Bible Study

'A Walk To Remember!' Sermon Notes on Luke 24:13-27

by Brian Bell

1. Introduction:

1.1. Isaac Asimov tells the story of a rough ocean crossing during which a Mr. Jones became terribly seasick. At an especially rough time, a kindly steward patted Jones on the shoulder and said, "I know, sir, that it seems awful. But remember, no man ever died of sea-sickness." Mr. Jones lifted his green countenance to the steward's concerned face and replied, "Man, don't say that! It's only the wonderful hope of dying that keeps me alive."

1.2. Newsweek, Feb. 7, 1983, p. 13. A California woman wrote, "No matter how bad the pain is, it's never so bad that suicide is the only answer. Suicide doesn't end pain. It only lays it on the broken shoulders of the survivors." And she ends her story. "By the way: to all the doctors, nurses and psychiatrists who forced me to live when I didn't want to - thank you for keeping breath in my lungs and my heart beating and encouraging hope in me when I didn't have any hope!"

1.3. Q: Ever have the bottom drop out of your life? Your hopes & dreams dashed? Thoughts like, “Where’s Jesus when you need Him?”

1.3.1. We meet 2 individuals this morning that felt the same.

1.4. “Other men see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope”

1.5. 2 Part series:

1.5.1. Here we have a beautiful story that so mirrors many among us, who have passed through the gloom of doubt, to the clear shining of faith!

1.5.2. We meet up with them taking leaden steps away from One who was the pure embodiment of Faith, Hope, & Love!

1.6. Title: A Walk To Remember! – [No, not the movie with Shane West & Mandy Moore]

1.6.1. Jesus Journeying With Them! - Jesus Sympathizing With Them! - Jesus Expounding the Scriptures To Them!

2. A WALK TO REMEMBER! (13-27)

2.1. Here we have what the disciples thought & felt & even gives how they looked, just before they understood the resurrection!

2.2. These guys could have walked & talked for days & never gotten rid of their disappointment.

2.2.1. They lacked the key that unlocks the OT.

2.2.1.1. Messiah must suffer & die before entering his glory.

2.3. So who was the other disciple? It very much could have been his wife! John in 19:25 tells us, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene”. [we’re not sure]

2.4. JESUS JOURNEYING WITH THEM! (15,16)

2.5. (15) We note…that Jesus drew near when they were conversing about Him.

2.5.1. Might we experience His nearness when we also converse w/others about Him?

2.6. (16) Eyes were restrained –

2.6.1. See Mrk 16:12,13 – “another form” This could mean that He took on a form different from that in which He appeared to Mary Magdalene (9-11) or, more likely, that He appeared to them in a form different from that in which they had previously recognized Him as Jesus.

2.7. Jesus’ resurrection body remains a mystery:1

2.7.1. He appeared to the disciples from time to time, usually suddenly.

2.7.2. He had a body that could be seen & touched.

2.7.3. The disciples recognized Jesus’ body as His body.

2.7.4. The resurrection means more than that His spirit survived death!

2.7.5. It points to 2 great truths of Christianity:

2.7.5.1. [1] The tomb was empty.

2.7.5.2. [2] People saw Jesus alive in bodily form.

