The Road to Emmaus

Auto-generated from the audio — may contain errors.

0:00 So we're in the third week of Advent, this four week season of preparation leading up to the celebration of the incarnation at Christmas. We're going to do that. We're going to gather together on Christmas Eve at 7 in the evening if you want to celebrate that incarnation with us. We'll be here. The church has, for a long time, used these first four weeks of the church year at Advent,

0:31 these four weeks leading up to Christmas, as a period to prepare ourselves to look at how ready we are for the one who came at Christmas to come again. And that's why they have designated the color purple in the church. The color purples this color of like penitence and introspection. And so the encouragement from the church is to use the four weeks leading up to Christmas

1:03 to look at how ready you are for Christ to return. So we've been doing that together. We've been looking at these stories about Jesus in his resurrected body before he ascends. He's a reminder that the same fate awaits all of us, that there is life beyond the grave, that there is a flesh that will endure beyond the grave. So we looked first at this story where he appears to, he joins his disciples in the upper room,

1:40 his closest friends in the upper room. In his evidence that it's actually him, he shows them the marks of the cross, the nail marks in his hands and the spear mark in his side. And we talked about how the marks of the cross endure in the body of Jesus on the other side of the grave. There's a lot of things we could learn from that, but one of the things that we learned is that part of who we're becoming today will be who we are forever.

2:11 That you are encountering challenges now that will shape who you will be forever. That the person you're becoming today, there are aspects of the person you're becoming today that you will be in your resurrected body forever. So we just wrote down things that we're working on that will endure. And then last week we looked at this story where Jesus surprises his closest friends on the beach when they're fishing.

2:42 And it's fun because he plays with them, he doesn't tell them that it's him. And he tells them to go fish, drop their nets on the other side. And the coolest part about that is that he surprises them with breakfast that he made for them. He sets up a campfire on the beach and he goes to get bread and then he gets them to get some fish so they have some fish and they share a breakfast, a morning breakfast with Jesus on the beach and we talked about how personal and heartfelt, even authentic,

3:13 the love of Jesus is. And from that we learned that Jesus' love for you is authentic and real, that he knows you and is preparing a future designed specifically for you. So last week we wrote down ways that we are reminded that God's love for us is real and authentic. And this week as we think about the week of joy, we're encouraged to look at joy, I

3:44 want to start back a little bit in the story. In John's account of the gospel, if you'll look there with me, John is in the New Testament, he's one of the four accounts of the life of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and then it goes Acts, Romans 1 and 2 Corinthians. So we want to find John's account of the gospel. And I'd love for us to look at chapter 11 of John's account. John records some stories that the other three guys don't record and that could be for a

4:17 lot of reasons. One of them is that John, we're pretty sure John wrote his gospel several years after Luke and Matthew and even Mark's gospel. We're pretty sure John wrote his account of Jesus. So he's writing in different contexts and the perceptions of who Jesus is at the time that John is writing his gospel have changed and evolved. So he includes some stories that the other guys don't include in order to demonstrate some different things about who Jesus is.

4:49 And so this story of Jesus' friend in chapter 11, John has for us and it's kind of lengthy. And you may have heard it before, but we're not going to read through the whole thing. I just want to call your attention to a couple points. Jesus is with his closest friends, his disciples, the ones who have left everything to follow him and try and learn how he understands the way of God and follow in that. So they could be little emblems of him in the world, disciples, but like people who carry

5:19 on the tradition and way of Jesus. He's with them and he hears, it says, now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed Lord. He's saying that a friend of theirs, they find out that Lazarus is sick. And look down at verse five. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. And so when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

5:50 And he said to the disciples, hey, let's go back to Judea again. And I love the disciples response. Jesus says, hey, Lazarus is sick. He's one of our friends. Let's go back and see him. I can't wait any longer. Let's go back and see him. He's sick. And the disciples, the guys who have left everything to try and be like him, are like, amen, that's a bad idea. You know they want to kill you in Judea. We know they want, they're looking for an excuse and an opportunity to stone you to

6:22 death. Why would we go back there? Then he said to these disciples, let's go to Judea again. And verse eight, the disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you. Are you going to go there again? Jesus answers in this cryptic way that we don't have time to understand. But he's like, calm down. We're going. Right. The point is he doesn't deny that the Judeans are trying to kill them. He affirms that they're trying to kill them. He's like, yeah, they're trying to kill me.

