Hello and welcome to
Imperative Life lessons
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I'm Pastor Ryan
Johnson and today I want you to
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journey with me
down the road to Emmaus.
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Each of the four gospels tells
of the narrative of Jesus Christ
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and describes His
earthly ministry from a
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unique perspective, one
that is different than that of
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to the other gospels.
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For example the gospel
of Matthew portrays Jesus
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as the consummate teacher, the
preacher, whose word is truth,
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His word is Life.
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The gospel of Mark portrays
Jesus as the Man, the God
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of action, the immediate God
for indeed in the gospel of Mark
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one finds that word immediately
over and over and it is then
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followed by that
which Jesus does.
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Don't you just love the
idea of Jesus the immediate God,
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the immediate Savior? hmm.
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And then the gospel of
John which of course is written
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by the same apostle who writes
the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
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It opens up by portraying
Jesus as God as the Word who
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becomes flesh who was
there in the very beginning.
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But our little lesson for
today is taken from the gospel
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of Luke. Luke records a
little account that follows the
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resurrection of Jesus.
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This story is also found
in Mark, but Luke gives it
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special detail.
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Actually, lately, I've been
fascinated by that period of
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time between the crisp morning
when Jesus rose from the dead
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and the afternoon when
Bethany along the eastern slope
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of the Mt. of Olives
Jesus raised His hands
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blessed the eleven, and ascends
in a cloud of angels into heaven
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to continue His
intercessory ministry.
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Two angels in the
clearing that day had asked in
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Acts chapter one...
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Actually earlier two angels
had asked in Luke chapter 24...
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By the way, both the passage
in Luke and the one in Acts
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were written by Luke.
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Can't you hear the similarities
in their style? Yeah.
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Well, between His resurrection
and His assention Jesus appears
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many times to His disciples His
testimony is being told you see.
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The young apostolic
effort is being prepared
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there is so much to study
and learn from this time period
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but for today's mini-study,
I would like to zoom in
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as it were upon the
moments, mere hours really
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after the stone was rolled
away and Jesus returned to life.
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The final word of
His resurrection has yet
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to reach the ears
of all of His faithful,
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so many still grieve
the tragedy of the cross.
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And in Luke 24, we find a little
narrative with a lesson on the
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value of our experience with
Christ, there's even a lesson
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in righteousness by faith.
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But before we look at it why
don't we have a word of prayer?
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Father in heaven, please
be with us, send your spirit
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to study with us as we
look at what happens as we walk
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along the road waiting on you.
Save us, in thy name, we pray,
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Amen and Amen.
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It was a very depressing
scene that Sunday afternoon
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as two downhearted
men trudged from Jerusalem
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to the city of Emmaus
and once more this story can
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be found in the gospel
of Luke, chapter 24 with
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a possible parallel
in the book of Mark.
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But Luke describes
this interesting encounter
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in exquisite detail.
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Everybody was talking
about the spectacle that had
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taken place during the
Passover weekend in Jerusalem
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about 31 A.D. For after years
of plotting the Jewish religious
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leader have finally succeeded
in infiltrating the ranks of
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Christ's disciples and
they had arrested, they had
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mock tried and
crucified Jesus of Nazareth
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the Healer, the
Teacher, the Messiah.
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For some, it had
been a spectacle,
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for some, it had
been an evil triumph,
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but for the disciples of
Jesus this was an utter tragedy.
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It dashed their
hope of seeing Him set up
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an earthly kingdom where He
would rule among men and women
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as had King David.
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I mean think about
Jesus as an earthly human king
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what would have meant to
those who did not understand
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His cosmic mission.
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I mean, He was a man who could
reach into the crumb speckled
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baskets of starving people
and pull out loaves of bread
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and fat fishes.
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If His men were to fall
in battle He would merely
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call to them as He
did to Lazarus, Come Forth
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and resurrect His dead
armies from the decaying piles
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on the battlefields. He
could walk across the seas
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to His naval fleet and insure
that the waters were always calm
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and His downhearted subjects
would be raised in spirit
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as the parable teller
encourage them in the Lord.
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Aand once more, once
more the oppressed and hurting
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Jewish people who for
hundreds of years had languished
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under the rule of one empire
after another would be restored
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to the greatness promised
to Abraham promised to Isaac,
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promised to Jacob.
