Follow along with me as we read Luke 24 today. 1 P age Turn in a Bible or take out the white insert in the worship folder To follow along as I read. It s Luke 24:13 Luke 24:13-35 On the Road to Emmaus 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, What are you discussing together as you walk along? They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 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? 19 What things? he asked. About Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 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. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. 25 He said to them, How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 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. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 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? 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. Paraphrase the story for understanding. To guys walking. Sad. Jesus comes up beside walking. What s up? Haven t you heard. Jesus. Prophet. Crucified Him! Tomb empty. Vision of angels. How dim you are. Explained from Scripture why. Going on. No stay. Took. Thanks. Broke. Gave. Eyes opened. Disappeared. Hearts burned. Got up. Went to Eleven. Told!
What do you think the point of this story is? Why is it in the Bible? What are the ideas or points that this story is teaching us. or that apply to us today? Or what are the questions you have about the text? What do you think? *RESTATE THE IDEAS FOR ALL TO HEAR* 2 P age A couple weeks ago, I asked the church staff at a staff meeting what did they see? They said things like: In their pain the disciples sought each other. In communion the presence of Christ is revealed. As soon as they recognized Him, they didn t need his physical presence anymore. Christ had to suffer. Some of our women amazed us! Jesus was a prophet. Timing is everything. You never know where Jesus will appear. If we ask Him, he ll stay. All great and true. Today, I want to show you a layer to this story that I think we don t quite see in its fullness, but I think it s really the primary reason for the story being in here. It is the underlying real reason for the story. It s the main point, or the main idea for us to take away and apply. And it begins with seeing a few details. What day is this in the story? It s a?? Sunday. (Wait) Luke 24:21 And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. When do we worship? After the two encounter Jesus and he disappears and they go to where the 11 disciples are, What are the 11 disciples doing? They are assembled together.
3 P age That s significant, because the Jews called their worship gatherings assemblies. As in... Leviticus 23:37 These are the LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by fire... There were 3 major worship festivals each year where all the male Jews were called to assemble together. Moses called the people to gather together for worship and he called them the assembly. In the New Testament, when the church met to worship, they called it assembling together. In Corinthians the church is assembled together for worship. In Hebrews 10 we have the familiar warning about not assembling together. Hebrews 10:25...not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. And in that context it was clearly about their worship service on Sunday. In the Emmaus story Luke intentionally says the 11 were assembled together. If he was speaking in our language today it would be like he said the 11 were at church. And he knew his readers would think but it s not the Sabbath. It s not Fri. eve or Sat morn. They re in church on Sunday?? Those who knew what that meant would ask, Does he mean they were worshiping? And Luke s answer would have been yes! Yes they are! Because it is Sunday. He died on the cross But Jesus is Risen. Everything has changed. The sacrifices are done. Our worship has changed. And the day and the assembling together are just little clues to the main event, the encounter with Jesus. Luke wants us to know, God wants us to know, that this is a snapshot of the church assembled together on the first Sunday worship service.
4 P age And the things that happen with Jesus that day are told to show all Christians of all times, the things that are to happen when we assemble together on Sunday to worship. I would say the story of the encounter on the road between Jesus and his 2 followers has 4 parts. And the 4 things that happened there on Sunday Are the same 4 things that are supposed to happen here on Sunday. This encounter with Jesus shows us 4 things we are to do when we assemble to worship. So, now, can you see them??? What are they??? I think you can see two or maybe three? You might need help with one or two? Hear the Word. Communion. When we assemble to worship... The first one is... 1. Jesus initiates the conversation with us. Jesus initiates the conversation here with the two guys on the road. Luke 24:17 He asked them, What are you discussing together as you walk along? He finds them and comes up and has a conversation. That s what happens in our worship is here. We gather and we enter into a conversation with God. Who speaks first? God speaks. I usually read a passage from the Psalms. We call it a call to worship. It s God s Word. God gets the first word. Did you ever notice that I usually don t say, good morning, God s word says...