6:54 But Lazarus is our buddy. So we're going. Right. And then look at God bless the disciples. Look down at, oh, verse 14, then Jesus tells them plainly, hey, guys, Lazarus has died. And for your sake, I'm glad I was not there so you may believe, but let us go to him. So Thomas called the twin said to his fellow disciples, let's go that we may die with him. They're like, they're going to kill Jesus when he gets back there. What's left for us if they kill him?

7:26 Let's go. We'll all die together. What? I don't know exactly what the disciples are thinking in that moment. Let's go. We'll die with him. If Jesus, I don't know if they're sure of the life to come.

7:56 I don't know if they're sad about a life without him, but there is some extreme emotion. They feel deeply a certain sort of way about the person of Jesus. And I think one of the great dangers of the world that you and I are living in, and I'm becoming more and more acquainted with it, is that we feel less and less and less. Have you ever felt such conviction that you could say, I'll go there, though they'll kill

8:32 me anyway? I'll do this thing, though it means the end. This thing is so right, it is more right than the life that I am living. They feel some kind of way. I'm not saying that we ought to be in that same place. I'm just saying they feel very deeply, and I want to challenge you to remind yourself of a time when you felt that deeply about something. When was the time when you fell deeply in love? What did you feel in that moment?

9:04 When was the time when you felt at deep peace? The way of Jesus is a place of deep emotion, feeling, and the danger for the world that we're living in is that we are numb most of the time. We are entertained and distracted, and when we're not entertained and distracted, we are obligated. We vacillate between obligation and entertainment, and don't stop enough to feel.

9:40 I love this idea that the disciples know Jesus is going to a place to be there, and they're like, well, let's just go and we'll die with him. It's worth it. We're going to go on. There's more emotion yet in this story. Jesus comes, he's kind of late. He has an interesting interaction with Martha, and Martha says, look down at verse 34, or 24, sorry, 24. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.

10:14 There is a deep understanding already in the first century at the time of Jesus that at the last day, whatever that means, we'll all get up out of the grave again. This has been core to our people from the beginning that on the last day, we get up out of the grave again. Martha says, Jesus, I know that he'll come up out of the grave at the last day, and he says, hey, there's more.

10:45 Now look down at verse 28. When she said this, she went and called her sister Mary saying in private, the teacher's here, he's calling for you. And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him, and now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but it was a place in Jesus. It was cold and so old here. Go down. Verse 32. Oh, now when Mary came to Jesus, came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if he had, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

11:18 And when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved into his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, where have you laid him? And he said, Lord, come and see. And right there, Jesus sweeps. He knows what's coming next, right? He knows it's going to call the dude out of the grave. But there's something in the moment where he sees his friends, they can't control their

11:52 emotion, they feel so deeply lost and sadness, they feel so deeply despair. They believe that there is a portion of things that has ended and his heart is broken. And he sees the people around him, his heart is broken. And when he says, where have you laid him, I think that he cries just at that moment because he realized how lifeless Lazarus is that they had to pick him up and lay him somewhere. Dead all the way dead. And Jesus feels in that moment, right?

12:24 And this is the heartbreak of Christmas because God went through the trouble of incarnating actually in the flesh because he was actually born in a manger because he lived here in this place walking on these earth in the feet like a, because he lived here, that means he'll die. Like there is a sadness in Christmas.

13:00 Because he lived here, it means he will die. And I think Jesus is very acquainted right at the moment when he asks them, where did you lay the body of just how broken this world is. And he gets like a sensory experience of the pain of death and everything that it means for me and you.

