Series: Holy Land Tour 2016 Text: Luke 24:13-35 Title: You Missed Something

Transcription

1 Sermon for July 3, 2016 Boscobel & Mt. Zion UMCs Series: Holy Land Tour 2016 Text: Luke 24:13-35 Title: You Missed Something Introduction: Good Morning BMZ! So Glad you DID NOT MISS TODAY. This is the last week of our HOLY LAND TOUR. It s about time to fly home, but we don t want to miss our LAST STOP. It s a small TOWN just 7 or 8 miles outside of Jerusalem. Actually, the ROAD between Jerusalem and this small town is pretty important too! First, we will backtrack (MAP) Flew into Tel Aviv and visited Joppa and Caesarea by the Sea (Acts 10) with Peter and Cornelius (Gentiles) North east to Nazareth and on to Galilee. From Galilee we went north to Caesarea Philippi which was a place where many gods were worshipped and Peter declared Jesus the Son of the Living God. From the 5 th week on we have been in and around Jerusalem according to the Book of Mark following some of the events of the LAST WEEK of JESUS EARTHLY LIFE. Last week Jesus was on trial in the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas. Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times catch any you have missed at: TODAY we are going to FAST FORWARD a couple of DAYS Do you all have any ASSUMPTIONS about Who Jesus Is? I know that I do. I know that I ASSUME that God will take CARE of me and MY FAMILY and keep my children all HEALTHY and SAFE because I am such a holy guy! I ASSUME that God will take care of Sarah and me FINANCIALLY not because we are financial whizzes, but because we ve TITHED to the Church for so long. We ve given to the Kingdom; certainly God would not let us hurt financially. I ASSUME that God likes the WEATHER that I like. If I want it to be sunny outside for some outdoor event (BMZ WORSHIP IN THE PARK = NEXT SUNDAY!) and I pray for it to be sunny, wouldn t God answer MY Prayers OVER the Prayers of the FARMERS in the area praying for rain?!? I assume that God hears my prayers more than the prayers of parents from other towns. God cares greatly about Boscobel TRACK and CROSS COUNTRY and SWIM TEAM and when MY DAUGHTERS are INVOLVED, it doesn t matter what the prayers are of the OPPOSING team s PARENTS! There are times that we get so focused on what WE WANT that we miss out on what GOD MIGHT WANT. We get SO DISCOURAGED because things aren t going the way WE thought they would that WE MISS OUT on the understanding that GOD has an even BETTER PLAN! If you have your Bible with you, turn with me to LUKE 24 if you don t; no worries. All of our Scriptures for today will be up on the screen and much of what we are doing is in your program. If you don t own a Bible and would like one, please stop by Java Jct/Blessed Bean and someone will get you set up with your own Bible. If you haven t already, I invite you to take out your message notes and Connection card... On one side you will see our Scripture for today and on the other you will find a brief outline walking us through our Scripture. You will see that there are blanks to fill in Please take the time to do so. Grab a pen and write down whatever else you think is important to you and your faith journey. After worship, drop off your CONNECTION CARD and take your notes home and refrigerate them. Please Re-read the Scripture and the notes to keep growing and learning. For those of you watching on-line, hit the button for notes and for

2 2 CONNECTION CARD and stick with us. If you are watching/listening later, or IPODing; you can download the outline off of our website so you too can take notes. Let s pray and then we will press on with where we are going today LET S PRAY (turn off marked lights during prayer)! This is our LAST DAY on our Holy Land Tour. We have spent the majority of the past 8 weeks FOLLOWING JESUS as He WALKED the LAND. I thought it would be a good idea to spend our last day WALKING with JESUS ONE MORE TIME. Our Scripture is from right near the end of the Book of Luke Background = Jesus has been CRUCIFIED and BURIED on a FRIDAY. It s now SUNDAY. We pick up our story outside of Jerusalem Luke 24:13-16 = 13 That same day two of Jesus followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles* from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him. 1 If you are like me, you have a couple of QUESTIONS about what we are reading here from Luke I. Questions about our Story: A. Who Were They? Well, Cleopas and his FRIEND or BROTHER or RELATIVE had to be some sort of CLOSE FOLLOWERS of Jesus. A couple of REASONS I say this: FIRST, they had heard about the empty tomb according to the women FROM THEIR GROUP SECOND, later in the story it looks like they had free access to the 11 Disciples/Apostles. B. Where Were They Going? It was Sunday and it appears that they were HEADED HOME after the PASSOVER Celebration. The celebration would have lasted UP TO the SABBATH and remember, according to the Jewish LAW, one could only travel a few hundred yards on the Sabbath. These two had 7 or 8 miles to travel back home. SUNDAY = TRAVEL DAY! After all of the excitement on Friday, there would NOT have been TIME to TRAVEL home in the LIGHT DANGEROUS traveling at NIGHT because of robbers. C. What Were They Talking About? Have you ever been around MEN when they get on a SUBJECT that is really INTERESTING to them? They will talk the facts into the ground. THEY will REPEAT themselves numerous times AGREE with each other REPEAT what someone else has already said and then take the DEAD HORSE out for ONE MORE good BEATING. I think women do the same thing But, when men are PASSIONATE about something, they will EVALUATE it and RE-EVALUATE it and TRY to CONVINCE each other that WHAT they HOPE FOR is TRUE! (Ex. I think the PACKERS Defense, Coaching, Draft, Receivers, Eddie Lacy, etc. SUPER BOWL if they stay healthy!) 1 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:13 16). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

