Luke 24:13-32 Burning Hearts

Intro: We are all familiar w/ the Easter Morning Story of How Mary & the Other women who came to the Tomb

A) Found it was Empty

  1. But In the Passage we are going to look at TODAY – we have an Easter Afternoon Story !!!

C) It is the story of two men who had lost hope / Two men

who at one time had burning hearts for Jesus –

    1. But Who’s Fire had gone out because of the events that had taken place

Perhaps you can relate to these two men:

  1. Maybe you are sitting here today – thinking back to a time when your hearts was once burning for the Lord
  2. but that Fire has grown Cold – It has Dwindled or Perhaps gone out altogether

C) In the Book of Rev. Jesus spoke of a Church that had Left it’s first Love – Much Activity – Knowledge – but – Lost Passion

D)Maybe that is a good description of Your life – Once on fire for

the Lord – today – Distracted & Complacent

Perhaps you are here today - Lost all Hope – Your Life has been filled w/ one Disappointment & FAILURE after another –

  1. These things have left you DISCOURAGED & DEFEATED
  2. If you are in either of those places today - Take heart this story is for You!!!!

C) Because it is also a Story of HOW these two men had the Fire

Re -Ignited & their Hope restored –

1) through this encounter the Risen Lord

 

As we consider this story this Morning – I want us to note

THREE things :

1st – Reasons they had lost Hope & Reason the Fire went out

2nd Reason that Jesus Drew near to them

3rd – Result of this Encounter

1st – Reasons they had Lost Hope: Note 2 things : Read V.13-24

So here are these two men – Leaving Jerusalem on that First Easter morning 7 mile walk – heading toward Emmaus –

  1. As they walk their hearts are Heavy – faces are sad but they are talking about Jesus –
  2. NOTE As they are talking about Him – He joins them / 2 or more are Gathered in my Name there in the Mist – Here today
  1. When he joined these men they didn’t Recognize Him. At First

Jesus asks them - Why are you guys SAD !!!-

  1. One named Cleopas answers are you a Stranger – don’t know the things gone on here recently
  2. Love Jesus response – WHAT THINGS ? – Tell me !!
  3. Question – Did Jesus Not Know ? Of Course He Knew – He

    4. Lived through these things

     

  4. Question – Did Jesus Not Know ? Of Course He Knew – He

Lived through these things

D) But this REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING

  1. 1) It REMINDED me that Jesus loves for me to talk over w/

Him things that He already knows about

E)EXAMPLE: Parents when one of your kids starts telling you

what they Learned in Sunday School

1)Now You already Know the Story – but you Love hearing it

from their Perspective

F)Jesus is the Same Way – He knows what is going on in Your

Life but He loves to hear – You talk to Him about it

1) Reminded of that this week – Heart was Heavy – Just started

talking to the Lord – voicing my Frustration

G)There wasn’t any real answer – but I sensed his pleasure – open & honest w/ Him – It is about time you talked to be about this

1) My heart that was HEAVY became Light

But Jesus loves for us to tell Him about the things going on in our Lives

 

So Jesus says what things – They Proceed to tell him how Jesus was Delivered up to be Crucified

Note : V. 21 – First Reason they had lost Hope

21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
  1. The FIRST Reason they had lost Hope was Because Jesus didn’t do what they had Expected Him to Do !!!
  2. They were looking for a Redemption from the Romans / but He didn’t follow their plan in setting up a Kingdom
  3. They had seen him take the 5 loaves & two fish & MIRACOUSLY feed the 5,000
  1. They thought this is awesome the AGE OF HUNGER is over

FIRE BEGAN TO BURN IN THEIR HEARTS

  1. They had seen the Blind Receive their sight / the Lame men walking & remembered the Prophecy of Isa.

Isa. 35: 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

  1. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing.

 

They had seen those type of things happen - & THE FIRE BURNED STRONGER - /

  1. Until it was like a BLAZING INFERNO – when at the very beginning of this week they saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem

    2.  

     

  2. Crowds lined the Road & the People were Shouting – Hosanna = SAVE NOW – BLESSED IS HE ……LORD
  1. These men must have thought – Here we go the show is on the Road – it will only be a Matter of Time

C) They were fully expecting HIM to set up a KINGDOM and to drive the ROMANS out – Redeem Israel from that Great oppressor

 

 

But that didn’t happen – instead of Grabbing a Sword & sounding the Cry / CHARGE !!!!!