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The covenant would be fulfilled
in the way they imagined
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but all of that was moot
now because the previous Friday
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at the command of Pilate
and under the influence of the
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Sanhedrin, Roman guards
forced Jesus the Messiah onto a
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wooden torture device...
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They had taken iron spikes and
like a bug under a collectors
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gaze, Jesus was pinned
to a cross, they hoisted and
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displayed Him like
some carnival attraction.
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and they watched, you
know what, all of the heavens
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observed, the galaxies
and planets beheld as He died.
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I think we ought to just
pause here to contemplate
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The Significance of the Savior
giving His very life for you
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for me. Yeah.
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The Sabbath was spent in
fear and sorrow as the now
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eleven disciples huddled
together in the Upper Room
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wondering if those same
Roman guards would burst in
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and end them as well, but of
course you know this story...
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At the breaking of Sunday
morning a powerful Angel was
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dispatched to roll away
the stone covering Jesus' tomb
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He hailed the Son of
God, Thy Father calleth Thee
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and Christ arose from the
dead victorious, successful and
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full of power and glory.
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Now, when Mary
Magdalene, Johanna, and Mary,
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the mother of Jesus
went to anoint His body
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angels informed them
that He had risen and they ran
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to tell the brothern
that He would not leave them.
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Indeed as we focus on the
24th chapter of Luke verse 11
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actually states...
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So this is how in verse 13
we find a couple of disciples
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not of the remaining 11,
yet followers and believers
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in Jesus Christ conversing
with hopeful confusion
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but with their heads still
hung is sorrow as they walked
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from Jerusalem to
the city of Emmaus.
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Now Emmaus is likely the
city known as Al-Qubeibah
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located about 8 miles of
road northwest of Jerusalem
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ah, it's about a two-hour
journey if you are on foot,
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and the Bible
says in verse 15...
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Don't you just love that
phrase, that Jesus drew near?
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Can you envision that?
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Jesus walking with them
the entire time and then He
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draws near and they
become aware of His presence.
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Can you apply that to your
own experience that as you walk
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in life, Jesus walks with
you and when you are in your
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direst need, He draws near.
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You become aware of a
of a presence that was
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of a always there. And the
scripture continues verse 16...
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Of the word translated
here in the King James Bible
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as holding is krateo in the
original language which is Greek
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and this word means to
place under one's grasp
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or to put under control.
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It occurs 47 or so
times in the New Testament
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in various accounts,
but this is one of the times
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when it is Jesus
who is seizing control.
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Now the other such times
Matthew chapter 9 verse 25,
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Mark chapter 5 verse
41, Jesus seizes krato
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the hand of the dead
girl and He says unto her
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Talitha Kumi which
is being interpreted
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damsel, I say unto thee, arise
and straight-way the damsel
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arose, that's Mark
chapter 5 verses 41 to 42
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but Jesus seizes control
of their ability in Luke to
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recognize Him, He
shields their understanding.
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But according to
Jesus' reputation,
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when He takes control
something awesome happens.
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The dead arise, hope
springs, but let's not get ahead
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of ourselves, I get
excited at that part,
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we have the benefit
of hindsight don't we?
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It's always easy to say
Amen from the perch of hindsight
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Isn't it? Since for the
sorrowful journeying men
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holding their vision kind
of seems unnecessarily untoward
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doesn't it? I mean
here they are, they are sad,
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they are wondering, their
confused, and Jesus, the one
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the answer, the risen
Savior draws nigh unto them
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in their confliction
but He does reveal Himself.
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He doesn't show the nail prints,
He doesn't utter a familiar
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phrase. One
considers doesn't one?
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Why Jesus didn't just show
up and announce, I'm back guys,
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I'm risen from the dead
just like I said I would be
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but His identity is
gratao, holdin from them.
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You know some of us are
desperately looking for answers,
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a solution, healing and
we desire Jesus to appear
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and with a nod of His head
clear the clouds from our skies
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that tangles from our
hair, the thorns from our sides
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and He can, very often He does.
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But look at what
happens in verse 17,
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Jesus said unto them...
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You see that, Jesus begins
to talk with them. Really?
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A talk? Hey, here's
a rhetorical question,
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when we are brokenhearted
and searching for answers from
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meaning, what value is
there in having a little talk
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with Jesus? Can
you imagine? Verse 18.
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Verse 19.
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You know what guys?
Though they didn't realize it
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they went from muttering and
communicating among themselves
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and strolling with themselves
to speaking with Jesus,
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to walking with Jesus
and Jesus began to teach.
