SEVEN MILES TO A PLACE CALLED “FAITH”

Luke 24:13-19

“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”They stood still, their faces down cast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” He asked.

Luke 24: 19-24

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers, handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find the body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just a the women had said, but Him they did not see.”

Luke 24:25-29

“He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.”

“When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There the found the Eleven and those with them assembled together and saying, “ It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.”While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Luke 24: 30-36

I. THE BEGINNING OF FAITH:TWO PEOPLE WALKING SEVEN MILES DOWN

THE ROAD

THE ROAD UPON WHICH THEY WALKED – REPRESENTS THE ROAD OF LIFE UPON WHICH WE ALL WALK!

WHAT THEY WERE FEELING AND EXPERIENCING IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ALL FEEL AND EXPERIENCE!

A LOOK AT THE TWO TRAVELLERS!

1. THEY WERE DISCUSSING AND DISPUTING

2. THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED“…But we had hoped…” Luke 24:31

3. THEY WERE DISILLUSIONED“…we had hoped He would redeem (deliver) Israel” vs. 21

4. THEY WERE UNINFORMED“Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” vs. 27

AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them…” vs. 15

1. JESUS WALKED WITH THEM IN THEIR JOURNEY – BUT THEY DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS HIM

2. JESUS WAS SENSITIVE TO WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING AT THE MOMENT

II. THE BASIS OF FAITH:INFORMATION FOUND IN GOD’S WORD!

1. JESUS CHALLENGED THEIR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

“How foolish you are (uninformed), and how slow of heart TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN….”

II. THE BASIS OF FAITH (cont.)

2. JESUS ASKED THEM A CHALLENGING AND SEARCHING QUESTION:

“DID NOT THE CHRIST HAVE TO SUFFER THESE THINGS AND THEN ENTER HIS GLORY?” VS. 26

III. THE BASIS OF FAITH (cont.)

3. JESUS GAVE TO THEM THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND!

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES CONCERNING HIMSELF.” vs. 27

WHAT DID JESUS TELL THEM?WHERE DO YOU SEE JESUS IN

THE OLD TESTAMENT?

1. ADAM AND EVE – GOD MAKING CLOTHES OF SKIN FOR THEM

2. SACRIFICE OF ISAAC AND GOD’S PROVISION OF A RAM3. PASSOVER LAMB AT THE TIME OF THE EXODUS4. THE BRONZED SERPENT BEING LIFTED UP ON A POLE5. ISAIAH 53 – THE SUFFERING SERVANT

III. THE BIRTH OF FAITH:WHY WAS THIS CONVERSATION WITH JESUS SO IMPORTANT TO THE TWO TRAVELERS?

1. FAITH IS ALWAYS ROOTED IN THE WORD OF GOD!

“FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING COMES BY THE WORD OF GOD.” (Romans 10:17)

THE BIRTH OF FAITH (cont.)WHY WAS THIS CONVRSATION IMPORTANT?

2. THEIR EYES WERE OPENED TO THE TRUTH AND THEY RECOGNIZED WHO JESUS REALLY WAS!

“…THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY RECOGNIZED HIM.” VS.31

THE BIRTH OF FAITH (Cont.)

3. THEY INVITED JESUS IN TO STAY WITH THEM

“As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as though He would go farther. But they urged Him strongly, ‘Stay with us…’, So He went in to stay with them.” vs. 28,29

THE BIRTH OF FAITH (Cont.)

4. THEY WERE CHANGED ON THE INSIDE

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us… and opened the Scriptures to us?” vs. 32

IV. THE BUILDING OF PERSONAL FAITHTHE BUILDING OF PERSONAL FAITH INVOLVES ACTING ON WHAT YOU KNOW IS TRUE.

“They got up and returned to Jerusalem…Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.”

Luke 24:33,35

LESSONS TO REMEMBER

1. GOD DELIGHTS TO JOIN YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE. YOU NEVER HAVE TO WALK ALONE.

2. THE WORD OF GOD IS THE BASIS OF FAITH. KNOWING WHAT GOD HAS SAID IS THE KEY TO KNOWING GOD.

3. WHEN WE INVITE JESUS TO COME INTO OUR LIVES – HE ALWAYS COMES IN – BUT NEVER UNTIL HE IS INVITED!

LESSONS TO REMEMBER

4. WHEN OUR EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED TO THE TRUTH, WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN AND WE WILL BE GLAD TO TELL OTHERS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US!

5. QUESTION: WHAT TRUTH DO I NEED TO ACT ON TODAY?