2.8. Why leave today?

2.8.1. You heard he would rise the 3rd day, couldn’t you wait one more day?

2.8.2. You heard the women report the body missing.

2.8.3. You heard that angels appeared & said he was alive!

2.8.4. Yet, they walk off into the country, into the sunset, perplexed.

2.8.4.1. Such is our impatience!

2.8.5. At least their minds still cleave to Him still. They can’t talk about anything else!

2.9. Why does the Lord join them?

2.9.1. For, “He does not despise the day of small things.” (Zech.4:10)

2.9.2. For, “He will not cast off those who have little strength” (Ps 71:9)

2.9.3. For, “a bruised reed he will not break, & the smoking flax He will not quench.” (Is.42:3)

2.10. Where does He meet them?

2.10.1. Let it be wherever! In the temple; your house; in the field; on the road

2.10.2. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Mt.18:20

2.11. They did not know Him –

2.11.1. It is often the same with us!

2.11.2. Haven’t you ever come to His table & not met Him there?

2.11.3. Maybe you’re in deep trouble & He says, “it is I don’t be afraid,” yet you cannot detect him.

2.11.4. How often have you opened his precious book yet never had a glimpse of Him?

2.11.5. Why did they not see Him? – Unbelief! Why might we miss Him then? – Unbelief!

2.11.6. Make it your prayer, “Open mine eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus!”

2.12. Q: What if we found out that Jesus did this all the time…still? hmmm

2.12.1. What if it was someone that was a little sharp? (like Jesus was in 25,26)

2.13. JESUS SYMPATHIZING WITH THEM! (17-24)

2.14. (17) What a tender & beautiful playfulness in the way he dealt with these men.

2.15. Conversation - means to “throw in turn, back and forth like a ball, from one to another, a beautiful picture of conversation as a game of words.” [LKGNT]

2.16. Walk – ESV & NIV capture the orig best, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.”

2.17. (18) Everyone in Jerusalem was talking about Jesus!

2.17.1. Jesus must have been blessed to come upon them & here that all of there thoughts were regarding Him.

2.18. (19) What things? – I’ve done that as a Pastor in regards to our church, or regarding the pastor there. (always told them after) :-O

2.18.1. He was drawing them out, & it worked.

2.19. They still believed in Him. They still loved Him. Even though defeated, they still were saying “He was mighty in word & deed before God”.

2.19.1. It had only slain their Hope! So they limped on to Emmaus.

2.20. (21) 1st half of verse w/a smile of hope; 2nd half w/frown of despair.

2.21. Doubt!

2.22. There is a difference between doubt & unbelief:

2.22.1. Doubt is a state of suspense in which the mind is not made up either to believe or reject.

2.22.2. Unbelief is a definite attitude of refusal.

2.22.3. The walls of Jericho fell flat, at Israel’s mighty shout; But no one ever shouts like that, while paralyzed by doubt. Lord, turn our doubt & leaden tread, to leaping, joyous faith instead!2

2.23. Hopeless!

2.24. There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.

2.25. JESUS EXPOUNDING THE SCRIPTURES TO THEM! (25-27)

2.26. Now Jesus began to talk to them.

2.26.1. His 1st word was that of rebuke, like the angels to the women. (5)

2.27. (25) O Foolish ones - Literally without sense, not understanding. Slow of heart – Old word for one dull, slow to comprehend or to act.

2.27.1. I guess Jesus didn’t read Dale Carnegie’s, “How to win friends & Influence People.”

2.27.2. They are rebuked in both intellect & heart.

2.27.3. Jesus leads them to faith 1st before sight (31).

2.28. (26) Ought not – Was it not necessary? The very things about the death of Jesus that disturbed them so, were the strongest proof that he was the Messiah of the Old Testament!3

2.28.1. Many people in Jesus’ day were diligent students of the bible, but most missed the central message.

2.28.2. They focused on the “Messiah is a Glorious King” passages, & overlooked the “Messiah needs to suffer to save mankind” passages!

2.29. He proceeds to show them how this theme runs through the whole OT.

2.29.1. He showed them that the suffering of the cross is the way of triumph!4

2.30. (27) What does Jesus’ use of the OT here & in verses 44-47 teach us of its importance & reliability, & the way we should use it?5

2.30.1. Importance - it all points to Him (silver thread throughout).

2.30.2. Reliability - We can obviously trust the OT (all parts) if Jesus is using it.

2.30.3. The way we should use it – to remove the OT’s lens cover, so as to uncover & discover…Jesus!

2.30.3.1.Jesus found Himself in the Old Testament, a thing that some modern scholars don’t seem able to do!

2.30.4. “In the OT the New is enfolded; in the NT the Old is unfolded!”6

2.30.5. Shame on the Christians who say, “I don’t like reading the OT”. Isn’t it like saying, “I don’t like digging to find the treasures regarding Jesus in the OT stories”?