13:38 So look to the right. And Luke. Luke is a count. Remember we talked about Luke's count where we were pretty sure that he got most of his stories from Mary, the mother of Jesus. So he has some fun stories right after the resurrection that not everyone else includes. You know, Mary was so integral there. Most of his friends couldn't stand to be at the foot of the cross but his mom wouldn't leave him. She watched him there. And then when they laid him in the tomb, then she was one of the first ones to come back

14:11 as soon as they could come back after the Sabbath as soon as it was appropriate to do so she was there. So she was one of the first three women there to discover that Jesus had risen. And this story in Luke chapter 24, if you can look there with me, it's a great story and I want to call our attention to a particular aspect of it that's fitting for the joy week of Advent. Jesus has messed him up at the grave.

14:45 They go to the garden of Eremathea or the tomb of Joseph of Eremathea through a garden. It's worth saying that Joseph has a brand new tomb which is like kind of, he's pretty well off. Let's say that. To have your own tomb means you go to the rich part of town, right? Where we could roll a stone, you could have a special space to lay where your family could come to visit you. Jesus wouldn't have had the money to buy it himself but Joseph says you can lay him in

15:19 my place. I don't know if he just figured that he'd leave Jesus there and he'd find another place or by the time he was ready to die they could move Jesus out of the way or something and he could use it then. But suffice to say that Mary growing up in Nazareth and the disciples growing up in Capernaum, small, backwards fishing places, right? They are not used to that. When they go to that tomb it is nice, man. They are walking to the wealthy side of town. And it is early in the morning and when they find that Jesus is not there and the angel

15:51 comes and talks to him, I mean mind blown. Intense emotion, right? And what I love is the very next thing. Jesus goes and messes him up at the tomb, right? And then they're all kind of discombobulated. They don't know what to do. In this next story, Luke 24 verse 13, on the very day, that very day it says, to them

16:22 we're getting to the village. We're going to a village named Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem and they were walking with each other and talking about all the things that had happened. And while they were walking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. And the place were kept from recognizing him. He does this thing again. He is messing with them. And I want you to see why. Let's really down the door and try and guess why maybe.

16:55 I just wonder like when we see Jesus, if we ask him about this, if he's still going to be laughing about this, you know? This morning I was busing Mike's chops because it's one of my favorite pastimes. I mean, it just is. And there are jokes that I could laugh about right now just thinking about that he does not think are funny. I wonder if it's going to be like that. We go see Jesus, tell me about the Emmaus thing and he just starts laughing.

17:29 Okay. They were talking to each other and Jesus drew himself near. But their eyes were kept from recognizing in verse 17 and he said to them, hey, what is this conversation that you all are holding with each other as you walk and they stood still and looking sad. And then one of them said, named Cleopus answered him. Usually when they include the names in the story, it's because people reading it might know who they are. Otherwise they wouldn't include the name. So they include the name usually because the people reading it like Cleopus became somebody

18:00 in the church and people are like, oh, right. This is where Cleopus comes in. Wow. Right? That's cool. And are you the only visitors in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened here and what things he said concerning Jesus of Nazareth, the man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up and condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this is now the third day since these things had happened, verse 22, moreover, some of our women accompanied from our company, some women of our company

18:36 amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and when they did not find his body, they came back to saying they had even seen the vision of angels who said that he was alive. Verse 24, some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it was the women and had said, just as the women had said, but they did not see him. They did not see. And he said to them, you foolish ones, pause for a minute. These are in the company. They know all about Jesus one, then they also know that the women got there and found the

19:11 tomb empty too. Then they know that the disciples went back three, four, they left. What? I think that's why Jesus is like, oh, I got you, foolish people. What more evidence do you need? I came down here. I lived among you.

