As we begin our time together I invite you to turn to Luke 24:13-35.
This is the story of the Road to Emmaus. I read (Reader’s Digest Bible Atlas)that Emmaus was a town at a vital route junction—which reminded me of Petersburg, VA. Petersburg is the junction of Interstate 95 and interstate 85—vital roads for the entire Southeast. The disciples were traveling on such a road going to Emmaus. On the road, they talked about the events of the previous weeks.
We often lose sight of the despair of the disciples. We have heard the story of Easter so many, times we forget to understand how the disciples must have felt. Jesus had entered Jerusalem with crowds of praise singing “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Then Passover came and the crowd turned into one angry mob screaming, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” His disciples were left to scatter like ants to get out from under his shadow.
But now, his remains have been removed from the tomb and some of their friends talked about seeing angels who said that Jesus was alive.
We are likely to get caught up in the story that we miss what is going on in the hearts and minds of the disciples.
I believe that they were stressed. They doubted that the stories of the angels were true. It is bad enough to believe that angels were seen, but to also believe that they said, “Jesus was alive”? That is an even farther stretch.
But in their stress, I also believe, that they felt guilty. Jesus had done some very miraculous deeds. They had trusted Jesus to perform miracles—why couldn’t they believe that he could rise from the dead?
They were paralyzed by their doubt, stuck in the overwhelming state of confusion.
The same way we are paralyzed when we doubt.
Some of you doubt today.
You doubt that God can save your marriage.
You doubt that God can rescue your children.
You doubt that God truly has a plan for your life.
But the truth that the disciples discover on the Road to Emmaus is that
When you doubt, trust Christ to reveal himself.
This is such an important message for us to hear through this passage. Therefore, I want to spend my time talking this morning about how Jesus reveals himself during our time of doubt.
As we look at this passage, we see that there is a process by which Jesus reveals himself. He doesn’t show his cards all at once. I don’t’ think the disciples were ready for it-I believe they needed to be prepared along the way.
And many times, we are not ready to see all of the cards at once. We need to be prepared.
The process he is showing us is that…
He asks the right questions.
He gives the right answers.
And He reveals the right person.
I. We first see, that Jesus asks the right questions.
As we look at the passage beginning with Luke 24:13, we see two of the disciples on their way to the village of Emmaus.
Verse 14;
and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 14:14-16, ESV)
Jesus strolls up beside these two and asks, “What are you two talking about?”
18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” (Luke 24: 18-19a, ESV)
And then they begin to tell him the story of the crucifixion.
Jesus gives them the opportunity to think through all that has happened by asking the right questions.
He asks simple basic questions but they are the right questions.
Many times we get in trouble by over-thinking the issues when we doubt.
Throughout his time on earth, Jesus was always asking such questions.
As a little boy, Jesus asked; “Why were you looking for me?” (Luke 2:49, ESV)
In the storm, he asked, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25, ESV)
To Peter, he asked, “Who do you say that I am” (Luke 9:20, ESV)
Jesus was always asking questions. What questions is he asking you today?
When we doubt, Jesus stirs in our hearts the most basic of questions.
I have mentioned before that I enjoy researching my family tree. As I research, I ask a series of basic questions.
1. What are their names.
2. When did they live
3. Where did they live.
These basic questions can lead me to uncover hundreds of other facts about the person.
1. Their names can lead me to discover marriage records , birth certificates, and who they are related to.
2. When they lived can open the doors to lifestyle, war participation, and dates of other records.
3. Where they lived can bring me to other relatives in the house, what their life was like, and their final resting place.
These simple questions open the way for more answers in a search for the truth.
It is important that we continue to ask the right questions when we doubt.
Jesus asks very simple questions to help the disciples prepare for and know the truth.
He allows them to identify with what is happening before leading them to the truth.
Is there doubt in your life today?
What questions are you asking?
II. While Jesus asks the right questions, he gives the right answers.
After he asks them the questions and they answer
Verse 25
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)
In the midst of their questions, he stops them in their tracks and opens the scriptures to them. He doesn’t just give them a fortune cookie Bible verse; he looks at the entire scriptures.
