7 Mile:

Good News for Sad and Searching People

Luke 24

What an amazing chapter. We could just keeping singing now. But let’s try to unfold some of the glory of this chapter. This is our last week of our mini-study in Luke. We have been looking at Jesus’ ministry to people; how he befriended tax collectors, prostitutes, etc; and how we tells us to practice hospitality to outsiders. Luke 24 is about the resurrection. Jesus eats with his disciples after he rose from the dead, and there are many encouraging themes in this text. Hostility or Curiosity

Nate and I had breakfast with Luke wisely last week. Luke was a member here until he left to do a PhD at Cambridge. He was telling us about sharing the Gospel with his fellow students. We were discussing the fact that not all non-believers are hostile to the Gospel. Some are indifferent, and some are curious. He told us about several conversations that he has had at "the whiskey club" and on the rowing team. Several individuals have ask him questions because he is the only one studying humanities, and they’re intrigued. Many are studying Robotics, Mathematics, and other disciplines. They ask him, “So what is that you believe and why do you believe?” As he was telling us these stories it reminded me of our study. We say that effective outreach involves “ordinary people doing ordinary things with Gospel intentionality.” That’s what Luke is doing.

The Book of Luke

Luke: Friend of Theophilus

It also reminded me of the Gospel writer, Luke. Notice the opening of this Gospel. Luke is writing this Gospel to a friend, named Theophilus. The book of Acts is part 2. Notice it. (Read them) So Luke is writing about Jesus. He is explaining to his friend, Theophilus, whose name means “friend of God,” about Jesus. Luke gives us an example of what it looks like to be a friend of sinners. We don’t know what Theophilus did. He could have been a Roman governor, a financial backer, or simply a friend. We have his name, but not his resume. Regardless, Luke illustrates love. He takes time to sit down and write a letter to talk about Jesus to this guy. He wants Theophilus to truly be a friend of God through Jesus. Friends Not Just Friendly

There is a difference in being “friendly with sinners” and being a “friend of sinners.” Friendship means welcome, relationship, time, attention.... Do you have a Theophilus?

Last weekend I was preaching in Peoria for a hero in ministry, Bryan Chapell, author of Christ-Centered Preaching. He pastors a church called Grace Presbyterian. He asked me to come and do four sermons on Hospitality Evangelism, particularly the sermon on Luke 14. He urged me to challenge his folks. It’s a church of about 1500 people with the average age

at 66. After I got finished with the four talks, the MC of the event was doing some application, which I thought would be helpful to do here at IDC. They challenged their

people by June 1 to do hospitality outreach in some way – barbeque, board game, coffee, etc. And he told them to write it down; then to share it with someone. I want to be that specific this morning. Who are reaching out to? How are you going to do it? The purpose of this series is for us to apply it. So let me encourage you to write it down and share it with

your growth group.

Luke 24 Overview

From Sadness to Joy

In Luke 24, Jesus takes the time to walk 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus with two disciples. Some of you are familiar with Eminem’s 8 Mile, a movie named after a well known area in Detroit. This is 7 Mile, and in this account we find Good News for Sad people. Notice their sadness in verses 17, 21. Then notice how the chapter ends “with great joy” (v. 52). How can you go from sadness to joy? The resurrection. The empty tomb changes everything! Many people only reflect on the resurrection at Easter or at the end of their life – we hear about it at funeral services. But these shouldn’t be the only times. Don’t just die on resurrection truth, live on it!

From Searching to Answers

People in this chapter are not only sad, but they start off searching – they go to the tomb, they bat around questions in their head about the possibility of a resurrection. Their hopes are dashed, but then they find purpose and meaning when they see the resurrected Christ.

How about you? Do you need to soar with joy? Do you need to know where meaning is found? Then let us take a trip down 7 Mile. We find that it comes in “believing the Good news.”

3 Exhortations Concerning the Good News

1. Believe the Good News About the Empty Tomb: Jesus is the Risen King (24:1-12)

As we read the account of the resurrection, we find several “proofs” (to use Luke’s words to Theophilus) regarding the resurrection. Why is it that we should believe?

