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Sermons

June 16/17, 2018

Did Not Our Hearts Burn?

Steven Lee (North Campus) | Luke 24:13-35

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when 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. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.—Luke 24:13–35

Introduction

Last week in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus connects the dots between his suffering and why his suffering was necessary for us. But the disciples continue to operate with a spiritual blindness. What I want to do this morning is look at when the disciples blindness finally becomes sight, and what this means for those burdened and for the fathers here on Father’s Day.

In a 2015 issue of Discovery Magazine, an article was written about a man named Daniel Kish who has been blind since 13 months old.[1] But Daniel is unusual in that he rides his bike on the street, goes camping, swimming, dancing, and does all sorts of other activities one might think nearly impossible for someone blind. How does he do it? Daniel uses echolocation. He makes a clicking sound and can tell where things are based off of how the sound reflects off the surface of the environment around him. This is what dolphins and bats use to navigate. So we have a man that is blind who is able to see and interact in the world around him without use of his eyes. He is blind, but seeing. Echolocation allows him to hear how things truly are in the world around him.

What we need more than physical sight is spiritual sight. This is what we see in our passage with the disciples. Though they cannot recognize Jesus physically, they should have seen him with the eyes of their hearts. How were they to get spiritual sight? Spiritual echolocation. Not with clicks that reflect off the environment, but they were to hear Jesus bounce off the pages of Scripture so that they would see the world rightly. In our passage in Luke 24, the solution to spiritual blindness is hearing how the Scriptures testify to Jesus: spiritual echolocation. 

Main Point: When we hear and interpret the Bible rightly, spiritual blindness becomes sight.

My plan is the walk through the three scenes present in this passage:

  • Jesus is hidden (vv. 13–24)
  • Jesus is revealed (vv. 25–32)
  • Disciples are strengthened (vv. 33–35)

SCENE 1: Jesus Is Hidden (vv. 13–24)

This narrative picks up after a band of women go to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body for burial but don’t find him there. Instead, they encounter angels who tell them 1) Jesus is living and 2) he has risen. They tell the disciples who do not believe and think it a myth (idle tale). Peter goes, sees the tomb, and marvels (without understanding).

We see that two disciples—neither of which is one of the apostles—head off to Emmaus. Jesus joins them on their journey, but they don’t recognize him (verse 16). God is veiling their eyes from seeing Jesus. On their journey, they discuss all that has taken place. Jesus asks, “What are you talking about,” and Cleopas and the other traveler reply, “Have you been hiding under a rock?” Jesus follows up with another question, and then the travelers lay out all that had happened in verses 19–24.

In this scene where Jesus’ identity his hidden from these two travelers, there are a number of things we can note.

  • Sadness Reigns: One statement in this account is so simple, it’s startling: “And they stood still, looking sad.” It’s such a plain statement. They’re walking, and the grief and sadness of the death and crucifixion of Jesus—dashed hopes of a Messiah who would rule—overwhelms them. They’re frozen and overcome with sadness. They just can’t believe it.
  • Hopes Dashed: Secondly, we see that the disciples only had part of the story, even though Jesus was standing right before them in the flesh! They call him a “prophet mighty in deed and word” (v. 19), and they “had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (v. 21). Their hopes for the future have been dashed. They have no hope, no back-up plan, and they are stunned at this turn of events.
  • Followers Dazed and Confused: Furthermore, we see that Jesus’ followers—these two in particular—are dazed and confused. The disciples reveal that the women amazed them with their testimony of seeing angels and the tomb being empty and even saying he was alive (vv. 22–23). But they just don’t get it yet. They haven’t connected the dots between suffering and the Messiah. Their minds have no category for a Suffering Servant. They didn’t get to see Jesus (v. 24), and so they don’t believe.

The irony of the situation is thick. 