Verse 27
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
We need more Bible in our life.
Too often we go through life searching for answers when the truth is staring us in the face.
Each year, we hold a designated offering for Gideon’s International, who so faithfully distribute Bibles to anyone who needs one, and have been so generous to provide Bibles for Soldiers.
On their website, they have posted the story of Jack, who life was changed by the reading the Bible.
He wrote:
Somewhere on the border of Oregon and California, I ended up in a motel room and decided there was nothing left in this life worth living for.
I knew there had to be a God, but I didn’t think that He loved me, because no one ever told me He did.
In that motel room, I had a pistol and nothing left in life. I was bitter against law enforcement. I had to blame somebody, and decided I would shoot a policeman.
There was a Gideon Bible on the nightstand beside the bed. I looked at that Bible and hated it. I snatched it up and threw it across the room as hard as I could. It hit the wall and fell to the floor. Then I picked it up and began to read.
For the first time in my life, I cried out to the Lord, “God, if you’re real, don’t play games with me, just help me.” I fell to my knees and started to weep. While I was on that floor weeping, a peace came into my life that I still have to this day.
Reading the Bible can change lives.
Reading the Bible can change your life.
Statistically about 75% of Americans claim to be Christians but only 35% read the Bible once a week.
We are missing this blessed tool for finding answers to today’s problems.
We need to be a people of the book.
We need to be a people who know the right answers.
We need to start our days with study and examining the scriptures—trusting in the whole Bible to give us the answers that we need in our everyday lives.
Are you reading your Bible? Or do you trust in the advice that you hear from a sinful world?
III. We see Jesus how approaches our doubts,
He asks the right questions.
He gives the right answers and
He reveals the right person.
Verse 30;
30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:30-35, ESV)
Only after he had made them think through the questions and explained the scriptures to these disciples did he reveal himself.
This is not to say this is the only way Jesus reveals himself. He does it in numerous ways. But it does remind us that if we are not asking ourselves the questions and if we are not reading and examining the scriptures, we are more likely to miss Jesus when he does reveal himself to us.
In our doubts, Jesus reveals who he is. And as we see who he is, we see that he loves us.
This morning, I want you to hear this message that Jesus loves you.
No matter what you are going through, no matter how you are feeling—Jesus loves you and he died on a cross for you.
Now, why did he die?
He died because all of us—every man, woman and child are sinners. We have all sinned.
The Bible says that the payment of that sin is death. And we all must make that payment.
But Jesus died in our place and if we accept him and his payment we can be free from that debt. We can have life through Christ.
He loves us that much.
He loves you that much.
This morning, you have an opportunity to accept him as your payment. You have an opportunity to trust him as your savior—not just from death and hell, but to give yourself a new life. Jesus said that “[He] came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, ESV)
And that abundant life can begin today, if you trust in him. You don’t have to wait for the moment that you die to have an abundant life, you can have that right here—if you trust in him.
When Jesus revealed himself to his disciples
verse 31
31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. (Luke 24:31, ESV)
Their eyes were opened.
When you doubt, turn to Christ. He will open your eyes. He will remove your doubt.
verse 32 says
32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”(Luke 24:32, ESV)
Your heart will burn within you and there will be no doubt at all when Jesus reveals himself to us.
When you doubt, turn to Christ.
He asks the right questions.
He gives the right answers.
And He reveals the right person.
This morning, Are you questioning the direction that you are to go?
Trust Christ.
Do you need a new revelation today?
Trust Christ.
Are you doubting today?
Trust Christ to reveal himself.
As you trust in him, heaven will come down as the favorite hymn reads:
Oh, what a wonderful wonderful day
Day I will never forget
After I wandered in darkness away
Jesus my savior I met
O what a tender compassionate friend,
He met the need of my heart,
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling
He made all the darkness depart.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross the Savior made me whole
My sins He washed away, and my night He turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.
Amen
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This sermon was first preached at Memorial Chapel, Fort Lee, VA 8 May 2011. All scripture marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S.