It does require belief (this concept runs throughout the chapter), but it’s a reasonable belief. It's a leap into the light, not a leap into the dark. Let me mention a few of those proofs in this chapter in hopes that it my either build your faith as a Christian, or it may cause you to think deeply about Christianity if you’re not a Christian.

A. You Must Deal with the Empty Tomb

• The ladies come to the tomb with their spices (1-3). They find the stone, but that don’t

find Jesus. Why? He gone! The angels confirm this (4-6). Then they tell them that this is

consistent with the rest of Scripture and Jesus’ teaching (6-7).

• The ladies then go back and tell it to the eleven and to the rest (9); among this group was

Mary Magdalene.

• Notice “they seemed like ‘idle tale’ and they did not believe.’” We’ll get to that in a

moment.

• In verse 12, Peter looks in and sees that the tomb is empty.

• Now, I don’t want to rehearse all of the possible suggestions for what happened to the

body of Jesus, but when you consider the possibilities they simply don’t make sense. Jews

stole his body? Why wouldn’t they show it? Disciples stole it? Why would they die for it

and boldly proclaim it? Dogs ate it? Please. This was all done publically – public

execution, and placed in a well known grave. Hallucinations? He appeared to over 500 at

different places. The most reasonable conclusion is that Jesus rose from the grave.

• You say, “People don’t rise from the dead.” Exactly. That’s why it’s a big deal. This is

a game changer.

B. You Must Deal with the Historical Validity of the Account

• This story, like the other Gospel accounts bears all the marks of history writing, not

legend writing.

• Richard Bauchem in his book Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, explains the four Gospels are

closely based on eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus. He tells us that if you

study ancient historiography, you understand that this passage does not AT ALL

resemble a legend. Mark bears all the marks of an ancient historian.

• Ancient historians gave more weight to still living eyewitnesses than written documents

or any other source of proof.

• “Eyewitnesses were always the source of choice for history.”

• Luke doesn’t write like a legend writer, where an omniscient author stands outside of the

event and explains; instead he gets details from those inside the event and reports. Why

the stuff about “fish and chips?” Why some of the details that seem to not need to be

there? Because it’s an eye witnesses account.

• One of the intriguing things the writers do is drop names. And historians point out that

these are like “footnotes.” These are still living eyewitnesses, like Cleopas, whom you

could talk to.

• What some want to do is spiritualize the story and just say that these stories symbolize

something else; they illustrate some deeper meaning. John Crossan says, “Emmaus never

happened. Emmaus always happened.” In other words, we are take away the virtues of

the story – faith and love. But don’t take it seriously. But why these details? Because it

happened.

C. You Must Deal with the Women

• You wouldn’t make women as the eyewitnesses… unless it happened like this.

• Further proof, Celsus, a Greek pagan philosopher, in 2nd

century was very against

Christianity. Here was one of his main arguments: One of the reasons, we know that it

can’t be true is that it is based on the testimony of women! He said, “We all know

women are hysterical.” Celsus referred to “the gossip of women about the empty tomb.”

Why did he say this? IN ancient cultures, women were marginalized.

• Further, Mary Magdalene, was not only a woman (most Marys are!) she was a formerly

demon-possessed women! She heads the list in all four Gospels. If the account was

fabricated, you would not have this lady as your witness – unless it happened!

D. You Must Deal with the Skepticism of the Disciples

• Often I hear people say, “Well, people in the first century were more likely to believe

than us. Primitive people believed in miracles. They were more gullible.” Really?

• Notice that no one in this story was anticipating the resurrection, even though Jesus had

told them about it previously – more than once! The women go to anoint the body; the

disciples aren’t expecting it. In verse 11, they think “it’s an idle tale.”

• They were just as skeptical as modern man, and maybe more so. Greek and Romans

didn’t believe in Resurrection. They believed that you needed to be separated from your

body. Jewish people believed in a final resurrection when the entire world was

resurrection, not many believed in a personal, bodily resurrection. It was all pretty vague

for many.

• If you think that humanity has changed, you’re wrong. C.S. Lewis says you are guilty of

chronological snobbery. They were just as unlikely if not more to believe.

E. You Must Deal with Jews Worshiping Jesus as God

• No Jew would worship a man as God. They won’t even write the name of God. Yet, how

do you explain these Jewish disciples worshiping Jesus? How do yup explain Paul's

conversion? And it doesn’t happen gradually; it’s instantaneous.