  1. He Humbly Submitted Himself into the Hands of the enemy & allowed them to nail Him to a CROSS
  2. They must have thought – this is not How it is supposed to Happen – He was not supposed to Die!!!
  1. Watched Him from the Cross - / heard the Mockings of the People – Saved others Save YOURSELF
  1. Silently prayed – Save yourself – call for a Legion of Angels – come down show your Power
  1. But then they heard his final Cry & saw Him bow His head & Breath His last BREATH
  1. And because JESUS didn’t meet their expectations UNBELIEF filled their hearts & And Because of Unbelief – they lost Hope

Hope is one of the most Blessed Capacities that God has Given to man

  1. See God Knew that Life here would at times be tough we would experience Difficulties & Circumstances that would make life hard

So He Gave us the Capacity to Hope !!!!

B) Hope is a Beautiful Gift from God / times get bad we hope they get Better

1) Drought we hope for rain / Severe Storm we Hope for

  1. Sunshine Again

C)Sick We hope that soon feel Better / Severe Accident We hope

for Survivors

Hope is that Capacity that Enables us to take that Next step go the Distance / Keep on Trying

Hope is that Capacity that God has given to us that Sustains us through many Difficult times

But How Tragic it is when a Person Becomes Hopeless When a Person has given up & there is no Hope Left in Him

TO LIVE W/ OUT HOPE IS A TRAGIC EXISTENCE

These men had Lost all – Hope the day Jesus died

 

Some here today in that Same Condition / At one time You believed in God – maybe Professed Christ

  1. But When God didn’t do what You EXPECTED Him to do / when He didn’t respond in the way you thought He should
  2. UNBELIEF filled your Hearts & You Lost Hope !!!
  3. Perhaps it was during a time of Crisis in your Life – Your Marriage was about to end – Prayed – Save it
  1. But it ended – pain / heartache –
  1. And somehow even though that Break up was because of Personal Choices – You blamed God!!!!!

 

Maybe You thought that being a Christian would mean – Healthy & wealthy – end of all those Problems

  1. But it didn’t happen like that guy on T.V. said – so your Heart was filled w/ Unbelief - / Led to Loss of HOPE
  2. Perhaps You felt something missing in your Life – so you started attending Church- first exciting – learning some new things
  1. But then you got hurt by someone there - & You once again began to Blame God –
  1. It wasn’t what You EXPECTED - so you Lost Hope & Drifted away

 

Listen the Reason for coming to Christ is not so that your marriage can be saved / or so Rich / healthy/ any other reason

  1. The Reason for Coming to Christ – is because the Bible says that You are SINNER - Sin has Separated you from a Holy God

B) That Sin has Produced in you a Void that has resulted in a lack

  1. of Peace in your Life / lack of hope
  1. You Recognize Through Jesus Work – Your Only Hope

 

  1. They said that We thought He was going to Redeem Israel
  2. A) but what they failed to Understand was that He came to Redeem them from a GREATER OPPRESSOR THAN ROME
  3. B) Sin & the Devil – Which He did on the Cross – Only way to be Saved

 

So first reason for their loss of Hope was when Jesus didn’t do what they expected Him to do

2ND REASON – was their Ignorance of the Scriptures

  1. V. 19 They declared We considered Him a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
    2.
  2. They Considered Him a Prophet but ignored the Prophecies that He Himself Gave –
  1. He declared that He was going to Die & Rise again the 3rd day
  1. Sign of Jonah - / Destroy this temple - 47yrs to build –3DAYS I WILL …failed to understand He was talking about His Body !!

    2. Here it was the 3rd day – they should have been looking for Him

  2. Over & over again He told them what was going to Happen but they didn’t GET IT – why ? Wasn’t what Expected /
  1. they were Ignorant of the Scriptures / Messiah Suffer

  1. they failed to see that there were 100’s of O.T. scriptures that pointed out how the Messiah was going to Suffer
  1. Prophecies that Described how His Death would be By Crucifixion – Pierced my hands & Feet
  1. Written 100’s of Yrs before Crucifixion was Even thought of or INVENTED !!!

 

2nd thing to Notice – Reason Jesus sought them out – Beautiful

  1. Jesus DREW NEAR to these two men in order to Rekindle the fire & Re- establish the Hope
  2. What is so awesome to me about this –scene is out of all the places Jesus could have been on this day
  1. Out of all the People He could have – Visited – He takes time out to seek out these two – Men – Who lost Hope
  1. Jesus purposely sought out these two / And He is seeking – some out TODAY - Right Now – Speaking to your Heart
  1. His Spirit is Working in You tugging on Your Hearts / You who have LOST HOPE/ FIRE HAS DIED

 

Notice how His Method of Rekindling the Fire – He opened the Scriptures to them

25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
  1. Beginning w/ Moses – Going right on through – Messiah Suffer
  2. He No doubt took them to Gen. 22 Abe took Isaac up to Mt. Moriah – Offer your only son / God will Provide Himself
  3. And Into Ex. Passover lamb- Blood on the lintel & Doorpost in the Shape of the Cross –
  1. Isa. 53- Description of Messiah – Crucified & Psa. 22 Emotional Anguish / Pierced Hands & feet
  1. Zech. 12:10 Look on Me whom Pierced & Mourn for Him