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Verse 26.
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Jesus broke down the
prophecy's beginning at Moses
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He unites Jewish history
and theology into Himself
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Wow! I wonder what Jesus said?
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You know, Moses
wrote the book of Genesis?
00:14:46.61\00:14:49.08
And where the creator promises
that He would in Genesis 3
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crush the serpent's head.
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.02
I wonder if the risen Savior
began His teaching right there?
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You know, as he
walked with the men?
00:14:59.19\00:15:01.76
I don't know, Jesus is a
far finer teacher than a simple
00:15:01.80\00:15:05.17
human like me
could ever dream to be.
00:15:05.20\00:15:07.40
But maybe He took them through
the meanings of the aspects
00:15:07.44\00:15:11.87
of the early sanctuary
first built-in mobile form
00:15:11.91\00:15:15.88
by Moses reminding them
the lamps, the showbread,
00:15:15.91\00:15:20.92
the sacrifice, it all
pointed to the redeemer
00:15:20.95\00:15:23.62
you know often Jesus
read from the book of Isaiah
00:15:23.65\00:15:26.76
when teaching in the
Tabernacle of the Sabbath day
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.26
He even
references here in verse 26,
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.56
so maybe He further reminded
the men of where Isaiah wrote
00:15:32.59\00:15:36.90
that Christ would be
wounded for our transgressions
00:15:36.93\00:15:40.07
bruised for our iniquities,
he probably broke down the
00:15:40.10\00:15:43.91
writings of Daniel chapter
9 showing that the Messiah
00:15:43.94\00:15:47.84
those related time
prophecies were being fulfilled
00:15:47.88\00:15:51.81
in their very sight.
00:15:51.85\00:15:53.38
However, He did it, Jesus
walked, talked, and taught them
00:15:53.42\00:15:59.82
along the way until they arrived
at their destination in Emmaus.
00:15:59.85\00:16:06.59
Verse 28...
00:16:06.63\00:16:08.53
They were so blessed by
His presence that they begged
00:16:36.52\00:16:40.70
the stranger to stay.
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.06
How wonderful to invite Jesus
in, huh, we ought to do the same
00:16:42.10\00:16:47.70
Jesus please, Jesus, please
stay with us, stay with me,
00:16:47.74\00:16:51.67
for the hour is late
and Revelation says...
00:16:51.71\00:16:56.38
So Jesus entered their
home and His very presence
00:17:07.22\00:17:11.49
dispelled the darkness,
the shadows, the fears,
00:17:11.53\00:17:15.20
They distributed food
among them and this stranger
00:17:15.23\00:17:19.50
whom they didn't know
was Jesus raised His hands
00:17:19.53\00:17:24.14
to bless the food and
He began to serve them.
00:17:24.17\00:17:29.38
Verse 31, It says...
00:17:29.41\00:17:33.01
As He broke bread with
them their eyes were opened
00:17:52.60\00:17:56.37
and they were allowed to
know who Jesus was and that word
00:17:56.40\00:18:02.94
for opened, (anoígo)
means to open completely.
00:18:02.98\00:18:08.48
It was if you'll allow me to
make a scriptural connection,
00:18:08.52\00:18:13.86
it was a
revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:18:13.89\00:18:17.26
all was revealed to them.
00:18:17.29\00:18:19.43
He fed them spiritually,
He fed them physically,
00:18:19.46\00:18:23.33
and they said that their
hearts burned within them
00:18:23.37\00:18:27.34
their cold doubts had
become the fire of conviction.
00:18:27.37\00:18:31.27
So much to be learned
here, but let's lean closer
00:18:31.31\00:18:40.15
still, as it were to the Word.
00:18:40.18\00:18:43.12
I want to return to the
question that we asked earlier.
00:18:43.15\00:18:47.62
Why didn't Jesus
identify Himself at the start?
00:18:47.66\00:18:51.63
Why go through all of that,
why allow the men to endure
00:18:51.66\00:18:59.00
the road? Well, when you think
about it had Jesus identified
00:18:59.03\00:19:07.68
Himself at the start and
then vanished after the fact
00:19:07.71\00:19:11.71
they would have been
robbed of the walk that they had
00:19:11.75\00:19:15.95
experienced with Him.