• The resurrection was an paradigm shattering fact.

Applications

• For my non-Christian friends, will you consider these things? Some want to say that

"Christians just believe what they've been told... They should examine...” So should

the skeptic. That goes both ways. To my skeptical friends, don’t believe what you’ve

been told. Have the intellectual integrity to examine these things.

• For my Christian friends,

o Realize that our hope is not built on some myth. But something that happened

in human history.

o Find encouragement in the dark moments of your life in the empty tomb.

• Paul write to Timothy saying, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (2

Tim 2:8). Keep remembering.

• In Luke 14, Jesus said that when you practice hospitality, remember that you

will be repaid at “the resurrection of the just.”

• Paul told the Corinthians that because of the resurrection, their labor is not in

vain (1 Cor 15:58). The empty tomb gives us great joy and great purpose. 2. Believe the Good News Found in All the Scripture: Jesus is the Long Expected King

(24:13-35)

Jesus calls himself “the Christ” twice – verses 26, and 46. He is the Messiah or King that has been promised in the Hebrew Scriptures. His Bible study takes place on this Road to Emmaus. Let me break it down in four parts.

A. The Basic Problem: Jesus Didn’t Fulfill Their Expectations (13-21)

So these two guys are journeying back to Emmaus when a stranger joins them.

Walking makes for good conversations. When Kimberly and I were married, I discovered that walking was a good way to reflect on the day, so we walked after I got home from the office. Walking is a good way to pray. Take a hike with Jesus. Notice in verse 14 that they were talking about the things that “happened.” This is history not just mere human invention.

In verse 16, Luke says, “there eyes were kept from recognizing him” (16). That’s a way to say that God kept them from recognizing him. While the body of Jesus is glorious, the story shows us that he was recognizable. But they can’t see right now. In his grace, God opens up our eyes. Notice verse 31, “their eyes were opened.” And flip back to Luke 18:34. Luke writes that they didn’t understand. We need God to open up our eyes to the truth, we should say, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Ps 118:23) In verse 17, Jesus asks them what they’re talking about and we read that they were “sad.” Cleopas asks, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know what has happened?” (18). Ironically, He’s the only one in Jerusalem who does know what has

happened! They basically ask him, “Have you been under a rock?!” Jesus goes along with them “What things?” They report on Jesus. They says, “He was from Nazareth. He was a prophet. His miracles were amazing. His teaching was fresh, not like the Scribes. But then he was crucified, and all our hopes have been crushed. It has been three days since then. In verse 22-24, shows us that they still had a thread of hope. They are puzzled by the report of the women. They women were reporting that the tomb was empty.

B. The Big Picture: Jesus is the Hero of the Bible (25-27)

This pair had a hard time putting crucifixion, resurrection, and Messiah together. Everyone expected Messiah to come and overthrow all the enemies. But Jesus died on a cross. And kings don’t die on a cross. So Jesus has to explain things.

He starts out with “Foolish ones!” (25). He says, “You are a little slow on the uptake.” Don’t you realize that the Old Testament told you what you should expect?

Circle the word “all.” In every part of the Bible, one can find the Messiah. Notice verse 44 – “the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings.” These are the three divisions that the Hebrews used for dividing up the OT. In all of these, Jesus says, “I have fulfilled the expectations, and the promises.”

• It sounds like Paul later before Agrippa, “I stand here testifying both to small and great,

saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ

must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both

to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22b-23). Paul says “I’m just believing the

message of the Bible.”

Here’s the basic logic: apart from the resurrection, you can’t understand the cross. But when you pair the cross and the resurrection together, the whole Bible opens up to you. You can understand it all now. D.A. Carson illustrates with the conversion of Saul. He asks:

“What was Paul’s perspective before he was converted?... For him, the notion of a

crucified Messiah was a contradiction in terms…. But now on the Damascus Road Saul meets

the resurrected, glorified Jesus…. If Jesus were alive and glorified, then somehow his death on

the cross did not prove he was damned. Far from it: the claim of believers that God had raised

him from the dead, and that they had seen him, must be true – and that could only mean that God

vindicated Jesus. Then what on earth did his death mean?”

