RECOGNIZE YOUR RISEN SAVIOR
Easter 3 – May 1 & 4, 2014
Hymns: 333, 160, 541, 279.
Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called
Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about
everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each
other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from
recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk
along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. 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?" "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. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and
they crucified him; 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. In addition, some
of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his
body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was
alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women
had said, but him they did not see." He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to
suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the
Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were
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. When he was at the table with
them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their
eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 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?" They got up and returned at once to
Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and
saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told
what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke
the bread.
Dear Christian Friends:
In the last few years facial recognition technology has become very accurate.
By comparing one picture to another a computer can quickly determine if the
two pictures are of the same person. The world leader in facial recognition
technology is—you guessed it—Facebook. Facebook’s facial recognition
technology is 97.25 percent accurate. The human brain is only slightly better at
identifying faces—97.53 percent accurate.
Now, it’s a good social skill to be able to recognize the faces of family,
friends, and acquaintances. But the most important recognition process we can
go through is what we see in God’s Word today. We need to recognize Jesus for
who he really is. We need to see Jesus as our Savior. We need to believe that
Jesus is the only one who conquers sin, death, and Satan. That’s because only
through faith in Christ can you live forever in heaven.
To recognize Jesus for who he really is, we have something better than our
human brains. We have something better than Facebook. We have God’s Word.
God’s Word is one hundred percent accurate. God’s Word always tells us who
Jesus really is.
So, listen to God’s Word. Pay attention to God’s Word. Then God will give
you the ability we all need: RECOGNIZE YOUR RISEN SAVIOR.
In our sermon text we see two men who did not immediately recognize Jesus
when they met face-to-face on their walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Our text
says, As they…discussed these things.., Jesus himself came up and walked
along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
Under normal circumstances these disciples would have recognized Jesus by
using their brain’s facial recognition ability. But Jesus prevented them from
recognizing him physically. He did that so he could use God’s Word to train them
to recognize Jesus for who he really was.
They needed that because they really did not understand what Jesus was all
about. When Jesus asked them about their discussion they said, He [Jesus] was a
prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The
chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and
they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to
redeem Israel…. some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb
early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they
had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
These disciples obviously knew Jesus. They had even heard that Jesus had risen
from the dead. But they just couldn’t put two and two together. They couldn’t
connect the dots from the writings of the prophets to the life and ministry of Jesus.
For them Jesus’ death meant that Jesus was not the Messiah.
So Jesus connects the dots. Jesus puts two and two together. Jesus uses the
Scripture’s “facial recognition software” to teach them who he really is.
Again, listen to Jesus teach them, and us, about his true identity. “How foolish
you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what
was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Using the Old Testament Jesus explained how the promised Messiah did
indeed come to die. Then he explained how the prophets also told about the
resurrection. That’s the true Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world. He is the victor over sin, death, and the devil.
You and I need this lesson also. That’s because, like these so-called
“Emmaus disciples,” we do not always recognize Jesus for who he really is. They
were disappointed with Christ’s death because they were looking for an earthly
hero to set Israel free from foreign powers. They were looking for a Messiah to
solve their earthly problems.
We can make that same mistake. We, too, can politicize Jesus. We can think,
“If Jesus were around today, he would vote for this party or that candidate.”
Likewise, we think, “If I pray to Jesus, he will give me that promotion. He will
cure my disease. He will improve my love life. He will give me success.”
Now, don’t get me wrong. Jesus does care about our nation. Jesus does care
about your everyday life. And yes, you should ask Jesus to bless and guide your
everyday life. But if you only think of Jesus in terms of what he can do for you
right here and right now, then you have failed to recognize Jesus for who he really
is. That’s why Saint Paul says in First Corinthians, fifteen, “If only for this life
we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”
Yes, we do have hope in Christ for this life. But our greater hope in Christ is that
we will be free from all the pain and suffering of this life. We want to bid farewell
to the political battles of this world. We want to get rid of the stress of working the
rat race just so we can afford to buy as much stuff as our neighbors have. We want
to be free from all aches, pains, and diseases. We want to be free from having to
take medicine and undergo surgery. We want to be free from broken relationships
and family betrayals. We want to be free from the constant pressure to live up to
impossible standards. In other words, we want to be free from all the sinful
imperfections of this earthly existence.
And there’s only one way to get his freedom. That way is through faith in Jesus
Christ. The way to everlasting peace and eternal joy is for Jesus to wash away all
our sins. It’s for Jesus to share with us his victory over the grave. It’s for Jesus to
take us to heaven. That’s exactly what Jesus came to do for you.
Now, when the Emmaus disciples finally recognized all this about Jesus, they
had a powerful realization. They say, "Were not our hearts burning within us
while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
When Jesus uses God’s Word to explain how he is your Savior from sin and
death, then you get the right kind of “heart-burn.” With faith in Christ as your
Savior you feel the fire of spiritual freedom. You feel the fire of joy and peace.
With faith in Christ as your Savior you feel the fire of enthusiasm and optimism
for this life and for the life to come.
This fire of faith has only one fuel. That fuel is God’s Word. That’s the fuel
Jesus used to fire up the faith of the Emmaus disciples. That is the same fuel Jesus
uses to fire up your faith today.
So, at the risk of sounding repetitious, I urge all of you: Keep coming to church
and hearing God’s Word. Keep going to Bible class to learn more of God’s Word.
Keep reading the Scriptures in your own daily devotion. Keep meditating on
God’s Word throughout the day. Yes, even keep memorizing Bible passages even
though you have graduated from confirmation class.
But as your read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God’s Word, use it for its true
purpose. The Bible is not simply a reference manual to guide you through your
day. The Bible is God’s “Jesus recognition software.” The Bible tells you that
Jesus is your one and only Savior. But more than just telling you who Jesus is,
God’s Word also gives you Jesus. Gods Word puts Christ in your heart, in your
life, and in your soul. And God puts Jesus in your life so that you can live in
Christ and with Christ now and forever. AMEN.