Faith Presbyterian Church - Birmingham
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Faith Presbyterian Church - Birmingham
Luke 14:13-35; Jesus on the Road to Emmaus
Jason Sterling April 27, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL Bulletin
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If you have a copy of God's Word, turn with me to Luke 24. So go to your New Testament. Go to the end of the Gospel of Luke. We're going to look at verses 13 and following this morning. We've been studying this year the Gospel of Luke and last week, obviously in light of Easter, we looked at the passage on the resurrection. The women go to the empty, go to the tomb. They find that the tomb is empty. They encounter angels. Then they start running to the apostles to tell them that Jesus is risen. Our passage this morning takes place on the afternoon of Easter and this passage or story is only found in the Gospel of Luke, and it's quite a story. I think you'll see what I mean as we read our passage this morning. We'll read through verse 27,. So not all of what's in your bulletin will stop at verse 27. It'll be on the screen behind me. This is God's Word.
Speaker 1: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 the 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're holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. And then one of them, named Cleopas, asked 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 mighty prophet, indeed in word before God and all the people, and how the 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.
Speaker 1:Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and when they did not find the body, they came back saying that they had seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. And 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 Jesus, o, foolish ones slow of heart to believe all 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. This is God's word. Let's pray and let's ask Holy Spirit to help us this morning. Let's pray together. Father, would you come? Some of us this morning are in really good places. Some of us are in hard places. You have us here. You have this word on this Sunday for us, and so would you apply this scripture to each and every heart, and I pray, lord, that we would see Jesus this morning and that we would leave here with the hope of the gospel in the midst of whatever we're going through. We need it, we need you. Come now and be with us In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1:Our story begins with two disciples or followers of Jesus, and they're on this way to a village called Emmaus, which is about seven miles, we learn, from Jerusalem, and one of the guys is named Cleopas and the other one is not named Scholars. Most scholars think that possibly this was his wife, if not his wife a close friend and it seems pretty obvious that they had just been in Jerusalem at Passover. And they are headed home. And they are headed home and they're disappointed and they're sad and they're stunned, and they're talking about the things that had happened in the Verse 21,. We had hoped. We had hoped and dreamed that Jesus was the one, that he was the one that was going to overthrow the Romans and we would rule and reign with him. And then this Jesus was crucified and it left them shattered, sad and stunned. This was not the way that they thought the story was going to end, and in their minds they think they've lost the story. And we all have our own versions, don't we, don't? We all have our own versions of the Emmaus Road Shattered dreams, broken dreams that have left us stunned and sad.
Speaker 1:We had hoped. We had hoped that life was going to look and turn out one way, and instead life turns out totally different. I had hoped that I was going to get into a certain school or a grad school, but I didn't, and it left me disappointed. I had hoped that I would be married by now, but I'm not. I had hoped that my family was going to look a certain way and instead it looks completely different. A young couple had hoped and dreamed of what their life would look like, and then, after 10 years, the husband walks in and says I found someone else. We had hoped. And suddenly the story and the dream seems gone. We have all said, have we not? We have hoped.
Speaker 1:And this is exactly where these two disciples find themselves in this story. And Jesus meets them in this story. And he meets us this morning in this room to give us our story back. And the question is, how does he do it? And he does it through a Bible study. He does it by taking them to a bigger story, taking us this morning to the story of the Bible.
Speaker 1:In this passage, in this Bible study that Jesus leads on the road to Emmaus, he shows us three important things about the Bible the purpose of the Bible. Secondly, the power of the Bible and the point of the Bible. I got that out of order. The power of the Bible, number one. The purpose of the Bible, number two. And lastly, the point. So the power, the purpose, the point. Let's look at those in order this morning.
