READ | SERMON NOTES
SUMMARY l There is a profound reason for Luke telling the story of the road to Emmaus. Of the 12 times Jesus appeared to the disciples before He ascended, Luke only recorded this appearance. Timothy Keller calls it the journey of every Christian.
Have we ever desperately looked for God and not sensed His presence? Or felt utterly let down by God? Here is where the Emmaus journey is a very real one. The two disciples walking to Emmaus were very disappointed and in grief. They had hoped that Jesus would be the redeemer of Israel, but their master had just been crucified. They were in dark confusion as their greatest hope had not come to pass. At some point, we all take a version of that road to Emmaus — when we walk away from our hopes in deep disappointment.
Discipleship lessons on the road to Emmaus
Presence instead of Pronouncement
When Jesus joined the two disciples, He did not begin with the resurrection pronouncement. Instead, He asked what they were discussing and allowed them space to tell their stories and share their pain. Jesus demonstrated the power of being present by walking with them. He honoured their struggles, hurt and disappointment. We too can offer grace and patient empathy to each other on the journey. “We walk alongside others on the road to Emmaus not as victors, not as people with all the answers, but as fellow human beings, fellow sinners, fellow strugglers”. (Tom Chester)
We cannot just declare the triumphs of the resurrection, without a willingness to patiently listen to the pain, doubt and anger of those who have turned away from their own Jerusalem and are now taking their own road to Emmaus.
Revelation and not just Recognition
The eyes of the disciples were kept from recognising Jesus. (v16) God wanted them to see Jesus, not yet with their eyes, but to have their hearts receive a fresh revelation of who Jesus is. Their hearts burned when Jesus talked and opened the scriptures to them. (v32) Only a revelation of God’s word makes hearts burn. The fresh revelation brought them from hopelessness to hopefulness. Jesus is not the type of Messiah who brings political liberation but spiritual liberation. He had to die to spiritually redeem us. His resurrection declares the hope of that redemption. Not even death can separate us from His hope. The disciples thought the cross meant that Jesus was not the Messiah. Instead, the cross and Jesus’s redemption proved that He is the Messiah.
When Jesus broke bread and gave thanks (a sacred act of divine providence), the two disciples suddenly recognised they were with Jesus. The point is that their eyes were not opened to recognise Jesus, until the scriptures were opened to them. The disciples had a short exhilarating recognition of Jesus, but the focus is the deep and burning revelation from Jesus. A deep burning revelation from God’s word is far more important for our spiritual formation than a fleeting recognition of Jesus. The road to Emmaus describes the centrality of God’s word to burning hearts and deep revelation. May God open our heart to His word every day.
There will be times when we cannot see Jesus. Our eyes are prevented from seeing Jesus due to sin, misaligned expectations or because we had not sought the Lord. In our pain and suffering, we can go to His Word and let God open His Word to us so that our hearts will burn with revelation. We begin to see God in ways we have never seen before. Sometimes unwanted storms in our lives may be necessary to reveal the condition of our hearts and the faithfulness of God.
The Journey, more than the Destination
Our discipleship is a faith journey. Historians tell us that Emmaus is not mentioned in any other ancient source. While we do not know where Emmaus was, it is the road to Emmaus that really matters. We need companions and hospitality to one another on the spiritual journey. After the encounter with Jesus, the disciples’ broken hearts were transformed into restored hearts. From tellers of a sad story, they brought back tidings of great joy to Jerusalem. Jesus then appears to the rest of the disciples and gave them the great commission to take repentance and the forgiveness of sins to the nations.
Modern society is obsessed with the destination. But in our Christian discipleship, it is the journey that matters. In fact, it is the journey that determines the destination. When Christ transforms us on the journey, we in turn bless other that we journey with.
May Christ purify, mould and renew us on the journey. When we catch the heart of the Emmaus journey and lean on Christ’s presence, it makes all the difference. May we have burning hearts and opened eyes on the journey, for the glory of the risen Christ whom we worship and serve.
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Study Scripture
a. Read Luke 24:13-35. - Recall Sermon
a. How were the two disciples feeling when they were taking the journey to Emmaus? When was a time you can identify with them?
b. What about the presence of Jesus on the journey which was comforting and reassuring?
c. How did Jesus “open” the Scriptures to the two disciples about who He was? Why is it so important to seek revelation from His Word?
d. Why is it that we often focus on the destination instead of the journey? Why should we appreciate the spiritual journeys we take? - Relate Personally
a. What about the message that really spoke to you?
b. What is one discipleship lesson gleaned from the sermon? - Commit to Action
a. In what ways is God calling you to act in response to the message?
b. What steps will you take this week to apply the lessons learned from the sermon?
