Jesus Leads a Bible Study-2

Each week we deal with news, including bad news and good news.

The good news this week is that our granddaughter Abigail made a dramatic turn around in her breathing, and improved to the point that she was able to travel home to Blairsville this past Friday.

To God be the glory, great things HE has done in response to prayers on Abby’s behalf all across the southern US!

And then I read yesterday that one of the 2 co-founders of the satanic church in South Africa has very recently had an encounter with Jesus and abandoned the satanists.

He released a video this past week detailing what happened.

That’s good news!

I’m sure that many of YOU have good news.

In fact, that is how we will lead into prayer tonight, with a few of you telling the Good News of something the Lord has done for you.

Be praying about what, if anything, the Lord would have you share after our time of worship — if not tonight, then on another Sunday night.

There was, unfortunately, also a lot of bad news.

From the terrible mass murder event at the 4th of July parade in Highland Park, IL

to Brother Barry Wagner telling me Wednesday that Russia and Ukraine are making it harder, if not impossible, for Jews to escape to Israel

to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe being assassinated

to the latest Gallup Poll released on Friday that, as they say, …

“… a declining proportion of the overall American population — now 20% (the lowest since they have been measuring it!) — believes the Bible is literally true, word for word. About half believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, but not everything in it should be taken literally, while almost three in 10 say the Bible is an ancient book of fables and history.”

Now I have to admit, after looking at Gallup’s question to the people it called for this survey, I guess I would end up in the 47% who believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God but that not everything should be taken literally.

Gallup: Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your views about the Bible -- the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word, the Bible is the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, or the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man?

The reality is that not everything in the Bible is intended to be taken literally. For instance:

Take: the woman of Song of Solomon:

Song of Solomon 4:1–4 (NASB95) “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. 2 “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young. 3 “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil. 4 “Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with rows of stones On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields of the mighty men.

Do you think Jesus was saying to literally tear out your eye or cut off your hand in:

Matthew 5:29–30 (NASB95) “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

When Jesus said in Matthew 6:22 (NASB95)“The eye is the lamp of the body…

It does not make sense to think of the eye as a literal lamp.

So we realize that Jesus is using figurative language.

There are a lot of places the Bible should not be taken literally, for instance in dreams and vision, in poetry, in parables.

But that does NOT include the seemingly impossible things.

We must take as literal things like:

The creation of the universe in 6 24 hour days

The great flood and Noah’s ark

The tower of Babel

The sun being turned back

Jonah being swallowed by a great fish

Jesus being born of a virgin or Him rising from the dead

The commands that God gives us for living in right relationship with Him

With the context of a scripture passage and a correct understanding of the Bible, we know what is intended to be taken literal and what is intended to be taken figuratively.

The normal rule is to ALWAYS start with taking the Bible literally.

An AG course, Introduction to Hermeneutics, says: Rule one of interpreting the Bible is:

When the plain, literal message of the Bible makes sense, seek no other sense (Henrichsen 1981, 49–50). In other words, always try first to interpret a verse in a plain, direct, literal way. If this first method makes sense, accept the verse as plain and direct. Do not search for symbols and hidden meanings.

If you have questions about how to correctly understand the Bible, maybe this Berean course would be a good place to start.

Get with me.

But when it comes to Jesus, HE held a very high view of scripture!

He said in: Matthew 5:17–18 (NASB95) “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

We also see it in our text this morning:

Text: Luke 24:25-27

BUT, we will be looking at Luke 24:13-35

Jesus used the scriptures to explain the purpose of His suffering — our salvation!

Jesus in All The Bible

For ourselves and FOR THE SAKE OF THE LOST, we need to see Jesus in ALL the scriptures (vs. 27).

This Bible is not just history it is HIS story

Jesus didn’t just appear on the scene 2000 years ago.

His coming was foretold and for that matter highly anticipated.

But the Jews had a flawed understanding of the prophecies of Messiah

They saw only what the wanted to see.

They definitely didn’t see what Jesus spoke of in verse 26 - a suffering Savior.

They wanted Someone to put them at the top of the heap of nations — they wanted a Messiah who would make them number one.

They couldn’t seem to see anything else.

Eric Robinson writing in his book: Jesus in the Shadows: Seeing Jesus in the Bible's most well-known Old Testament stories reminds us:

… [that] the Author of the bible, in its entirety, is the Holy Spirit.