Speaker 1:The power so these two disciples are walking and talking about what had happened over the last couple of days and look at verse 15. The resurrected Jesus draws near this is a wild story and starts talking with them. It's a little strange and mysterious here. Look at verse 16. For whatever reason, their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus, and so they're walking and thinking that they're talking to some random person and it's actually Jesus. In the midst of their disappointment and crushed dreams, and in the midst of your disappointment and crushed dreams, jesus is always walking with us, even when we don't see it.
Speaker 1:Verse 17 and 18,. Jesus decides to jump in on the conversation. What are you talking about? And Cleopas, I love this. He basically says are you kidding me? What are we talking about? Where have you been? Have you been hiding under a rock somewhere? Are you the only person in the world that doesn't know what has gone on in Jerusalem? Where have you been?
Speaker 1:And then look at verses 19 through 24. They go on to explain to Jesus, about Jesus, and tell them all the things that had happened in Jerusalem. And here's where I want us to get in this first point. But notice the first thing that Jesus says to them. He says to them. Look at verses 25 and 26. Oh foolish ones, slow of heart to believe all the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that Christ suffer and then enter into glory? Is that not so interesting.
Speaker 1:We actually saw this last week with the women at the tomb. When did the lights come on for the disciples and for the women at the tomb? When did the lights come on for the disciples and for the women at the tomb? It wasn't until Jesus takes them to the scriptures. It's not until then that they get it and the lights come on. Think about this just very briefly. Jesus could have disclosed himself at any moment and says hey guys, it's me. He doesn't do that. Instead, jesus pulls them to the Bible. No one in the Easter story again, we saw it last week has a clue until what is going on, until Jesus explains it to them from the Bible. Jesus meets you in your shattered hopes and dreams, not through some mystical experience, but by taking you to the Scriptures, because it's in the Scriptures that you see Jesus and you see what kind of Savior Jesus is.
Speaker 1:It reminds me of this very powerful story, one of my favorite stories. It's so strong in Luke, chapter 16, that Jesus tells about a rich man and a man named Lazarus. Lazarus dies and he goes to heaven and he's at Abraham's side. The rich man dies in this story and he is in Hades in torment. And the rich man asked Father Abraham. He says hey, father Abraham, look, I'm in torment. Please go and send someone to tell my brothers the truth so they won't have to experience this anguish. And Abraham responds Listen to this, this is so strong, listen. He says they have the Bible, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And then the rich man says no, father Abraham, but if someone rises from the dead and goes to them, then they will repent. Then they will repent. And Abraham responds. And he says if they don't hear Moses and the prophets, if they don't listen to the Bible, neither will they be convinced if someone were to rise from the dead. The point is God's Word is enough. The point is, nothing will persuade us if God's Word does not persuade us, not even a person rising from the dead. That's exactly what we see in Luke, chapter 24.
Speaker 1:Friends, this book is powerful. It is, as Hebrews 4 says, living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. And that is why pastors and churches for thousands of years have a point in the service where someone stands up, opens up the Bible and preaches the Word of God, because this is where the power is. Romans, chapter 10,. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from where the Word of God. And so what does that mean for us this morning? It means that you need to get yourself and your friends in front of the freight train of God's word as much as possible and sit back and let the Holy Spirit do his thing. It also means something for our church. We, by God's grace, are in a season of growth. We're building a new building and in the midst of all these wonderful things, let us never forget the center of this church. Let us never forget that the centerpiece to everything that we're doing here is God's Word. That is the center of it all.
Speaker 1:Christ in the Scriptures. Look at verse 32. I love this. Did not our hearts burn within us? When did their hearts start to burn within them? When the Scriptures were opened? It's the exposition of God's Word that makes people's hearts burn within them. Let us never, ever forget that. Secondly, the purpose of the Bible.
Speaker 1:Look at verses 19 through 24. They're having this conversation. Jesus asked them what they're talking about. They basically share the gospel story. They say there's this man named Jesus, he's a mighty prophet, and then the religious leaders deliver him up, condemn him to death. He's crucified. Then verse 21, but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. The word redeemed there means to liberate from slavery. In other words, what they're thinking is that we're hoping, we were hoping that Jesus was going to liberate Israel from the Romans. The Roman Empire had political control over Israel. They had a military presence in the street. They were taxing the people like crazy. They had Israel and the people under their thumb and there was nothing they could do about it.