3 3 These TWO MEN walking down the road, we are told, were RE-HASHING the EVENTS of the Passover Celebration. It started a WEEK AGO Remember? Jesus coming to town as the PARADE S GUEST of HONOR Jesus CLEARING the Temple Jesus CONFRONTING the Jewish religious leaders numerous times THEN, Jesus ARRESTED and TRIED at night the people TURNING on Jesus and asking for him to be CRUCIFIED the CRUCIFIXION, etc. So, suddenly JESUS is walking WITH them, but they DON T RECOGNIZE JESUS WITH THEM Let s Continue Luke 24:17-18 = 17 He asked them, What are you discussing so intently as you walk along? They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days. 2 Jesus comes up and asks, Hey, WHAT are you two all WOUND UP ABOUT? II. What Are You Talking About? Jesus could SEE the SADNESS on their faces. And Jesus kind of LEADS them ON BUT, PLEASE KNOW Jesus KNEW exactly what they were discussing! I wonder how many TIMES you and I have sadness on our faces, NOT REALIZING that JESUS is walking right WITH US? I wonder HOW MANY TIMES we are SO FOCUSED on NOT GETTING what WE WANT that WE MISS that GOD IS GETTING EXACTLY what GOD WANTS (REPEAT)!? These followers were caught up in THEIR ASSUMPTIONS about Who the Messiah would be (a POLITICAL/military Savior for the Israelite Nation), that they missed who the Messiah REALLY WAS (an Eternal SAVIOR for all humanity). As we get to V.18 = This is Luke s way of letting the reader know that the events of that year s Passover Celebration were known by the whole city of Jerusalem. BTW, remember that people of the Jewish faith would have travelled from all over the Roman Empire to get to Jerusalem for the Passover Celebration. That means that people all over the Roman Empire would, SOON AFTER, have heard about Jesus arrest, trial, and CRUCIFIXION and MISSING BODY. Let s keep going Luke 24:19-21 = 19 What things? Jesus asked. The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth, they said. He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. 3 I love the question as JESUS TEES THEM UP What Things? TOTAL SET UP! Jesus was CRUCIFIED on a Friday. SABBATH on Saturday. People still in and around Jerusalem for Passover Festival on Sunday REPORTS come out on Sunday MORNING that the BODY of Jesus is MISSING There is a lot of CONFUSION as to what is really going on the people MISSED SOMETHING; they missed the part about the SUFFERING SERVANT. They were too taken by the vision of the Military Messiah (deliverer). WE HOPED FOR: the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. They were still ASSUMING some things about Jesus! 2 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:17 18). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 3 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:19 21). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

4 4 Then they continue Luke 24:22-24 = 22 Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said. 4 Cleopas and his friend/brother/relative then told about the WITNESSES of the EMPTY TOMB: Some WOMEN from OUR group of followers were at the tomb early in the morning and came back saying that the BODY was MISSING. These women had seen ANGELS who told them that JESUS is ALIVE! Some of our MEN / DISCIPLES ran out to the TOMB and verified that his BODY was GONE from the grave. But, please don t miss this, THESE TWO MEN still DIDN T GET IT! They LEFT and WENT HOME. IF they had BELIEVED what Jesus had told the followers so many times ( I have to die, but on the third day, I will be back! ), they would NOT have been ON the ROAD to EMMAUS. I love how LUKE tells the story that HE HEARD from these two men It s JESUS TURN to talk Luke 24:25-26 = 25 Then Jesus said to them, You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory? 5 I wonder if we ever have a whole bunch of stuff going on and we need to hear THEN, JESUS III. Then, Jesus The Reprimand Jesus calls them FOOLISH BECAUSE they DON T BELIEVE the SCRIPTURES! They don t believe what JESUS clearly predicted! I wonder HOW MANY of US Jesus would reprimand BECAUSE we DON T LIVE LIKE we believe the Scriptures!? Maybe we are good at DISCUSSING them INTENTLY, but we are NOT LIVING them like they are REAL! Here s the PART they KEPT MISSING Wasn t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to SUFFER before GLORY? The GLORY is still coming! Then Jesus takes them right into The BIBLE STUDY Luke 24:27 = 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 6 Jesus takes THESE TWO JEWISH MEN to SCRIPTURE Man, I would have LIKED to have BEEN THERE. NOT so much AS the IGNORANT FOLLOWERS that didn t get it, but there for the GREATEST BIBLE STUDY EVER TAUGHT!! Can you IMAGINE a Bible Study by Jesus?! Did you catch what the Bible Study was on? Jesus was explaining all of the Scriptures concerning Himself! Wow! CAN you IMAGINE Jesus taking them through GENESIS and the story of ABRAHAM and ISAAC and the prophet ISAIAH and the PSALMS that PREDICT what the Messiah will be and IS the fulfillment of all those Scriptures He s teaching you?! Let s keep going Luke 24:28-29 = 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, Stay the night with us, since it is getting late. So he went home with them. 7 4 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:22 24). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 5 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:25 26). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 6 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:27). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 7 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:28 29). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