Men such as Daniel were moved by the Holy Spirit to write in a way that put God’s points in the right places.

Yet these authors often did not have a full understanding of their own writing (II Peter 1:20-21).

But … our biblical understanding is based on the fact that what Luke wrote in Luke 24:27, 44-47 is completely and totally true and that “all the Scriptures” are about Jesus.

For the sake of the lost, we need to be like Phillip who met a man who was reading Isaiah.

Acts 8:35 (NASB95) Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from THIS Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

If Philip could do that, so should we!

We recognize this means that no Old Testament author could have understood the full meaning of what he wrote.

The authors of the [Bible] were able to make connections to the circumstances they were experiencing in their time, but the full meaning—the one that pointed so clearly to Jesus as the coming, suffering Messiah—was hidden from them.

But here in our text we see how Jesus “connects the dots” for these 2 travelers to Emmaus AND FOR US.

Since the Holy Spirit moved upon Luke to make sure we know about this whole event.

So, once again let’s let our text take us back to the hours following the resurrection event.

To 2 disciples on their way to Emmaus when they encountered a seemingly ignorant stranger (who WE know was Jesus).

This “stranger” asked them to tell him what happened in Jerusalem.

He did so to get these 2 to reveal their heart.

Jesus must have thought it tremendously ironic as He listens to these 2 speak of the events He Himself had just experienced.

Hearing events told through the lens of disciples who weren’t listening as close as they should have.

Events seen, again, through the desires of the oppressed and conquered Jews

You hear them tell their version in vs.19-24:

They see Jesus as “the Nazarene” not the Son of God

They see Him as A prophet — one of many, NOT THE Prophet and Priest and King.

Yes, He was mighty in deed and word

But the chief priests and rulers (including the scoundrel Herod - Luke 23:6-12) (Luke 23:13) gave Jesus to the “sentence of death”

They crucified Him

We were hoping He would “redeem” Israel — they couldn’t see beyond political realities into the more important spiritual realm

But now He is dead, crucified by the very empire we hoped He would overthrow.

They couldn’t see the spiritual redemption that Jesus gave them through His suffering.

And, yeah, this is the 3rd day since His Crucifixion

Women have told us could not find the body

That they saw a vision of angels who saw He was alive

But really, can you believe women?

Obviously Jesus thought them to be dependable witnesses

They couldn’t even believe Peter and John whose testimony confirmed at least some aspects of what the women said they saw

2 weeks ago, we heard Jesus’ response in vs. 25:

You have got it all wrong because you are spiritually slow

Because you don’t want to believe the prophets

Was it not necessary?

Jesus’ Bible Study

Jesus has heard their flawed understanding of the prophecies concerning Messiah.

So, now Jesus tells them the way it REALLY is.

Jesus then opens their understanding to prophecies they had known from childhood.

As He explains once again — I’m sure he had told His disciples these things multiple times.

But, as they heard it one more time, suddenly it becomes strikingly clear.

The story of Jesus is everywhere in the Bible.

Jesus said in John 5:39 (NASB95) “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

Let’s see Jesus through out the Bible!

Before the disciples recognize Jesus as being risen from the dead, something very powerful and “interpretive” happens to them.

Jesus asks the disciples what they have been talking about as they walked along.

One of them responds in a way that says it seems almost crazy that someone wouldn’t know about the topic of discussion since it is the major event of the past week.

Then the man quickly gives Jesus the highlights of the past few days (again, how ironic!), culminating in the empty tomb.

The two men are obviously perplexed at this entire turn of events.

Jesus’ first words in response to these men after hearing their account of the executed would-be-Messiah are:

“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).

Now wait just a second.

Let’s read that a few times just to let it sink in.

The men are in a very disheartened state.

They have been witness to events that led to the death—the death, mind you—of the man they assumed, according to all signs of power and spoken word, to be the Messiah sent from God who would change the fortunes of Israel for all time.

Now they are called foolish by this stranger on the road because, as he is insinuating, they don’t understand the Word of God they have been reading and listening to in the synagogues their entire lives.

This man is saying that if they DID understand it, they would not be so dismayed because it would be clear to them that the Messiah had to experience this kind of terrible suffering and death before the glorious future could ever come to pass.

In the next verse, Jesus, still incognito, launches into what must have been one of the best Bible studies of all time.

Luke says, specifically: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

Wow! Are you kidding?! How great must it have been to hear from Jesus, Himself, how the story of His life, suffering, and death are told clearly throughout all the Scriptures?! This must have been an incredible and glorious few hours on the road.