  • Jesus Doesn’t Understand (v. 18): In verse 18, the pair question whether Jesus is the only one who doesn’t know what has happened, and yet it’s Jesus who is the only one who actually understands what has transpired. Everyone else is ignorant of the cosmic and global reality that took place: Jesus died for sinners, death has been conquered, and his kingdom and victory is assured.
  • Hope Is Dead (v. 21): Their hope in verse 21 died the day Jesus died. And yet again, they don’t see that it’s precisely in the death of Jesus that their hope is sure and guaranteed. Without Jesus’ death, they can have no hope for forgiveness of sins and acceptance before a holy God. Their hope has been fully and comprehensively realized as the Messiah stands before them. Hope is more alive than it ever has been.
  • ‘We Didn’t See Him’ (v. 24): In verse 24, the disciples lament that the disciples who went to go see the empty tomb didn’t see Jesus: “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” The decisive evidence was missing! But who are they telling this to? The decisive evidence stands before them in the flesh! See, see Jesus right before you! Open your eyes!

The disciples have no foresight, no category, and no idea that the long-awaited Messiah, the deliverer of not only Israel but all mankind, would do so by dying.

Beware of Spiritual Amnesia

Yet so often we are like these disciples. Even though we have the insight of knowing how the story ends, knowing the trajectory of human history, knowing that Jesus has risen, rules, and reigns from on high, we live as though we’ve forgotten that truth. We exhibit symptoms of spiritual amnesia again and again.

  • We forget who we are: people made in the image of God.
  • We forget where we’re living: in the world created by God that reveals his glory in every blade of grass, every green leaf, and every chirping bird.
  • We forget what Jesus has done: forgiven us of our sins, bore the wrath we deserved, paid our ransom, given us his righteousness, and called his children.
  • We forget again and again how gracious he has been to us because of Jesus.

We have no excuse. For the disciples, Jesus’ identity is being hidden from them. They are on the cusp of something that would change the entire world forever. Jesus is being veiled from their eyes. They’re saddened and ignorant, but that is going to change quickly.

SCENE 2: Jesus Is Revealed (vv. 25–32)

Jesus issues a rebuke to the disciples. On the surface this appears harsh. He calls them “foolish ones” and “slow of heart.” Why? Not because they don’t recognize Jesus (since he’s veiled), but because they are slow of heart “to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (v. 25). Jesus faults them for and rebukes them for two things:

  • Prophets Have Spoken (v. 25): They don’t read the Scriptures rightly to see what they reveal about Jesus. They should have read the Scriptures and seen that the Messiah to come would not come regal and exalted but humble and as a servant.
  • Necessary to Suffer (v. 26): Jesus reveals that there must be suffering that leads to glory for the Messiah: “What it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (v. 26).

Here afresh the words of Isaiah 53:4–10, 

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Then in verse 27, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” The Old Testament reveals and foreshadows Jesus. It’s comprehensive; Jesus begins with the Law (Moses), and all the Prophets he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures.

A popular and well-known pastor recently stated, “[First century] church leaders unhitched the church from the worldview, value system, and regulations of the Jewish scriptures. Peter, James, Paul elected to unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures, and my friends, we must as well."[2] This is at best misleading, and at worst it is heretical. It directly contradicts what Jesus states. It is an attitude foreign to Jesus. Jesus fulfills the Scriptures, and we must read all the Scriptures in light of the incarnate Word of God—Jesus himself—but we cannot denigrate or unhitch from Jesus’ Bible, the Old Testament. 

Next, we’re led in the narrative to see that Jesus intends to go on, and the disciples—struck by their learned friend—urge him to stay with them. At this point, Jesus reveals himself to the disciples as they sit down at the meal. This is unusual since Jesus is the guest and not the host, and yet in this moment the veiled identity of Jesus becomes visible.

It’s in this moment when Jesus sits down, takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples that their eyes are opened, a moment with echoes of all the previous times Jesus has done this in Luke.

  • Disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:30): “When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.” 
  • Feeding of the 5,000 (Luke 9:16–17): “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.”
  • Celebrating Passover (Luke 22:19): “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

We see the pattern with similar elements: 1) It’s Jesus, 2) taking bread, 3) blessing it, 4) breaking it, and 5) giving it to his disciples. But the results are different. In the feeding of the 5,000, the bread brings satisfaction. The miracle satisfies a physical hunger that will return 3–4 hours later. In the Passover celebration, they are told to remember Jesus. In this instance, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, gives it to his disciples, and now “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (Luke 24:31). One brought physical satisfaction, and the other brought remembrance, but now, spiritual and physical eyes are opened to behold Jesus Christ.

How do you and I receive Jesus today? In this pattern we see how people respond to Jesus as the living bread of life.

  • Physical Satisfaction: Do we only want physical satisfaction? As long as you keep me healthy, employed, and relatively happy, then I’ll keep coming to church and try to be good. This is a transactional relationship with Jesus. I just want to be satisfied—and as long as I get that, I’m good. I’ll keep doing this church thing, because it’s a good five-hour Energy drink for my life. 
  • Remembrance As a Thing of the Past: Or do we merely regard it as a thing of the past? I’ll remember Jesus and remember that I at one time made a profession of faith. I was baptized, I’ve become a church member, and so I’ve done my part. Many nominal and carnal “Christians” would bristle if you questioned their commitment to Christ. They point to their past: baptism, membership, or profession of faith. But there is no present fruit in their life—no present love, no generosity, no service, no gentleness, or no willingness to learn or listen.
  • Open Eyes & Burning Hearts: Or do we, like these disciples in Emmaus, have open eyes to see and behold Jesus? Do we have burning hearts that are stirred with deep affection for Jesus Christ?

The men respond, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). Jesus opened up the Bible—the Old Testament—and showed them how they testify to himself. And what did this produce in the disciples? Their hearts burned within them. Their loss, grief, and deep disappointment are gone. Their burdened hearts are now burning. Their sad and gloomy disposition is renewed with joy. They now see clearly, understand Jesus’ mission and the need for his death and resurrection, and now are filled with inexpressible joy. Right theology—right reading of Scripture, right interpretation of the Old Testament, right seeing—results in joy and passion. It results in a heart that burns bright and hot to see the glory of Christ go forth.

We have to note that Jesus disappears and vanishes as soon as they recognize him. This is to illustrate that Jesus would no longer be with his disciples like in his pre-crucified state, but rather as a spiritual presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

SCENE 3: Jesus Is Risen & Faith Is Strengthened (vv. 33–35)

When Pastor Jason preached this passage during the Fill These Cities series, he pointed out that burning hearts that behold Jesus clearly from the Scriptures produce burning feet and burning tongues. Namely, the disciples get up and make the seven- mile journey back to Jerusalem (v. 33). They are excited. And, when they get back, they can’t wait to tell the eleven—meaning the disciples—about what they had seen. Their burning hearts produced burning feet that go forth with the gospel of peace and with burning tongues to speak the Good News. 

What is unique and surprising in this story is that when they get there, the eleven apostles and all the other early Christians in those days (e.g., women at the tomb, etc.), were already gathered together. And the eleven are reporting, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (Luke 24:34). If you don’t read this carefully, you can easily think this is the report of the two disciples returning, which it isn’t. What happened is that while they were gone, Jesus had come and appeared to Simon Peter. We don’t have a record of that account anywhere in Scripture, but it matches what we see elsewhere in the Bible. We have two pieces of evidence:

Luke 22:31–32
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus is speaking to Simon Peter that he will deny him three times, but after he has “turned again” or “turned back,” he is to strengthen his brothers. When and how did Peter turn? It is when Jesus appeared to him.

1 Corinthians 15:3–5
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” Paul writes that Jesus appeared to Cephas (i.e., Simon Peter) and then to the twelve. In early church history, it was Peter’s testimony that was first shared.

At the tail end of this account, we see that the disciples and all the followers of Jesus gathered have their faith strengthened. Though they were dazed and confused after the empty tomb and the angelic vision, they now have eyewitness testimony. They not only have witness from Simon Peter, an apostle, but two eyewitnesses on the Emmaus road. And if we followed the passage further, Jesus appears to them all again.

