A Talk Along The Way.... Luke 24:13-49

Last Sunday we canceled services due to the weather, we had a snow, ice, and rain storm and the power was knocked out and was out for much of Saturday evening into Sunday morning.  Thus, I wasn't able to preach over the story of the 'Road to Emmaus' last week. I chose to preach over these verses this week rather than to preach over the verses found in John 10:11-18 concerning the 'good shepherd', the 'hired hands', the 'sheep', and the 'wolf'.  I did preach over the verses in John during the Thursday night evening service but the sermon wasn't recorded.  The entire service was 'live-streamed' on Facebook, however, and can be found on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/WoodlawnChristianChurch/

This week's sermon was a bit short of 23 minutes long and the hook at the end had to do with 'walking' with others as Christ walked with the two Disciples on the road leading to Emmaus.  It wasn't until the end of the journey that Christ was revealed to them even though he was preaching and witnessing to them along the seven-mile journey.  We too are called to witness to others along the way, and just as the two disciples seemed to have given up hope in verse 21, we often feel like giving up hope that our loved ones will ever come to have a genuine relationship with our God. But, the witness of the story of the 'Walk to Emmaus' should give us hope. It is very often at the very end of the journey that we turn to our Lord and suddenly realize that He's been there with us the entire way.

Walk that road with someone(s) today... but do not be discouraged...

Be a blessing to someone today.

In Christ,
Roy

Luke 24:13-49 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Walk to Emmaus
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.[b] 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,[c] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.[d] Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed 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 they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah[e] should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[f] while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples
36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”[g] 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.[h] 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah[i] is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses[j] of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Footnotes:
a) Luke 24:13 Gk sixty stadia; other ancient authorities read a hundred sixty stadia
b) Luke 24:17 Other ancient authorities read walk along, looking sad?”
c) Luke 24:19 Other ancient authorities read Jesus the Nazorean
d) Luke 24:21 Or to set Israel free
e) Luke 24:26 Or the Christ
f) Luke 24:32 Other ancient authorities lack within us
g) Luke 24:36 Other ancient authorities lack and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
h) Luke 24:40 Other ancient authorities lack verse 40
i) Luke 24:46 Or the Christ

j) Luke 24:48 Or nations. Beginning from Jerusalem 48 you are witnesses

Luke 24:1-11  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Resurrection of Jesus

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body.[a] 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women[b] were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men[c] said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.[d]6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale(e), and they did not believe them.

Footnotes:
a) Luke 24:3 Other ancient authorities add of the Lord Jesus
b) Luke 24:5 Gk They
c) Luke 24:5 Gk but they
d) Luke 24:5 Other ancient authorities lack He is not here, but has risen
e) The term translated as “idle tale” in the NRSV and as “nonsense” in the NIV is a physician’s term to describe “the delirious babblings of a very sick person.

John 10:11-18 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes[a] it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Footnotes:

a) John 10:18 Other ancient authorities read has taken