Carson continues:

If Jesus was under the curse of God when he died, yet was vindicated by God himself, he

must have died for others. Somehow his death absorbed the righteous curse of God that was due

others and canceled it out. In that light, the entire Hebrew Scriptures looked different. Was it not

written that a Suffering Servant would be wounded for our transgressions… Does the death of

countless lambs and bulls really take away sin? Or do we need a, as it were, a human “lamb of

God,” a human “Passover Lamb?” ….

Carson goes on to ask what about the tabernacle and the temple? And what about the

promise to Abraham that all the nations will be blessed?… And then Carson says,

“Grant that Jesus is alive and vindicated, and everything changes.” (For the Love of God,

July 22). When Paul met the resurrected Christ, he understood the cross, and when he understood

the two together, the whole Bible made sense.

• The Big Picture is this: the whole Bible points to Jesus, the long expected Messiah.

He is the hero of the Bible. Jesus teaches these disciples – and us – how to read our

Bibles.

This is a big subject and I can’t get into the whole debate…

• Our statement of faith puts it like this: "All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is

Himself the focus of divine revelation."

• It is possible to know Bible stories but miss The Story of the Bible. It is possible to

read Hebrew (like the Pharisees) and miss the story of the Bible (John 5:39). It’s

possible to know all about the Showbread, and where the rocks came from to build

the temple, but miss the story of the Bible.

• Jesus is showing us the big picture here. And he’s saying, “It’s all about me.” All of it.

• Qualifer: I’m not saying that every verse is about Jesus. We shouldn’t go to Joshua 2:1

and say, “Oh that’s about Jesus.” No, what Jesus is saying is essentially this: All the

plot lines converge on Me. All of the themes of salvation converge on me.

• Guys like Tim Keller, D.A. Carson, and John Piper all affirm that it’s impossible to

read an earlier part of Scripture without the end in mind. It’s kind of like the

movie the Sixth Sense. The first time you watch it you don’t realize what’s going on

until the end. Then you realize, “Oh, Bruce Willis is dead.” Then you go back and you

say, “Oh, I see now.” The Gospel is you read the story and the hero isn’t dead but

alive. You then go back to read the earlier parts and it makes sense. (HT: Keller)

• James Hamilton says: “The Old Testament is a Messianic document, written from a

Messianic perspective, to sustain a Messianic hope.” And Jesus is saying “Hope is

here.”

We read with the cross and resurrection in view: “The entire Bible pivots on one weekend

in Jerusalem about two thousand years ago." (D.A. Carson) Application:

• Church: Some call this a Christ-centered reading of the Bible, or a Christotelic reading; that

is, reading with this ultimate purpose of the Bible in view. We are deeply committed to this

at Imago Dei. We are committed to opening up Scripture, teaching it, and pointing people to

the hero of the Bible.

• We take Paul’s approach, “Him we proclaim” (Col 1:28)

• We want to keep the Life-changer at the heart of every sermon.

• If you don’t it’s just information transfer; we are after worshipful

transformation.

• Christian: Read the Bible and examine both the trees and the forest. Study the Bible not

merely to learn principles, but to learn Christ. Study to see the nature of God who provides

redemption, and the nature of man who needs redemption. You’re Bible reading should

make you love Jesus more.

• Non-Christian: The Bible is a unified story. It is not a loose collection of stories and

sayings. It does contain 66 books, but they are all pointing us to the Savior. If you are

skeptical, let me encourage you to read, come to worship, and keep the big picture in view.

Don’t get lost on issues like dinosaurs, if Adam had a belly button, or whatever. Keep your

eye on the Messiah.

C. A Burning Passion (28-35)

We might break down what happens next into four parts:

i. Invitation (28-30)

• So they invite Jesus to stay with them. The word for “urged him strongly” is used

by Luke regarding Lydia, in the book of Acts, when she urged the Paul and the

others to stay at her house after she believed.

• It’s probably getting late, and it’s dangerous, and these guys are interested. So they

invite Jesus in.

• Verse 30: Jesus accepts the invitation and proceeds to take over the meal. Have

you ever had a guest that takes over your kitchen? They just start cooking and

serving as the host? That’s my father-in-law. I’m happy about it, though. He’s a

great cook. He loves to host. He’s famous for saying, “more eggs over here guys.

