Sermon
for Easter 3, April 23, 2023
To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins
by His own blood and made us a kingdom and priests to God His Father—to Him be
the glory and the power forever. Amen.
Luke
24:13-35 13Now, on that same day, two of
them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from
Jerusalem. 14They were
talking with each other about all of these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and
discussing this, Jesus himself approached and began to walk along with
them. 16But their eyes were
kept from recognizing him. 17He
said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” Saddened, they stopped. 18One of them, named Cleopas,
answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the
things that have happened there in these days?”
19“What things?” he asked them. They replied, “The things concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all
the people. 20The chief
priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. 21But we were hoping that he was
going to redeem Israel. Not only that,
but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Also some women of our group
amazed us. They were at the tomb early
in the morning. 23When they
did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision
of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some
of those who were with us went to the tomb.
They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see
him.” 25He said to them, “How
foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken! 26Did not the Christ
have to suffer these things and to enter his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and
all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures
concerning himself. 28As they
approached the village where they were going, he acted as if he were going to
travel farther. 29But they
urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, since it is almost evening, and the
day is almost over.” So he went in to
stay with them. 30When he
reclined at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and
began giving it to them. 31Suddenly
their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Were
not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and
while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
33They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those who were with
them assembled together. 34They
were saying, “The Lord really has been raised!
He has appeared to Simon.” 35They
themselves described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized
him when he broke the bread. (EHV)
By His resurrection and His Word, Jesus cures
confusion.
Dear travelers heading
for home,
As we look back to this event on that first Easter Sunday
evening, we see two disciples walking away from Jerusalem in hopeless despair
and confusion. They no longer felt a
need to be with their fellow believers.
They had seen their Messiah die and their hopes and dreams dashed at the
cross.
As the
two men walked toward home, they talked about the events that had transpired
over the weekend, as guys will do. The
Greek word is graphic—apparently, their discussion leaned toward an argument as
they tossed ideas back and forth. You
can about imagine what some of the accusations might have been. What happened to Jesus’ plan? Was Jesus really who He claimed to be? Where did He go wrong? Why did the scribes and Pharisees hate Jesus
so much? What could we have done to help
Jesus defend himself from the Jewish elite and the Roman soldiers? Friend, why did you run and hide? Well, who are you to point the finger at
me? Now what do we do? And, what about those strange reports from
the women? Could someone have stolen
Jesus’ body from the grave? But
why? And who would have the courage to
challenge the Roman guards?
They
don’t sound like a confident pair of Christian disciples, do they? Of course, then, how about us? How does the world see us? Are we bold and courageous in the face of
calamity? Is our confidence in Jesus readily
apparent? Can we stand up to the enemies
who mock our beliefs in Jesus? Are we
ready to die rather than betray Christ?
Or do we walk away when challenges arise?
Dear
friends, we could go on and on with questions that point out how I sin, how you
sin, how our children are weak in the faith, and how others falter when it
comes to following Christ, but the truth is there is often very little
difference between us and those two disciples arguing on the road to
Emmaus. They walked away when it looked
like all was lost. They saw the disaster
of Jesus’ death and felt embarrassment for following the One who died on the
cross. Even when the firsthand reports
came to them that Jesus had risen from the grave and lives, they didn’t believe
it. Do we?
Quietly
and unobtrusively, Jesus entered the conversation of His two struggling
followers. He met them right where they
were at, in all their sorrow, confusion, and grief. Jesus marveled at how confused His followers
remained and how quickly they had abandoned His promises. He said to them, “How foolish you are and
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these
things and to enter his glory?”
Jesus met
the two men where they were, but where did Jesus take them? Right back into God’s Word. When Cleopas and his companion looked back at
Sometimes,
we will run into people like those two men who want to argue about Jesus and
our faith. We will run into mockers who
think a dead Jesus isn’t worth believing in.
Of course, that would be right, except Jesus isn’t dead—He lives! That is the message we need to be proclaiming
in the foothills, and mountains, and out on these plains. Jesus lives!