19:42 I fulfilled the prophecies. I did exact. And then I died just as I was supposed to and raised just as I was supposed to. And you're going home. What more evidence do you need? Hey, friends. Here is Christmas still celebrated thousands of years later because it is the fulfillment

20:19 of prophecy. It is the creator of the world come to save it again. What more evidence do you need? Where are you going? He's like, they tell him, and they're like, so I guess they're just going to Emmaus. Back to Emmaus. I mean, who knows what will happen? And Jesus says, oh, you foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all of the prophets

20:53 have spoken. Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? In beginning with Moses and all the prophets he interpreted to them in all the scriptures that think concerning himself. And so they drew near, I bet you, Cleopas was some kind of teacher. That's why they know his name. He's part of the reason our people have endured because Jesus took the time on the walk to

21:25 work with the slow dudes. And tell them exactly, like spell it out for them exactly. In this time it was not wasted on Cleopas. Though the church was persecuted immediately, though the way of Jesus was persecuted by the church, the teachings of people like Cleopas kept the gospel alive among the people. And just as it caught his heart on fire, as they were listening to it, when Cleopas taught it, it caught other people's hearts on fire.

21:58 And the way of Jesus endured from Emmaus through Jerusalem out to Antioch, out into Asia Minor and across the world, right? Down to us. Okay. And then just the last part I want us to see here. So they drew, okay. And then when they drew there at the village and they were going, he acted as if he were going to keep going a little farther. And all you guys stay, I'm just going to keep going.

22:28 I get to Emmaus. But they urged him strongly saying, stay with us, for it is toward the evening and the day is far spent. And so he went in to stay with them and went at the table. He took the bread and blessed and broken. And then their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he vanished from their sight just to mess with them a little further, right? Verse 32. Verse, this is the point for us this morning. Verse 32. They said to each other, did not our hearts burn within us while we were on the road and

22:59 opened the scriptures. And they rose at same hour. They deem a weight. It was late enough at night on the road that they didn't want this dude that they had met walking by himself. They made him stop and have dinner. It was late enough on the road where things are dangerous. Just stay here the night. We got to get there. We know, but let's just stay here. But once they realized it's Jesus, that's same hour, man. They grabbed their food to go and they are back to, they've been walking the whole day. But they are back, right? Okay. And they rose at same hour, returned Jerusalem and then they found the 11.

23:33 When I read this story, I was thinking this must be one of the, this must be two of the 11 that he goes to get on the road. It's not. The 11 are already there. And they found the 11 and those who were with them gathered together saying, the Lord has risen indeed. He appeared to Simon. Can you imagine that little room when the guys get back from Emmaus and Peter's there

24:06 and the women and they're all in the upper room. They're like, he has risen indeed. He didn't. They can't believe it. What like satisfaction, but also incredible joy. Like what does it feel like to be to recognize that because Christ came means he comes back and death has been put to an end.

24:37 It's like a doorway you pass through into life forever. Oh, I think he went and got those two. And then right after that is when he comes in the upper room and shows him the, and he eats a meal with him, but he wasn't coming to a period of all of them in a group until he got the two from Emmaus. He wanted them to be part of the gathering. I don't, Cleopus and somebody else, right? Cleopus and somebody, they're there in the group.

25:09 And I just like, I love how like careful, every little story that you follow the story of Jesus, he is thoughtful and specific. And he does that upper room with Cleopus and his friend back. And I love imagining, oh, he is risen indeed the joy in that moment. And it makes me think about what reunion I will have, right?

25:50 Like what's my version, sorry, of that upper room when we all gather together? And we are able to rest and believe that death is done. And we are alive and with our people.

26:22 I want to encourage you that Christmas means that you will get to live forever with your people. Today is our point of like commemoration and memory. I'd love for us to write down who we're excited, who brings us joy to know we'll be with forever. Maybe we'll be reunited with them. Maybe they've gone ahead of us already.

26:55 Or maybe there are ones here who we know Jesus won't take us into eternity without. Let's take a minute as we move towards the time of worship and recognize that we will have joyful reunions in the life to come. Let me pray towards that end. Hey Lord, thank you that you have preserved life for us, but not only us, that you knit us into a people and you take all those people with you through the grave into the life to

27:32 come. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. The last point I wanted to make here is connecting those two stories for you. I think part of the reason Jesus messes with those guys on Emmaus is because he is so excited to reveal to them all together that he beat it.

28:03 Because of the story of Lazarus, he is familiar with the pain of death and it makes him that much more excited to reveal death's undoing in the life to come. He waits, he wants them all together. The joy in that moment is when I'm looking forward to when I meet him for the first time in person.