I save the good morning for after the first song. 5 P age And we respond. We pray. We praise. We confess. Our songs reveal to us who God is. A Mighty Fortress is our God a bulwark never failing. That s from God s word. That s revealing who God is. And we respond with praises and prayer. I love you Lord Our worship songs and praises and readings and prayers are one big conversation. And God always initiates. Here Jesus initiates the conversation. God summoned Moses God acted first on the Day of Pentecost God approaches us, calls us, invites to a holy meeting Here s a familiar passage to some of you. Jesus told the woman at the well John 4:23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. Did you ever notice that this says the Father seeks worshipers. God is seeking worshipers! God is seeking worshipers! God calls us in. The word for church in Greek is ekklessia called out one. Ek kaleo As in God calls us out of our daily work to assemble to worship Him. So our worship is God to man and man to God.
And in the story we have two guys walking. They share. They dialogue. 6 P age We also have a fellowship with each other in worship. He invites us to worship, we respond. We respond with songs of praise We respond with prayers. We respond together. We assemble to worship. When we assemble to worship... 1. Jesus initiates the conversation with us. 2. Jesus imparts his Word to us. Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Jesus explained the Scriptures. Jesus opened them up and helped them understand them. That s what we do together. And what happened to the two when Jesus explained and expounded God s word? There hearts burned! Didn t our hearts burn! Oh that our hearts would burn for his word. When we assemble to worship... 1. Jesus initiates the conversation with us. 2. Jesus imparts his Word to us. Then 3. Jesus invites us to his table. He recreated what he did with his disciples at his last supper. Luke 24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
He took bread. He gave thanks He broke it. He gave it to them. 7 P age And when we receive communion we remember Jesus body and blood. We remember what he did for us on the cross when his body was torn for us And his blood was spilt for us. We celebrate our salvation Then 4. Jesus inspires us to go forth. Luke 24:33, 35 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem.... Then the two told what had happened on the way... Having encountered the presence of the Lord in his gathering. We go on. We go tell others. We go out to live obedient lives encouraged by our worship. God send us. Worship always concludes with God sending us forth. This is the first blue print for Christian worship. This is the first blue print for how to worship as Christians. If our worship were a house it would have 4 rooms. We would have an entry way where we gathered together and greeted and collected. We would have a living room where we sat and studied his word together. We ve have a dining room, where we gave thanks and received communion. And we would have a porch where we would be sent out together from. In these, four rooms, just like the two on the road, we encounter the presence of Christ. You can experience the presence of Jesus when you gather to worship By engaging in the conversation of with God. By hearing his Word and receiving it By remembering his salvation in communion And by going forth to live for Him with Him with you.
And now we are going to receive communion. 8 P age A couple words of direction. Our communion is open to all who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You do not have to be a member of our church. Our communion may be received by the whole family. Children may receive communion with their parents permission and direction. We will receive communion by kneeling or standing at the altar rail today. Our ushers will direct you to come forward down the center aisle. You will fill in across the rail. After you have received communion. Give thanks. And go back to your seat up the outer aisles. You can place your cup in a basket on the end of the front row. And two quick thoughts from the text today. Luke 24:28-29 Jesus acted as if He was 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. So, Jesus hesitated to show us something here. I think it s this. Before you can have communion with Jesus, you have to invite Jesus in. Right now, if Jesus isn t in your life, you can take a moment to ask Him to come into your life. You can say a simple prayer expressing your faith and whatever is on your heart, and asking Him to stay with you. And then 2. Luke 24:17 They stood still, their faces downcast... These two guys were confused. They were discouraged. Their faith wasn t perfect. They were going through a hard time in their lives. But Jesus didn t ask them to get it all straighten out before He offered them communion. Jesus takes us as we are confused, bewildered, hurting, struggling...
We are going to sing a short song. Lift a prayer. Prepare your heart. Confess your sins. And invite Him in as we sing. 9 P age Slides - Open our eyes Lord. Holy Communion. Take My Life, And Let It Be Hymn 455 vv. 1, 6 Final thought. Right after He rose, what did Jesus do? Not evangelism the great commission comes later Not discipleship the apostles teachings came later Not service Peter got restored to service later Worship is the first thing Jesus shows us how to do after his resurrection. It is the most important thing. It is our first priority Worship is our first priority. A classic statement of our beliefs in the Christian church asks the question: Q. What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Worship is our first priority. Over the course of the next few weeks we are going to look at Christian worship. We are going to fine tune our focus. We are going to encourage you to worship God in Spirit and in truth. We are going to explore the biblical reasons for why we do what we do in worship. That will help enhance our worship together, and it will over flow into our personal lives, and it will lead us to glorify God more completely as we should. Let s pray.
10 P age And now, May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.