00:19:15.98\00:19:17.32
They would not have had the
talk that they shared with Him,
00:19:17.35\00:19:21.19
something about examining
the scriptures with Christ
00:19:21.22\00:19:25.73
from that perspective on their
journey made the destination
00:19:25.76\00:19:30.27
more meaningful because
they had a greater appreciation
00:19:30.30\00:19:34.10
for who Jesus is in our
lives with our experiences
00:19:34.14\00:19:40.54
we become discouraged, don't we?
00:19:40.58\00:19:43.75
We cry to Him and He hears,
we seek Him, and He's there.
00:19:43.78\00:19:51.45
And so often we desire an
instant Revelation in our lives.
00:19:51.49\00:19:59.06
Zap, and God can do
that, I've seen God do that,
00:19:59.09\00:20:05.10
you've seen it, sometimes
He does, but have you ever
00:20:05.13\00:20:10.67
considered that rather
than operating on our schedule.
00:20:10.71\00:20:17.18
Jesus desires to take
the time to walk with us,
00:20:17.21\00:20:22.55
talk with us so that our
hearts may burn within us
00:20:22.58\00:20:29.36
as we build a
relationship with Him.
00:20:29.39\00:20:33.26
You know, there's another
more uncomfortable way of asking
00:20:33.29\00:20:39.23
that question. Might our
prayers be unanswered yet
00:20:39.27\00:20:45.47
because Jesus is waiting on
us to walk and talk with Him?
00:20:45.51\00:20:51.15
Might our unease whatever it
is, whatever it is be all about
00:20:51.18\00:20:57.49
getting us to spend
quality time with the Master?
00:20:57.52\00:21:01.76
We ought to each pray
about that, we should.
00:21:01.79\00:21:07.33
But for those us who are
trying by God's grace and feel
00:21:07.36\00:21:13.60
that we deserve a reprieve,
we've suffered and endured.
00:21:13.64\00:21:18.24
So we earned the
right to sit and commune,
00:21:18.27\00:21:22.24
we've earned the right
to be comforted by Jesus.
00:21:22.28\00:21:25.25
Let me ask another question,
did Cleopas and his companion
00:21:25.28\00:21:31.79
earn the right to
have Jesus reveal to them?
00:21:31.82\00:21:34.59
Is that what the road was about,
working their way step by step
00:21:34.62\00:21:40.66
to a Revelation of Jesus Christ?
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.43
Was it that Christ did not
reveal himself until they had
00:21:43.47\00:21:48.14
walked far enough,
until they have worked for it?
00:21:48.17\00:21:52.57
No friends, the road
was not a walk of works,
00:21:52.61\00:21:58.01
it was a walk of faith.
00:21:58.05\00:22:01.12
Faith that comes from the study
of the scriptures contemplation
00:22:01.15\00:22:06.45
of the promises and though
they did not realize it at first
00:22:06.49\00:22:11.83
faith that walking with
Jesus will lead to salvation.
00:22:11.86\00:22:20.24
It was true for
them, it is true for you
00:22:20.27\00:22:25.57
and one day all will be
revealed, all will be revealed.
00:22:25.61\00:22:32.55
How many times as a
pastor have I sat in the room
00:22:32.58\00:22:38.85
with a grieving and heartbroken
person? someone who has seen
00:22:38.89\00:22:48.50
the absolute ugliest
that life has to offer.
00:22:48.53\00:22:54.04
First of all when you are
in that position, one doesn't
00:22:54.07\00:22:56.64
be condescending, one doesn't
hit such a grieving person
00:22:56.67\00:23:01.01
with platitudes
and empty promises.
00:23:01.04\00:23:03.45
The grief is real, the
pain is real, the road is real
00:23:03.48\00:23:07.85
but how many times have I
seen in that grief, in that pain
00:23:07.88\00:23:15.49
on that road, such a
person take the opportunity
00:23:15.52\00:23:22.60
as badly as it hurts to
walk and talk with Jesus.
00:23:22.63\00:23:29.84
It's a miracle every time,
let me not point the finger,
00:23:29.87\00:23:35.94
How many times in my
struggle at my lowest,
00:23:36.01\00:23:40.45
at my most confounded
have I needed to be reminded
00:23:40.52\00:23:47.86
to take the time to
walk and talk with Jesus
00:23:47.89\00:23:52.99
even while on the road.
00:23:53.03\00:23:56.56
And you know
what? And you know what?
00:23:56.60\00:23:58.80
The relationship
builds, the faith builds
00:23:58.83\00:24:06.04
the power is manifest, the
Holy Spirit does His work at
00:24:06.07\00:24:14.72
you know, it is not all in
vain, it's not all for nothing.