 

One Passage after another – that told of How the Messiah must Suffer

  1. And As he began to Share w/ them – they began to Understand why this suffering had to take Place
  2. But Note it happened as He opened the word to them

    3. 1) Faith Comes by Hearing & Hearing by the Word of God

  3. V.32 Their hearts Began to BURN AGAIN !!!!

 

 

Result :

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

  1. But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
  1. They didn’t want Him to go – they didn’t want Him to Leave –
  2. ABIDE W/ US – CONSTRAINED Him-
  1. that is what happens in the heart of the Person who Understands – who Jesus was God become man /
  1. That is what Happens in the Heart of Person understands What He did / Can’t Picture life w/ out Him - Abide w/ us

 

Watch what Happens next –

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

  1. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
  1. As He began to open the Scriptures to them – we are told their hearts began to Burn –

33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

  1. And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
  1. They Rose up that very Hour & ran back to Jerusalem He is Alive / He is Risen
  2. They were filled w/ Burning hearts Once again!! Their Hope was Burning Bright – Because He was Alive !!!!!

Peter Declared in 1 Peter 1:3,4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
  1. Easter is the Story of a Living Hope / We have a living Hope because We have a Savior who is alive who lives
  1. Whom we can Know – and have a relationship w/
  1. Who Came & Gave His Life so that we can have Life /
  1. Boldly proclaimed I am the way the truth & the Life …

Proved it by coming out of the Grave

 

A 3 yr old girl by the name of Nicole was asked by her Father if she Knew what Easter means ?

A) She replied, "Yes." & In her own sweet three-year-old way, w/ arms raised, a smile on her face, & at the top of her voice she said, "Surprise!"

B)I Like that What better word could sum up the meaning of

  1. Easter! Surprise, death! Surprise, sin! Surprise, mourning

disciples! Surprise, modern man! He's alive!

In the early part of this century a group of lawyers met in England to Discuss the Biblical Accounts of the Resurrection They wanted to see if there was enough Evidence available to make a case that hold up in an English court of Law

When their study was Completed – they published the Results of their Investigation . They concluded that the Resurrection Of Christ was one of the most well Established Facts in History

John Singleton Copley, one of the great legal minds in British history and three times High Chancellor of England, wrote,

"I know pretty well what evidence is, and I tell you, such evidence as that for the resurrection of JC has never broken down yet."

G. B. Hardy In his book, "Countdown", gave us some thought-provoking questions about the resurrection.

"There are but two essential requirements: #1. Has anyone cheated death and proved it? # 2. Is it available to me? Here is the complete record:

Confucius' tomb -- occupied. Buddha's tomb -- occupied. Mohammed's tomb -- occupied. Jesus' tomb -- empty!

Then he said this / Argue as you will, there is no point in following a loser."

The Reality of the Resurrection Produces in the Heart of the believer a Hopeful assurance – Absolute Expectation- Glorious Future

A) Peter described an Inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
  1. June – Indiana – Tickets – reservation- My name & my Sons name on them –
  2. Book in Heaven – reservation Book – Your name in it – Have you put your faith in Christ !!!

Winston Churchill chose to believe. Churchill arranged his own funeral. There were stately hymns in St. Paul's Cathedral and an impressive liturgy. But at the end of the service, Churchill had an unusual event planned.

When they said the benediction, a bugler high in the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral on one side played Taps, the universal signal that the day is over. Then There was a long pause. Then a bugler on the other side played Reveille, the military wake-up call.

It was Churchill's way of communicating that, while we say "Good night" here, it's "Good morning" up there.

Now why could he do that? Because he believed in Jesus Christ, who said

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me though he were dead, yet shall he live."

When a man steps out of his own grave, He is anything that He says that he is, and he can do anything that He says he can do

Some Misplaced hope – own Goodness Etc.

Where is Your Hope & Assurance at Today / Self Or Christ

On the Easter just before he died, D. William Sangster painfully printed a short note to his daughter. A deeply spiritual man he had been spearheading a renewal movement in the British Isles after World War II.

Then his ministry, except for prayer, was ended by a disease which progressively paralyzed his body, even his vocal chords.

But the last Resurrection Sunday he spent on earth, still able to move his fingers, he wrote:

"How terrible to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout, 'He is risen!' Far worse, to have a voice and not want to shout."

 

Dear Christian Brother has the Fire Gone out – Encourage you to Draw near once again to the RISEN Savior

A) He Drawing near to you even now – working on Your heart