2.30.5.1.I admit, it is easier picking up pearls in the NT, then it is mining for diamonds in the old.

2.31. Illustration: It is told that the great preacher D.L. Moody said, “I prayed for faith and thought that some day it would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith didn’t seem to come. One day I read in Romans that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” I had up to this time, closed my Bible and prayed for faith. Now I opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since!”

2.32. Expounded – or, explained.

2.32.1. Here the diamond cut the diamond!

2.32.2. The Master of the house unlocked the doors & invited His guests to his table.

2.32.3. He who hid the treasure in the field Himself guided the searchers to it.

2.32.4. After dinner comes dessert! And there is none sweeter than His own person & work.

2.32.5. Oh to have Jesus as both our teacher & our lesson!

2.33. So Jesus breathed into their ears the secret of love which lay at the heart of the ancient Law. They listened as He traced each Messianic note in the music of all the prophets.

2.34.

• I’m the Seed of the women in Gen.; I’m the Passover Lamb of Ex.;
• I’m the Anointed High Priest of Lev; I’m the Brazen Serpent of Num;
• I’m the Great Rock of Deut; I’m the Captain of the Lord’s Hosts of Josh;
• I’m the Messenger of the Lord of Jdg; I’m the Kinsmen Redeemer of Ruth;
• I’m the Great Judge in 1 Sam; I’m the Seed of David of 2 Sam;
• I’m the Lord God of Israel of 1 Kg; I’m the God of the Cherubim of 2 Kg;
• I’m the God of our salvation in 1 Chrn; I’m the God of our fathers of 2 Chrn;
• I’m the Lord of Heaven & Earth of Ezra; I’m the Covnt-keeping God of Neh;
• I’m the God of Providence in Esther.; I’m the Returning Redeemer of Job.;
• I’m the Good shepherd of the Ps; I’m the Wisdom of God in the Prvb;
• I’m the One above the Sun of Ecc; I’m the Altogether Lovely of SoS;
• I’m the Virgin-born Immanuel of Is; I’m the Branch of Righteousness of Jer;
• I’m the Compassionate One of Lam; I’m the Lord Is There of Ezek;
• I’m the Stone Cut w/o Hands of Dan I’m the King of the Res in Hos;
• I’m the God of the Battle of Joel; I’m the Plumbline of Amos;
• I’m the Destroyer of the Proud of Obad; I’m the Risen Prophet of Jonah;
• I’m the Bethlehem-Born of Micah; I’m the Bringer of Good Tidings of Nah;
• I’m The Anointed of Hab; I’m the King of Israel of Zeph;
• I’m the Desire of All Nations of Hag; I’m the Branch of Zech;
• I’m The Sun of Righteousness of Malachi.7

2.34.1. What a Post-Resurrection that must have been!!!

2.35. I thought it was interesting, “expounded” is the word the Greeks used of interpreting a foreign language.

2.36. Do you allow the Holy Spirit to help you interpret the Scriptures?

2.36.1. Jn.16:13-15 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”

2.36.2. 1 Cor.2:9,10 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.”

2.37. Do you have the Holy Spirit to help you interpret the Scriptures?

2.38. Did you know that…

• Jesus is always Journeying with us;
• Jesus is always Sympathizing with us;
• Jesus is always Expounding the Scriptures to us;
• Jesus is always Revealing Himself to us.

2.39. End: He delights to make our days a sunlit Emmaus walk!

2.39.1. Enjoy that walk with Him today!

2.39.2. “Other men see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope”

References/Footnotes

1 Shepherd’s Notes; pg.94

2 Awake My Heart; J. Sidlow Baxter pg.140

3 Word Pictures in the NT;

4 Shepherd’s Notes; pg.94

5 Treasury of Scripture Knowledge; Stibbs; pg34.

6 Griffith Thomas; pg.384

7 Adapted from Willmington’s Book of Bible Lists.

Source: Sermon Notes on the Gospel of Luke by Brian Bell