Christ is risen! He is risen
indeed! His victory is won! God took your sins and mine, put them on His
Son, and destroyed Satan’s power to accuse us, for Jesus went to that cross
holy and innocent in God’s eyes except for the sins He carried for you and
me. For all those sins we commit every
day, Jesus died, but He didn’t stay dead.
Now, if Jesus
hadn’t risen from the dead, or hadn’t shown Himself to numerous eyewitnesses,
we would be headed to hell along with every mocker and slanderer out
there. But dear people, that’s not the
end of Jesus’ story. He rose from the
grave. The salvation God planned for all
who had sinned against Him is accomplished.
Those who are walking away from Jerusalem and Jesus’ death need to hear
what God promised and how Jesus fulfilled it, because By His resurrection
and His Word, Jesus cures confusion.
Like for
those two men on the road to Emmaus, there is much trouble, confusion, hatred, and
evil in our world, as well, and many people look for quick fixes and law based
answers to try to make things right and coerce people to be good. However, for true hope and true peace, we
need to stick with what Jesus used—the plain Scriptures of our God and the
promise of His grace. Instead of writing
off the confused because of their sin, let’s tell them again and again what
Jesus did for them, how He carried their guilt, suffered and died their death,
and rose again on the third day to live and reign and give life everlasting to all
who believe in Him. Let’s remind each
other often of Jesus’ love and resurrection.
If your
children aren’t excited to come to church, realize that it’s because they are sinners
like all the rest of us, but then, show them how excited you are to have a
Savior who took away your sins, and theirs too.
When they don’t love their memory work, remind them how much you love
knowing what Jesus did for you. When
your neighbors or your professors mock your belief in the creation, don’t bother
arguing; just tell them of the love God demonstrated by the sacrifice His Son
made for you and for your enemies. Go
with Jesus once more to the
Take a
look at what happened when Jesus opened the Scriptures to those two men; as
soon as their eyes were opened to the truth, they remembered how their hearts
burned as He spoke. The Holy Spirit was
working in them by the Word of the Almighty, changing them from scared
deserters into bold proclaimers of the Gospel.
Once they realized that Jesus truly is alive, those two men ran back to
Jerusalem to tell other scared and grieving disciples the Good News.
Fellow
members of God’s household, sometimes we get caught in a trap of thinking that
we have to change something in our church or our worship to entice others to be
with us. Sometimes, we don’t speak
because we think we might say the wrong thing or be mocked because we go
against what the world around us thinks.
Sometimes, we think we have to defend God and Jesus by arguing with the
mockers. None of that changes the
heart. However, we do have something
that can change even the most stubborn rejector of God.
We don’t have to fight with our neighbor who doesn’t
believe. We don’t have to shame anyone
into coming to church. We simply need to
believe with our whole heart that Jesus lives, and our sins are forgiven, and
when Jesus breaks bread with us, we see how He gave His body and blood so that
we can truly live. Don’t underestimate
the power of that Good News for yourselves.
Jesus lives! Victory is won for
you. Your sins are forgiven. No matter what trouble or disaster you might
have here on earth, you have a home in heaven.
Don’t be afraid to claim it. Your
Savior, Jesus, has opened the gates of heaven to you and to everyone who
believes in Him. It’s waiting there for
you, and so is your heavenly Father, with His arms open wide longing to hold
you forever.
Dear friends, you have the best news anyone,
believer or unbeliever alike, can ever hear: Jesus paid with His life for every
sin that would have kept anyone out of heaven.
Yet, He lives and reigns forever.
So, whenever you see someone you hope God will save, don’t be afraid to
tell them the truth. Your witness
doesn’t have to be complicated, just tell them what you know: that God promised
to send a Savior, and Jesus did everything that was needed to complete God’s
promises. Jesus died for you and for all
sinners, but He lives! He was buried,
but He rose from the grave to live and never die! Pray for your lost neighbors, but when given
the opportunity, tell them that Jesus lives!
Jesus rose from His grave victorious over death and the devil! We have over five hundred eyewitnesses to
this truth. No honest court could ever
deny Jesus’ victory.
From this moment forward, may the Holy Spirit
strengthen you to live the best, most joyous life ever! Christ is risen! Your sins are forgiven. By His resurrection and His Word, Jesus
cures confusion. Alleluia! Amen.
The
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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