Seeing Jesus clearly from the Scriptures produces a burning heart, and we need to be people who ought to have hearts that burn for Jesus. So how do we apply this to our lives? What does this mean for us? 

Application for Burdened Hearts

Two weeks ago, two prominent people in American culture committed suicide. One was a fashion designer and the other a celebrity chef. Suicide rates in the United States continue to rise. We are a nation that is anxious, depressed, and medicated. Suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression are all complex, and I’m not going to attempt to throw out any quick-fix answers. But at least at one level, Jesus transforms burdened hearts to burning hearts. This isn’t to suggest we don’t need medications at times, counseling, medical intervention, community, and the body of Christ. We do. But those solutions are not fully complete solutions apart from seeing Jesus clearly with the eyes of our heart. When we see Jesus as he is—loving Savior, gracious Lord, Suffering Servant, the Faithful One—we can go from burdened to burning with a passion to know him more.

If you’re struggling this morning with thoughts of uselessness, suicide, and deep depression, please seek out help. Medical professionals, counselors, friends, pastors, small group leaders, and many others can come alongside you in your struggle. Look to Jesus, who not only gives you hope for the days ahead but leads to you dwell with him in eternity. When all the clouds have passed, the valley of the shadow of death will be made a pasture of comfort and peace. The sadness of life will pass, and we will behold the light of Christ in his fullness. 

Application for Fathers

On this Father’s Day, all sorts of mixed messages are thrown your way. Gender, manhood, and leadership are deeply confusing in our world. For the father’s among us, I want to call you to be men, dads and grandfathers who are marked by being people with burning hearts more than anything else—more than your love for golf, hunting, fishing, traveling, business, leadership, working with your hands, getting out in the yard, or whatever else you spend your time doing. More than any of those things, be the type of father that leads, provides, and serves out of a heart that has been gripped by Jesus. Lead, provide, and serve out of a burning heart. Resist the temptation to use physical strength, intimidation, and anger to get your way. Resist the temptation to withdraw, disengage emotionally from your wife and children, and shrink back from responsibility. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have everything to do with whether you can truly do this or not. Only because of Jesus can dull hearts become burning hearts. Only when we’re forgiven all of our sins can we humbly ask for forgiveness from others and extend it graciously when we’ve been hurt. Only when Christ is your identity, can you lay down all other identities.

And yet I know for some, Father’s Day is painful. Your dad is gone, incarcerated, absent, or has been a continual source of pain for you or your family. You need to know that you have a good, loving, kind, gracious Heavenly Father who loves you. His love is displayed in the death and resurrection and revelation of his Son Jesus Christ. This Jesus—risen and revealed—is for your benefit so that your heart might burn within you. Our Heavenly Father will never abandon his children and never become an absentee Father. He hears every prayer and is eager to bring you all the way home into his eternal kingdom. 

Application for North Campus

Burning hearts produce burning feet and burning tongues. North Campus, I don’t get tired of calling us to invest our lives, our time, and our families to open our homes and hearts to reach the lost. There are few more exhilarating things in the world than seeing someone come to faith in Jesus. I want you to experience the joy, delight, and burning heart of making Jesus known. So who are our 10 we’re praying for? Who are we willing to lay down our lives for? Who are we reaching out to? Who is God working in around you? Go forth with burning hearts, burning feet, and burning lips to love like Jesus loves.

Conclusion

Jesus takes sad, burdened, dull, slow, and foolish hearts and transforms them to be burning hearts that produce burning feet and burning lips. And he takes broken bodies to become new, glorified, and renewed bodies. There will be no more pain, sadness, anxiety, depression, disability, miscarriage, cancer, heart disease, allergies, or anything else.

 

[1] http://discovermagazine.com/2015/july-aug/27-sonic-vision

[2] https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-must-unhitch-old-testament-from-their-faith-says-andy-stanley-223818/