Speaker 1:And here is Jesus. He had all these followers. He had been doing all of these miracles. He was a great teacher. He is the Messiah. He's the one who was going to come and finally overthrow the Romans. We had hoped that he was going to do this, but then he was arrested, tried and nailed to a cross.
Speaker 1:And they're confused and they're despondent and their hopes and dreams have been shattered. They thought their biggest problem was external circumstances. They thought that Jesus was someone who was going to fix all of the external circumstances in their life. And we do that with Jesus too, don't we? Jesus, give me a good grade on this test. Jesus, give me someone to marry. Jesus, give me I need a new job. Jesus, get rid of this sickness. Fix my life, fix my external circumstances. There's nothing wrong with praying for those things. We need to pray for those things. We need to pray for those things. God cares about each of those things, because God cares about the details in our life.
Speaker 1:However, one of the main purposes of the Bible is to take you deeper than external circumstances. We want to stop there. I want to stop there. I want to stop there. And the Bible wants to drive us deeper, to show us that our biggest problem is not external circumstances, but it's actually the sin inside of our hearts. You see, we think that we just need a handyman Jesus to come and knock off a couple of rough edges and fix us. And the Bible says it's much worse and deeper than that that, because of our sin, that we are spiritually dead and we don't need a handyman. We need a Savior. We need someone to rescue us.
Speaker 1:And the disciples yes, they were right. We need to be redeemed and liberated from slavery, but not from the Romans, from the penalty and the power of sin. That's what we most need. We need a Redeemer, a Savior, to save us from our sins, and that is what Jesus came to do. And how would he do that His life, death and resurrection by being a suffering Messiah, by living the life that we couldn't live and dying the death on the cross that we deserve and paying the debt that we owe. And the disciples missed, or had forgotten, the part about the suffering Messiah and they went straight to the glory. And Jesus reminds them. Look at verse 25,. You're slow to believe the prophets. Was it not necessary for Christ to suffer? Notice the order and then enter glory? Suffering comes before glory.
Speaker 1:Heard a story a couple of weeks ago about a college student that had taken some friends to church and her friend. She was not sure one of the friends was a Christian, and so after church she shares the gospel after lunch with this girl and she goes to the evangelism explosion questions, if you're familiar with those. And she asked that first question are you sure that if you were to die tonight that you would be in heaven? And this girl says yes. Then the next question is well, if you're standing before Jesus and he says why should I let you in? What would you say? Okay, and the girl responds and says I need him. I love the simplicity of that. One of the main purposes of the Bible is to show you that you need him, that our problems are much deeper than external circumstances, that we need a Savior. We need Jesus to save us. Do you see and know your ultimate need this morning?
Speaker 1:Lastly, the point of the Bible. Look at verse 27. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets prophets he interpreted to them and all the scriptures, the things concerning himself, the law and prophets, is a shorthand way of referring to the old testament. And so what Jesus is saying here is that the bible he's making it very clear and he does it in other places John 5 as well the bible is about me. Wouldn't you have loved to be a part of this Bible study?
Speaker 1:Because Jesus goes on, it says, and it basically walks them through the scriptures, showing them how it is all about him and points to him. You see, there is a way of reading the Bible wrongly that will leave you crushed and depressed rather than giving the life that it was intended to give you. And so how do we typically read the Bible wrongly? Well, you read the Bible wrongly when you make it all about you, when we make it all about us. If we read the Bible primarily, it is about us, but primarily as being about us. If that's the focus, it will crush you. But if you read the Bible as being about him and pointing to him, it will bring you life.