00:24:14.75\00:24:20.22
We are promised that
if we would walk with Him,
00:24:20.26\00:24:23.86
and if we talk with
Him, we will one day have
00:24:23.89\00:24:30.70
everything revealed.
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.57
We will understand it as the
old song says, better by and by
00:24:32.60\00:24:38.67
and we will see Jesus as He is.
00:24:38.71\00:24:44.05
Maybe God is just wanting
you and I to take the time
00:24:44.08\00:24:51.25
to walk and talk with Him.
00:24:51.29\00:24:55.32
You know this reminds me
of an experience that I had
00:24:55.36\00:25:00.96
some time ago. I was pastoring
at a church in Las Vegas, NV
00:25:01.00\00:25:04.73
and after service a
very concerned grandmother
00:25:04.77\00:25:10.07
came up to me where my
wife and I were standing
00:25:10.11\00:25:12.97
praying with folk and she said
my grandson is in the hospital
00:25:13.01\00:25:16.44
there's been a
terrible accident, will you go
00:25:16.48\00:25:18.68
and see him?
Well, of course we said.
00:25:18.71\00:25:21.12
So I got my Bible
grabbed my wife by the hand
00:25:21.15\00:25:24.25
and we went over to the hospital
and when we got in the room
00:25:24.29\00:25:27.29
there was this young man
just barely held together
00:25:27.32\00:25:31.83
he had been so depressed
that he felt as though he had
00:25:31.86\00:25:35.80
no other option
but to kill himself.
00:25:35.83\00:25:38.10
So we had gone to one of
the top level of one of the
00:25:38.13\00:25:41.37
parking garages and had
jumped off, but he lived.
00:25:41.40\00:25:46.07
God had His hand
on that young man.
00:25:46.11\00:25:48.48
But there he was in the
bed being held together by pins
00:25:48.51\00:25:53.01
and needles, holy
duct tape I used to say.
00:25:53.05\00:25:55.78
And I went up to him and he
said preacher I'm such a failure
00:25:55.82\00:26:00.56
I can't even kill myself right.
00:26:00.59\00:26:04.59
I said young man, we
need to pray and as I grabbed
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.73
my wife's hand and we went
to the bed and I very lightly
00:26:07.76\00:26:11.93
laid my hand there
on the hospital bed,
00:26:11.97\00:26:15.24
I thought to myself,
this young man is on the road.
00:26:15.27\00:26:19.74
This young man is walking
the road in pain and shame
00:26:19.77\00:26:27.22
and before we began to
pray I was like Lord be with him
00:26:27.25\00:26:33.02
draw him close to you and
I started praying with the
00:26:33.05\00:26:37.76
young man and you
know what I believe?
00:26:37.79\00:26:39.26
Here's what I believe,
as we were there praying,
00:26:39.29\00:26:42.23
Jesus who had been walking with
him the whole time drew nigh
00:26:42.26\00:26:47.24
to the young man, yes He
did, such as when I said Amen
00:26:47.27\00:26:52.54
the young man opened
his eyes, pins in his legs,
00:26:52.57\00:26:57.55
needles in his legs and
arms, and he said pastor,
00:26:57.58\00:27:01.32
I don't know how I'm going
to hold it but would you go
00:27:01.35\00:27:04.95
and bring me a Bible?
00:27:04.99\00:27:08.19
He decided to take that time
on the road and walk with Jesus.
00:27:08.22\00:27:14.86
Yes! Talk with Jesus, and
then the Lord deliver him,
00:27:14.90\00:27:20.24
yes He did, will the Lord
deliver you? Yes, He will.
00:27:20.27\00:27:23.77
We gotta walk with
Him, hey let's pray.
00:27:23.81\00:27:27.28
Father in heaven,
help us to walk with you
00:27:27.31\00:27:31.38
talk with you and draw us
close to you, even on the road
00:27:31.41\00:27:37.22
until the day
that you are revealed.
00:27:37.25\00:27:38.95
In Thy name we pray, Amen.
00:27:38.99\00:27:42.32
God has plans for you, you
walk with your hand in His hand
00:27:42.36\00:27:46.43
and He will lead you to His
destination. May He bless you.
00:27:46.46\00:27:50.53
And as always
friends, be encouraged.
00:27:50.57\00:27:54.07