More sausage here.” Well, Jesus takes over the meal in their house.

• This was actually common. They would often ask the guest to say the blessing and

break the bread. The language reflects Luke 22:19.

• On this occasion, they recognize Jesus as he is breaking the bread.

ii. Recognition (31)

• Their eyes are opened. And he was made known through the breaking of the bread.

Was it the scars in his hands? Was it the way he broke the bread? Perhaps. We

don’t know on a human level how this worked, but what he do know is that God

opened up their eyes to know Jesus. And it was through the breaking of the bread.

It was at a table. I think that’s significant.

• Application: Jesus appeared in the ordinariness of life. He just resurrected, but

how is it that his presence and grace was made known? Through preaching the

Bible and breaking the bread. We can do the same. And we can experience the

power of Christ in the same ways.

• This isn’t sensational; it’s all very ordinary, but it’s also extraordinary. My greatest

moments have been around a meal and sitting under the teaching of the word –

don’t underestimate these acts.

iii. Impression (32)

• Verse 32 is one of my favorite verses. They sort of say to themselves, “Wasn’t our

hearts burning as he was teaching?” Something was happening to them as Christ

taught them the Bible.

• Then he vanishes. There is mystery here. The new body is recognizable but

different. But let’s not get lost in that for now.

• Think about this burning passion in their hearts.

• My friends, this is the goal. Jonathan Edwards said that the goal of preaching and

teaching is not just explanation, but impression. The goal is not just to make the

truth clear, but to make it real. In other words, true proclamation affects our

hearts.

• Application:

o When you come to your personal Bible study, come with this attitude: Burn

your truth into my heart! Fill me a fresh with passion!

o When you come to corporate worship, come with this attitude.

Don’t come as a judge and critic to the study of Scripture

Don’t come as a consumer, looking to be entertained and have your wish

dreams fulfilled

Don’t come as a casual observer

Don’t come as an indifferent bystander

o Come like this: “Give me the Book. God, show me yourself in your Word.

Show me my sin and need. And show me our Savior. Burn in my heart.”

o Notice they burning is over the truth in the Scriptures not the teacher

himself (though he was important!).

iv. Celebration (33-35)

• So what happens next is that they have to tell someone.

• This pair is kind of funny. They remind me of the four guys in 2 Kings 7, “This is

the day of good news.” We must go tell it. Evangelism has been described as one

beggar telling another beggar where to find food.

• But I feel a bit sorry for them. After they finally put the pieces together, Jesus

vanishes! Then as they go to tell it, someone steal their thunder. He already

appeared to Peter by the time they went all the way back to Jerusalem!

• You can imagine them saying, “So how should we tell them?” Should we be

discrete? Should we say, “Guess who we had dinner with?” Or should we just

go right in, “He’s alive!” But they get there, and the disciples say, “It’s true!

He’s alive!” And they’re like, “Aw man, that was our story.”

• But the reality is the resurrection wasn’t just their story, it was everyone’s story.

And the same is true now, “this is our story. This is our song.”

• We don’t know how everything happened here. Did they sit around and share

stories. Did the ladies say, “See we told you!” Did they order a pizza? (Should

we go pick it up or should we have the donkey bring it? (Ht: Begg).

• But one thing is for sure, they celebrated! Sadness gave way to joy.

3. Proclaim the Good News to the Nations: Jesus is the King of the Glory and Grace (36-

52)

For the sake of time, let me move quickly through this last section briefly.

A. Jesus Gives Us Hope for the Future (36-43)

Jesus appears again, and says to them, “Peace to you!” The disciples are alarmed, and thus, Jesus tells the disciples to not be troubled but to see and touch. He is physically present. We believe in a bodily resurrection. Notice verse 41, what a curious little phrase “disbelieving for joy.” It was too good to be

true! Can this really be? Kent Hughes says, "They were in the wacky state of giddy disbelief—like football fans whose team just scored as time ran out to win the game." In other words, they were like Auburn fans. I could listen to that announcer all day... Jesus then asks them for some fish. You can work up an appetite rising from the dead and walking 7 miles! And he ate it. Luke is pressing on us again, the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Application: For everyone searching for hope, notice what that this passage (and the rest of the Bible) shows us about the future (Ht: Keller). Why were they giddy with joy? They're view of the future changed.

i. The future is there. Something really happens when you die.