Speaker 1:Let's take an example. Think about David and Goliath, the story in the Old Testament. If that story of David and Goliath is about you, then the application goes something like this there are all kinds of giants in your life and God will help you slay those giants if you're obedient enough, pray enough, yield enough or whatever. That's moralism. Instead, what about this? If that story, which it is, is ultimately about Jesus, and Jesus is the greater David who comes and destroys the giants in my life, if Jesus is the one who has defeated the only real giant of Satan and sin and death on the cross, and he has risen again and he invites us in union with him, then that means that you don't have to slay the giants in your life because he already has and you are in him, so that his life is now yours. You see, that doesn't crush you, that actually frees you and gives you life. And what Jesus is doing here with these two disciples he's saying is the reason why you're confused and sad is because you've missed the big picture of the Bible. You've forgotten or missed who the Bible is about and who the hero really is. The center of the Bible, jesus, is saying and the point of the Bible is me.
Speaker 1:The Bible is not a collection of fables, it's not a book of virtues. It is a story, from beginning to end, of how God came into the world in flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ, in order to save his people from their sins. It's not a rule book. The Bible is gospel. It is an announcement of good news, good news that is deeply compelling and powerful because it points us to Jesus and what Jesus has accomplished for us. I don't know if this is your first time visiting. If you've been here forever, maybe this will be your last time here. You'll come once and that'll be it last time here. You'll come once, and that'll be it. Wherever you are this morning, I want you to have a gauge inside of you that whenever you hear the gospel or you ever hear a sermon or a podcast or someone teaching, at the end of that ask this question Was that good news? Was that good news? You see, it's real easy to stand up here and beat people up with the Bible. It's real easy to stand up here and say you better pick it up. You better do better. That's true, of course, but that's not good news. The message of the Bible is good news about what Jesus has done. I'll close with this story.
Speaker 1:I heard this story. A campus minister, friend of mine, had this student and his father had passed away when he was young. He was around eight years old, great kid, but really, really struggling because he never remembered his father saying I love you and I'm proud of you. And so, over and over this kid, this college student, would say I just want to hear my dad say it. I just want to hear my dad say it. And I can't hear it because he's gone. And the campus minister said well, have you ever talked to your mom about this? You ever told her what you're thinking? And he goes no, actually I haven't. And he said I think you should. And so he goes home for Christmas break and he tells his mom he says I wish I could just hear dad say that he loved me and that he's proud of me. And I don't remember I was so young him ever telling me this. And the mom is just floored and shocked and said your dad was proud of you and he loved you and he told you those things. And she says didn't you read the letters? He had failing health. He wrote all these letters towards the end of his life. And the student said it's been a long time, I don't really remember. And so the mom comes with these stacks of letters that the dad had written to his son and she said go read these. And so the boy goes and he starts to read these letters and at the end of every letter it said son, I love you and I'm proud of you. And the campus minister said that completely changed this kid's life. He was never the same after that moment because he had the voice of his father saying I love you and I'm proud of you, and it had been there the entire time.
Speaker 1:The Bible is not meant to be a burden to you. The Bible is not meant to beat you up. It's meant to give you life. This word is God's letter to you, his people, saying I love you and I will be with you forever, so much so that God took on flesh and came to live, die and rise. For us that is good news indeed.
Speaker 1:And so, wherever you are this morning with your shattered dreams, maybe you feel like you've lost the story, your story. Let's let Jesus take us back to the story. Let's let Jesus take us back to the Bible and get our story back, by seeing clearly who we are and showing us our need, but even more clearly reminding us that it's all about Jesus and his deep love for his people. Amen, let's pray. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the good story, this old, old story about how you have come to give us life everlasting. Would you help us this morning to believe that? I pray that you would forgive us for ignoring or being bored with this wonderful gift in the Bible that you've given us. Awaken us, use this word, whether personally, devotionally, in the day, day in and day out, but I pray that our hearts would burn within us now because of being with you, by your spirit, looking at the Bible. Would you do those things in our church and in our lives, in Jesus' name, amen.