I. THE SCENE IS RESURRECTION SUNDAY.
A. We are looking at two disciples of Jesus, Cleopas and one who remains unnamed.
1. They had been in Jerusalem and no doubt witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus.
2. They were with the group of disciples who received the news from the women that the tomb of Jesus was empty and that Angels had appeared to the women and told them that Jesus was alive.
B. When we are first introduced to them they are walking together on to road to Emmaus which is a little over 6 miles from Jerusalem.
1. They are obviously very sad as they are talking to each other.
2. Jesus joined with them as they walked, though they did not know that it was Jesus and He asked them why they seemed so sad as they were walking and talking together.
3. This is interesting to Me, for it would seem that Jesus spent most of the afternoon with them even though they were not Apostles. Just plain disciples.
a. With Jesus, there are not any just plain people.
b. We are all equally important to Him.
c. The time He spends with you, to Him, is just as important as the time He spends with Billy Graham.
d. After His resurrection we know that there was a brief appearance to Mary Magdalene, then to the women. We know that He also appeared sometime during the morning hours to Peter, how and what the circumstances were we do not know. I believe that He was comforting Peter concerning Peter's failure in denying Him.
e. Then most of the day He spent with these two men on the road to Emmaus.
f. Why do you suppose this was so?
g. Do you think that He might have done it just to show you how important you are to Him?
C. In response to the question of Jesus, they began to tell Him about Himself, and their view of Him.
1. Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know about the things that happened there in the last few days?
2. Jesus questioned, "What things?"
3. Jesus was great for drawing people out, letting them expose their hearts. It is not that He doesn't know, but many times we are benefitted just by expressing our feelings.
4. We many times do not know what is in our own hearts until we try to express it.
5. The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth.
6. What were the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth?
a. A prophet mighty in deeds and words before God and all the people.
b. The chief priests and the rulers delivered Him to be condemned and crucified.
c. They had trusted that He would be the One who would have redeemed Israel.
7. Their hopes were dashed because this was the third day since the crucifixion.
a. Even the stories of the ladies and their seeing angels did not rekindle their hope.
b. Their own viewing of the empty tomb did not change them.
D. Jesus had given them the opportunity to express themselves, what they thought about the things that had happened, now He is going to tell them what the scriptures had to say about the things that happened to Him.
1. He chided them for their slowness of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
a. They believed part of the prophecies concerning the Messiah. The part that spoke of His glorious reign over the earth that would no longer be plagued with wars, and sicknesses.
b. There was much more spoken concerning the Messiah.
2. Jesus then began with Moses, and through all the prophets He expounded the things concerning Himself.
a. In Genesis God declared that the serpent would bruise the heel of the woman's seed.
b. In Genesis Abraham prophesied that God would provide Himself a sacrifice, in the mount of the Lord it would be seen.
c. In Exodus the blood of the lamb was to be placed over the door that the household might escape the sentence of death. If sprinkled on lintel and two side posts it was in the shape of a cross.
d. All of the sacrifices in Leviticus were a foreshadowing of His once and for all sacrifice.
e. In the Psalms, He was the Stone that was set of naught by the builders.
f. In
Psalm 22 the Messiah is poured out like water, all His bones are out of joint, they pierced His hands and His feet, and cast lots for His vesture.
g. In
Isaiah 50 He would give His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to those who would pluck out His beard.
h. In
Isaiah 52 His face would be so marred they would not recognize Him as a man.
i. In
Isaiah 53 He would be wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities, and by His stripes we would be healed. He would pour out His soul unto death, and be numbered with the transgressors in His death.
j. Daniel declared that the Messiah who would come 483 years after the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem would be cut off and receive nothing for Himself. (That is, He would not receive the kingdom.)
k. Zechariah declared that He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
3. Oh how I wish that Cleopas had written a gospel and just shared with us the exposition of the scriptures by Jesus. One of the mysteries I have is why God did not see fit to record for us this exposition of scriptures by Jesus.
II. THEIR ARRIVAL AT EMMAUS.
A. Can you imagine Jesus spending this much time with two discouraged disciples, expounding the scriptures for their benefit only for the exposition was never shared with us?
1. How many times has He come and shared His word with my own Spirit, but usually it is that I might share it with others.
2. However there are those beautiful moments of personal instruction, where He spends volumes of time just for my benefit as He opens the scriptures to me.
B. As they arrive at Emmaus the evening is drawing on, and the day is far spent, so they constrained Jesus to stay with them. And as He broke the bread, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus.
1. Perhaps they saw the prints of the nails in His hands, and for the first time really looked at Him closely.
2. Perhaps the scriptures that He shared with them finally sank in, He had revealed the scriptures to them, and the scriptures had revealed unto them Jesus.
C. There afterthoughts of their encounter with Jesus. "Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked with us along the say, and as He opened the scriptures to us?"
1. The prophet Jeremiah had spoken about the scriptures burning in his heart.
JER 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].
2. How long has it been since you have felt your heart warmed by the word of God, in your own private time with Him, where He began to open up His word to you?
3. The thing that these disciples had lost when they watched Jesus die on the cross was the hope for the Kingdom, the fire had gone out, the passion.
4. This was restored through His opening of the scriptures to them.
a. I note that the fire was not rekindled by their talking to Him or talking about Him, but when He began to talk to them.
b. With some of you the fire has perhaps gone out. The passion that you once had for Jesus has waned. You have left your first love.
c. Oh how He longs to visit and spend time with you today. Get into His word, let Him expound it to you. Let the Spirit blow upon the embers and rekindle the flame.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