5 5 IV. What Happens at Emmaus It s a Jewish Thing It was certainly NOT UNCOMMON in those days to have Jewish people invite other traveling Jews in for a place to sleep and/or a bite to eat. They were being oppressed by the Roman Empire and that crisis brought the nation close together. So, as they head into the TOWN of EMMAUS (PICTURES of RUINS) It was NOT SAFE to travel after dark... there were robbers and these two men were concerned for Jesus traveling after dark. Luke 24:30-31 = 30 As they sat down to eat,* he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! 8 Jesus Revealed Jesus breaks bread with them NOT COMMUNION, but just a common meal in the ordinary of life (eating), JESUS is WITH US. He disappears Then Cleopas and his buddy/brother have to COMPARE NOTES. Listen Luke 24:32 = 32 They said to each other, Didn t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us? 9 (REPEAT MEMORY VERSE) Again, Can you IMAGINE the FEELING of JESUS teaching Scripture? Let s finish this Luke 24:33-35 = 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.* Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 11 V. From Hopeless to Can t Help It! Here is what I ve figured out according to this Scripture I am NOT DOING MY JOB! I m APPARENTLY NOT making it CLEAR how URGENT it is that the PEOPLE WE KNOW, GET TO KNOW JESUS! IF we were truly MEETING JESUS HERE on SUNDAY, we would each be LIKE Cleopas and his buddy/brother NOT able to SLEEP even WHEN we are TIRED energized to WALK 7-8 MILES (in the DANGEROUS DARK) if that s what it takes WHY?!? To TELL PEOPLE that we have MET the RISEN LORD! We have a God Who is ALIVE and WELL and LIGHTS a FIRE inside of us! I have been here for 17 years / 2 years. We have anywhere from 320 to 400 people attending worship on any given Sunday at our BMZ CAMPUSES. Still, in Boscobel alone, there are almost 3,000 people and at least 70% of those people are NOT in WORSHIP (any worship) ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY! In GRANT, CRAWFORD and RICHLAND Counties there are over 85,000 people and a SOLID 70% are NOT in WORSHIP! That s almost 60,000 PEOPLE who are NOT HEARING the GOOD NEWS!! WHY NOT? Because we are apparently NOT MEETING UP with JESUS DAILY or on SUNDAYS! Apparently, this is NOT REAL! IF it were, WE would be at the point of Can t Help It! - I CAN T HELP but remind other people that ETERNITY is a REAL thing. - I CAN T HELP but remind people that they are NOT EXPERIENCING all of the JOY in this life that they COULD if they followed Jesus. 8 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:30 31). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 9 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:32). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 10 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:33 34). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 11 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:35). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

6 6 - I CAN T HELP but TELL PEOPLE that if they put Jesus Christ FIRST in their lives, EVERYTHING ELSE will get BETTER. - I CAN T HELP but HELP people who are in NEED, because that s what Jesus tells me to do! - I CAN T HELP but INVITE my friends to WORSHIP so they have an OPPORTUNITY go face-to-face with JESUS because NOT ONLY is HEAVEN REAL; SO IS HELL! - IF I DON T have this kind of FIRE LIT in me DAILY, then I m NOT MEETING with Jesus daily! - IF you and I are NOT MEETING with Jesus DAILY (and having Jesus, through His Spirit, explain Scripture to us), then we are MISSING OPPORTUNITIES to make LIFE and ETERNITY BETTER for our FRIENDS and FAMILY! - IF we were DOING our JOB, THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE would be in WORSHIP SOMEWHERE! I don t care if it s at BMZ or not. I just care that people are growing in their faith and are consistently meeting up with Jesus! I HOPE we are being CHALLENGED to be BETTER at Church. Here s the DEAL: We are LOSING the BATTLE. The POPULATION of our country is INCREASING and ATTENDANCE at Christian CHURCHES is DECREASING there is RESEARCH out there that TELLS us WHY and there is SCRIPTURE out there that TELLS us that we have to CHANGE IT! WILL WE?!?! Right now, I hope that you feel a FIRE LIT inside of you a fire that would cause you to walk back to Jerusalem 7-8 miles when it s getting DARK and there are ROBBERS out there. I hope we have the same sense of Jesus being right here WITH US. Let s Pray! Next Steps: I will memorize Luke 24:32 Read Luke 24 and Acts 1-3 to understand our hearts burn within us Spend time with Jesus daily this week and beyond Pray about who to Invest in and Invite to worship in the Park on July 10 th Pray about who to Invest in and Invite to worship anytime! Truth without Grace is Fundamentalism (Brutality). Grace without Truth is Sentimentalism (Hypocrisy). Special thanks to Andy Stanley, Nelson Searcy, R.A. Pegram, Mike Slaughter and Perry Noble for outlines and ideas for this worship series.