Written Sermons

The Walk to Emmaus

After the resurrection of Jesus before He ascended into Heaven, He joined two men who were troubled by the crucifixion and other events of that day. They were walking on the road to a place called Emmaus. Before Jesus joined their conversation, they were speaking to each other about the events. Wanting to understand. These were not casual observers but really seemed to be seeking understanding. Jesus joined them just at the right time.

• Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 
• 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 
• 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 

For some reason Jesus chose to visit these men with His presence and reveal to them who He was. At first though at this particular time, they did not recognize Him.

• Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 
• 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 

It appears that they were sad about the events and were grieved at the death of Jesus. I'm glad they were not rude as some we have today. They could have said, "None of your business," but they probably were hoping someone could help them understand. By the way, everything that we do or say is God's business. In this case Jesus was opening the door to them enabling Him to fulfill the desires of their heart.

• Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 

It would appear that Jesus was further engaging them into conversation. Surely Jesus always knew what was troubling them.

• Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 
• 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 
• 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 

They as most of the people even the believers in Jesus, believed He came to redeem Israel and deliver them from the Roman rule, taking authority and ushering in the Kingdom of God. They didn't yet realize that He had to take care of the sin problem first by dying for sin so that all who believe will not have to suffer being lost forever in eternity. He made the way so that all who receive the gospel will be able to inherit eternal life and be free from the penalty and bondage of sin. They didn't recognize there was more than one coming of Christ at that time.

• Luke 24:22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 
• 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 
• 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 

These two men heard of the rumors but didn't believe yet in the resurrection of Jesus. They should not have been surprised.

• Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 
• 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 

I want to go over the scriptures that might have been the ones Jesus referred to:

• Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 
• 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

The first prophecy seen as one that spoke of Jesus was Genesis 3:15. The serpent was actually Satan. At the crucifixion the heel of Jesus was bruised but the victory came when the seed of the women, Christ Jesus, bruised the head of Satan. To all who believe in Jesus for salvation; they are free from the bondage of sin and are redeemed back to the Father. Sin separated us from God when it entered the world. Jesus paid the price to buy us back. We must believe this and seek this to be part of the Kingdom of God.

• Genesis 22:15  And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 
• 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 
• 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 
• 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

We see and angel of the Lord speaking to Abraham in Genesis 22:15. This was after the test of Abraham's faith by being willing to sacrifice his own son Isaac at the word of God. God stopped him of course but this obedience might have been why God chose to use the seed of Abraham to bring Christ into the world. All nations that receive Him will surely be blessed. As individuals we are born again, when we come to Christ for our sins to be forgiven and receive the Holy Spirit into our lives. Nations that receive Him will shine with righteousness when Jesus returns to set up His righteous kingdom.

• Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 

Now we see Jacob as he was on his death bed prophesying over his sons about their future. When he gets to Judah we see in Genesis 49:10 that the tribe of Judah is chose by God to bring His Son, Jesus the Christ who will gather all His people in the last day. What a hope and a future. Israel shall be saved.

• Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.  

Even though Balaam the prophet later sinned against the Lord by trying to earn a reward to get God to curse Israel for the King of Moab, God used Him to prophecy the coming of the Messiah, who in the brightness of His coming will destroy all enemies. That Star out of Jacob and ruler out of Israel is none other than Jesus our Christ. This prophecy is not about the first coming when He dies for our sins but the time in the future when He comes to rule and reign forever.

• Psalm 22:1 To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?  

This prophecy by King David is about the 1st coming of Christ when He was on the cross crying out to God the Father. This was recorded by Matthew.

• Matthew 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

It is said by many that God had to turn away from His Son because He couldn't look upon the sin He was bearing on our behalf.

• Psalm 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
• 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
• 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

We see also these scriptures in Psalm 22 which refers to His first coming describing His death on the cross. This was fulfilled and was recorded by Matthew in chapter 27 verse 35.

• Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.  

Next is another prophecy in the Psalms referring to His place at the right hand of His Father after He is resurrected and ascends back to Heaven.

• Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.  

The Walk to Emmaus Part 2