Title: Miracle on Emmaus / Luke 24:13-35
Park Chan-ho, who plays in the American Major League Baseball, is in a slump and is struggling. Athletes and stars have something called a slump. It refers to a time when one's abilities are not being shown. Falling into a slump for no apparent reason is very painful and painful. No matter how hard you try, when the results do not come out, or rather, when you go backwards, the future becomes dark. There is nothing more painful than this when a student studying doesn't get good grades, or when business people don't make a lot of money. This stagnation or regression is not usually an embarrassment to all humans. People suffer when they are in a slump. I'm having a hard time. Some of you may have fallen into a slump like this and thought about it once or twice.
In today's text, you can find the appearance of two disciples falling into a slump of faith, stopping their faith life, leaving the group of disciples and going down to Emmaus. The Bible says, "But those who wait for the Lord will find new strength, and they will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not get weary, they will walk and not get weary" (Isaiah 40:31). Are you losing and falling into discouragement?
Today, through the appearance of the two disciples on the Emmaus statue, we immediately realize what is the cause of discouragement and restore the passion of faith “as an eagle soars up on its wings.” bless you with
I. Two disciples on Emmaus.
1. He left Jerusalem.
“On that day two of them went to a village called Emmaus, twenty ducks from Jerusalem.” (Verse 13) Judging from the fact that the name of one of the two disciples is revealed as 'Clova' in verse 18, it is believed that he was not one of the 12 apostles, but two out of the 70 who closely followed and worshiped Jesus.
Less than three days after Jesus died on the cross, bearing our transgressions and sins on the cross of Golgotha, he is hurriedly leaving Jerusalem. Perhaps these two disciples were in a hurry because they were afraid that they would be given the same frame of the cross as Jesus did.
We must be on the lookout for beliefs, avoidanceism, and escapism.
A characteristic of modern Christians is that they immediately leave the church even if it is a little difficult and difficult. How many saints left the Church of Always Praise during the Tribulation of the IMF?
You must not depart from faith. You must not leave the place of grace. Even when tribulation and persecution come, we must keep our place of faith.
2. Did not recognize Jesus.
“As we were talking and inquiring with one another, Jesus drew near and walked with us, but their eyes were blinded, so that they did not recognize him” (verses 15-16). The Resurrection Lord appeared to the two disciples going down to Emmaus. But they did not recognize Jesus because their spiritual eyes were blinded. If they didn't recognize Jesus who was there until just three days ago, something was wrong with them.
In a way, these people believe in the words of Jesus, hope for the kingdom of heaven, and follow the Lord in grace, but see only signs and wonders, or they can only see them as following the Lord by looking only at their own honor, profit, and blessings.
If your spiritual eyes are not opened like this, your faith will be futile. Everything in the world feels terrifying and terrifying. Even though the disciples were in the same boat with Jesus, a terrible storm broke out and woke Jesus from sleeping. Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, saying, "Be still, be still" (Mark 4:39), and he said to his disciples, "Why do you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40).
Even now, we must abandon our own will and thoughts, open our eyes of perfect faith, and follow the Lord of the Resurrection. When our spiritual eyes are opened, we can feel and see the Lord who walks with us.
I hope that all of you who took part in this precious worship service today will have the blessing of opening your spiritual eyes and participating in the glory of the resurrection.
3. I did not understand the Word.
In verses 17 to 26 of the text, the two disciples exchanged stories with Jesus as they went along the road. Although Jesus listened to the prophet to unravel the story of his death and resurrection, he did not realize it. Verse 25 explains why the two disciples did not understand the Word.
“You foolish ones, who keep believing in all that the prophets have spoken” (verse 25).
The prophets of the Old Testament spoke specifically about Jesus coming to this earth and the Messiah who would come to this earth several times. Nevertheless, they were slow to believe all the prophecies of these prophets. Also, you can see that they do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus properly and are speaking as if they were someone else's story.
If the two disciples had clearly believed in the resurrection faith, they should have said this. "We have not met the risen Jesus ourselves, but he must have risen on the third day. We believe in it."
Anyone who is accustomed to believing believes well in anything. However, those who are accustomed to not believing and doubting will not believe and believe in anything. Those who decide not to believe will not believe even if Jesus himself says the word.
II. Two disciples returning to Jerusalem
1. The eyes were opened (verse 31).
The story of the two disciples did not end negatively. The love of Jesus, who values one soul more than the world, extends to the dinner table. When Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to us, the spiritual eyes of the two men who had no faith were opened.
“Their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (verse 31).
Adam and Eve's eyes were opened and they could see their faults. And they saw their naked shame. However, when your spiritual eyes are opened, you will see Jesus, you will see heaven, and you will see the eternal world. Conversely, when the eyes of sin are opened, the world can be seen.
Those who meet and have fellowship with Jesus will have their spiritual eyes opened and their spiritual heart will be opened. In order to open my spiritual eyes and see Jesus, I must always have fellowship with Him. I hope that you will become a life of grace with the Lord every day by watching and praying and meditating on the Word.
2. My heart was warmed (verse 32).
Verse 32 says, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke to us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Those who meet Jesus have a warm heart. Furthermore, it teaches that the heart is warmed by the fire of the Holy Spirit. They received the Holy Spirit there that day. After receiving the Holy Spirit, all of them changed. The cynical faith became a fiery faith, the discouraged and depressed soul was strengthened, the exhausted faith was restored to a lively faith, and the doubted faith was restored to a certain faith.
When did it get hot? It was “a time when he spoke to us and opened the Scriptures to us” (verse 32). That's right. We do not receive the Holy Spirit from the top of Samgaksan at the prayer meeting. When we hear the Word, the Holy Spirit comes upon us. My heart gets hot.
Therefore, the people of God must not turn away from the Word or neglect worship. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
3. Became a climber (verse 33).
Verse 33 says, “At that hour, he got up and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven apostles and those who were with him.” “Immediately at that hour” means “at that time”.
True repentance must be done immediately. There is no need to delay, no need to delay.
Leaving for Jerusalem!
To the departed God!
We must quickly return to the faith we left behind.
The way up to Jerusalem like this is "the way of power."
"The road to victory".
"The Road of Hope".
In conclusion, let me tell you.
Just as the two disciples, whose names were not known, who left Jerusalem in fear of discouragement and went down to Emmaus, met Jesus, ate the word and bread he gave, and their spiritual eyes were opened again and returned to Jerusalem, the birthplace of the Holy Spirit, the birthplace of the early church. We too must rise from the seat of discouragement and despair and return to the church, the seat of grace, faith, blessing, and power.
Just as the two disciples who returned to Jerusalem testified of the risen Jesus to the eleven apostles and other disciples (verses 33-35), we can all join forces to participate in the place of evangelism, praise, service and devotion. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will become members of the ever-glorifying Church of Praise.