin and have the ability and command to put our sins away with the help of Him and The Holy Spirit. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that things won’t be hard, or difficult, depressing, or overencombering. It means that we are forgiven from sin through Jesus and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome any crises to the Glory of God!

Just like the apostles, Jesus appears and reveals Himself to us at our conversion and joins us through all of life’s struggles and celebrations. He knows what they are and He shows us the way. The question isn’t does God love or care about me; it should be, do I care to love and treasure God? We already know He loves and treasures us, HE DIED for us! Will we die to our own selves as Philippians 1 tells us? We need too, no we MUST as followers of Christ. If you are not yet a follower of Christ, or want to know deeper, or have hurt that seems insurmountable. I invite you, come forward during our last song or come find me after service. I would love to listen to what is on your heart. Now, let’s pray….

[1] I heard of this in my Gospel Centered Preaching class. In addition I have read it in books like: Gospel Centered Ministry by Wilson, Christ Centered Preaching by Chappel, and Preaching by Tim Keller. [2]Osborne, Grant R. Luke: Verse by Verse. Edited by Jeffrey Reimer et al., Awa Sarah, Lexham Press, 2018, p. 565. [3]Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1996, p. 278. [4]Henry, Matthew, and Thomas Scott. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary. Logos Research Systems, 1997, p. Lk 24:13. [5]Sproul, R. C. A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke. Christian Focus Publications, 1999, p. 421.