• You don’t just become plant food when you die. You don’t just become part

of the circle of life, you know, fertilizer.

• You don’t just cease to exist. There is a future. Epicurus said when you die,

then that’s it. So don’t be afraid. Wrong.

• Some people believed in an afterlife, but it was shadowy, and vague.

• But if you talk to the eyewitnesses, they would tell you that the future is

there.

ii. The future is personal.

• Jesus shows us that relationships continue.

• This is hopeful. The one thing people do not want is to lose their loved ones.

And the resurrection says in Christ, we don’t.

• Jesus knows the disciples after the resurrection. He says, “It is me. Touch me.

Look at my wounds.”

iii. The future is certain.

• How can we know it’s certain? This is important. You can be told that the

future exists and that it’s personal, but you can’t be sure. It won’t comfort

you if you can be sure of it.

• Luther said suffering is intolerable if you aren’t certain of your salvation.

• How do we know? Because Jesus rose from the dead! He is our guarantee –

we are in Him. Paul said we have been raised with him. He also says that

Jesus is the firstfruits. His resurrection ensures all believers that they too will

be raised from the dead.

iv. The future is unimaginably wonderful.

• Life doesn’t end when you die. You can know that your future is certain and

that it is unimaginably wonderful.

• Everything we have always longed for we will know.

• This life is as close to hell that we will have. Soon, we will be with Christ. And

if we fast forward to the final part of the Bible, we find that glory is coming.

• “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of

glory beyond all comparison.”

• The resurrection is more than consolation for what you’ve lost; it’s the

restoration of what you lost. You don’t just get the body you had back, you

get the body you always wanted back. You don’t just get your life back, you

get the life you always wanted back (Keller).

• You will miss nothing. There will be a wedding (for those who never get

married, or have been in bad marriage); restoration is coming. The future is

unimaginably wonderful.

No one can offer this hope to people. And it’s based on the historicity of the resurrection.

Don’t you want this?

B. Jesus Gives Us a Mission that Matters (44-49)

Jesus does another Bible study, reiterating what he just said to the Emmaus disciples. The Bible focuses on the Messiah (44). Then “he opened their minds” (45) – there’s another theme reiterated; God opens up our eyes. Then we read of the mission. Here it is:

ii. What We Proclaim (46-47)

• It’s from the Scriptures, “it is written”

• It’s about the Son – his crucifixion and resurrection. In the book of Acts the

resurrection dominates the preaching of the apostles. That message turned the

world upside down.

• It’s involves a call to repentance – turning from sin to a life of righteousness

• It’s an offer of total forgiveness in Jesus

ii. To Whom We Proclaim It (47)

• We proclaim the good news to the nations!

• From Buffalo to Bangladesh.

• Last week: Pastor Dan’s dad became a believer. He was embarrassed by his son

when he wanted to go into the ministry. He told everyone that his son worked for

NASA. But then he became a believer and Dan baptized him. His dad is still a

little rough around the edges, he even asked if he could be baptized in his

Budweiser shorts. And later if they could sell beer at the Bills games to raise

money for the new building. But what a story.

iii. The Power by Which We Proclaim It (49)

It also fascinates and challenges me when I read this. The disciples had the best three-year

degree they could have, but they lacked something: power.

What do we need to proclaim the good news to our friends? We need the Spirit’s power.

The King of Glory (50-53)

Finally, the story ends with the ascension of Jesus and the joy of the disciples. It started

with sadness, but it ends in joy.

Some have interpreted over the years that Psalm 24 is speaking of the ascension; of how all

of heaven’s host welcomed Him back. “Who is this King of glory?... Open up the doors, that

the King of glory may come in.”

Jesus is the King to end all Kings. He has conquered our greatest enemies of sin and death;

He is the promised King of the Old Testament; and He is the King of the Nations; the King

of glory and Grace.

How to respond to the King?

• Trust Him.

• Adore Him.

• Ask Great Things of Him.

• Obey Him.

Let’s tell our friends about this King.