What Scriptures Are We Talking About?

Luke says first that Jesus began with “Moses.”

This was a way of saying He started with the books that were written by Moses—the Torah, or what we know as the first five books of Scripture.

Then Jesus continued with “all the Prophets.”

These books include more than what we refer to as the prophetic books in our Old Testament, but they are all books that are part of our Old Testament Scriptures.

And, as if we might not be sure that everything was covered in this exhaustive expository lesson, Luke finishes the sentence by saying that “all the Scriptures” were included in Jesus’ self-revelation.

Too often we read over this part of Scripture without actually letting what Luke is saying sink in.

Luke is telling us that Jesus used the Old Testament to show them why it was obvious (yes, obvious—remember, He called them “foolish” for not understanding) that the Messiah would have to suffer as they had themselves witnessed, before He would enter into His glorious messianic reign.

In just a short time, these two disciples will recognize Him and will speak to each other about how this teaching caused their “hearts to burn” within them, having the Scriptures opened to them in this way (24:32).

A Suffering Savior

Jesus could have used any number of OT prophecies, but let’s consider just a few.

First. from Genesis we read:

Genesis 3:14–15 (NASB95) The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise [bruise? the Hebrew hints it is more like crush!] you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Yes, we see ultimate victory over the devil, but not until the “serpent” has “Bruised Him on the heel”

The devil afflicted Jesus during Jesus’ time on earth — no doubt thinking he had triumphed when he moved wicked men to crucify Jesus — but that Crucifixion, as horrible as it was, was just Jesus’ heel being bruised.

But that is not the only prophecy of suffering for Messiah:

The birth of Messiah was surely suffering for the One who spoke everything into existence:

Born of a virgin:

Isaiah 7:14 (NASB95) “… the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Born in an insignificant town:

Micah 5:2 (NASB95) “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Forced to flee to Egypt as a refugee:

Hosea 11:1 (NASB95) When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.

We can’t imagine being a refugee!

Like the 6.6 million Ukrainians who have fled their country to find safety.

Jesus then lived among humanity, subject for many years to human parents and other human teachers, yet He accomplished the will of His Father revealed:

When He stood in the synagogue and read Isaiah 61:1–2 (NASB95) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD …

He suffered much as He taught God’s word.

He was mocked and jeered.

People wanted to throw Him over a cliff.

He suffered hunger and thirst, weather, sleeping outside under the stars

As He traveled all around Israel, ON FOOT.

As He travelled in little fishing boats that

He constantly ministered to the sick, the broken, the leprous, the downtrodden.

Finally, His ministry at an end, He was delivered up to evil doers who would lie about Him:

Psalm 27:12 (NASB95) Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.

Then He would be crucified in a horrible manner:

Made a public spectacle in His death Psalm 22:12–18 (NASB95) Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.

Because of OUR sin, Forsaken by His Father Psalm 22:1–2 (NASB95) My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. 2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest.

Finally, in the agony of death uttering the words foreordained centuries before in:

Psalm 31:5 (NASB95) Into Your hand I commit my spirit; …

He Suffered For Us

Hebrews 2:9–10 (NLT) What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

2 weeks ago I reminded us of what Isaiah prophesied about Jesus in Isaiah 52-53:

His suffering happening on OUR behalf, to as we just read in Hebrews, “bring many children into glory.”:

Isaiah 53:4–6 (NASB95) Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

For these 2 travelers, the Holy Spirit broke through when Jesus broke the bread at their meal.

vs. 30-31

We don’t know for sure, but maybe everything finally came together as they remembered the words that caused many to stop following Him:

John 6:53–58 (NASB95) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

What about you?

Has the Holy Spirit broken through the spiritual darkness to illuminate your understanding?

Jesus suffered for me and for you — bearing OUR sins!

He loved us so much that He stretched out His hands saying:

Psalm 103:12 (NASB95) As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Those hands were nailed into place declaring the forgiveness of our sins.

Worship team, please come.

Have you relied upon His sacrifice for your salvation?

Have you repented, turned from your sins and, by faith, received forgiveness of those sins?

Have you surrendered control of your life to Him?

If not I invite you to come for the first time and pray in that Great name.

Believe in that Great Name.

Maybe you did once before, but you need to rededicate your life.

As we sing, I invite you to come as well.