Lesson: Luke 24:13
And, behold, two of them went
that same day to a village
called Emmaus, which was from
Jerusalem about threescore
furlongs.
Luke 24:14 And they talked
together of all these things
which had happened.
Luke 24:15 And it came to pass,
that, while they communed
together and reasoned, Jesus
himself drew near, and went with
them.
Luke 24:16 But their eyes were
holden that they should not know
him.
Luke 24:17 And he said unto
them, What manner of
communications are these that ye
have one to another, as ye walk,
and are sad?
Luke 24:18 And the one of
them, whose name was Cleopas,
answering said unto him, Art
thou only a stranger in
Jerusalem, and hast not known
the things which are come to
pass there in these days?
Luke 24:19 And he said unto
them, What things? And they said
unto him, Concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, which was a prophet
mighty in deed and word before
God and all the people:
Luke 24:20 And how the chief
priests and our rulers delivered
him to be condemned to death,
and have crucified him.
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that
it had been he which should have
redeemed Israel: and beside all
this, to day is the third day
since these things were done.
Luke 24:22 Yea, and certain
women also of our company made
us astonished, which were early
at the sepulchre;
Luke 24:23 And when they
found not his body, they came,
saying, that they had also seen
a vision of angels,
which said that he was alive.
Luke 24:24 And certain of them
which were with us went to the
sepulchre, and found it even so
as the women had said: but him
they saw not.
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto
them, O fools, and slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets
have spoken:
Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to
have suffered these things, and
to enter into his glory?
Luke 24:27 And beginning at
Moses and all the prophets, he
expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning
himself.
Luke 24:28 And they drew
nigh unto the village, whither
they went: and he made as though
he would have gone further.
Luke 24:29 But they constrained
him, saying, Abide with us: for
it is toward evening, and the
day is far spent. And he went in
to tarry with them.
Luke 24:30 And it came to pass,
as he sat at meat with them, he
took bread, and blessed it, and
brake, and gave to them.
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were
opened, and they knew him; and
he vanished out of their sight.
Luke 24:32 And they said one to
another, Did not our heart burn
within us, while he talked with
us by the way, and while he
opened to us the scriptures?
Luke 24:33 And they rose up
the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven
gathered together, and them that
were with them,
Luke 24:34 Saying, The Lord is
risen indeed, and hath appeared
to Simon.
Luke 24:35 And they told what
things were done in the way, and
how he was known of them in
breaking of bread.
Text:
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that
it had been he which should have
redeemed Israel: and beside all
this, to day is the third day
since these things were done.
Introduction:
On this occasion the disciples
were suffering from a
shortcoming which is common to
most of us in some degree, at
many points in our lives.
The psychologist might call it
egocentrism. Piaget's theory
expresses it thus, 'The
inability of a person to take
the perceptual frame of
reference of another person.'
The philosopher, on the other
hand might say this is an
ethical egoist. "The goal of a
person's actions should be his
own self interest. The promotion
of whatever is to his own long
term advantage should be the end
at which he aims.
The dictionary states, 'the
ego-centrist relates everything
to himself' We simply refer to
it as being self-centered. To
keep things in proper
perspective, some self-interest
is good and even essential to
our survival and well-being:
1. IN
conviction, one must see HIMSELF
as the sinner. Seeing mankind as
depraved is not enough.
2. Christ must
be seen as a PERSONAL savior and
not the general savior of the
human race.
3 In our daily
spiritual needs. 'Not my
brother. nor my sister, but it's
ME. oh Lord, standing in the
need of prayer"!
I. The problem:
self-centered Christian lives.
NONE ARE IMMUNE FROM THIS
PLAGUE!
A. Examine our
examples;
1. They were
saved but unhappy.
2. One of them
apparently had a wife more
dedicated than he! Cleopas. His
wife was one of the Marys at the
cross.
John 19:25 Now there stood
by the cross of Jesus his
mother, and his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Cleophas, and
Mary Magdalene. John there stood
by the cross of Jesus his
mother, and his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Cleophas, and
Mary Magdalene.
They hadn't listened to her
testimony. v-22-24 [lesson]
3. Just
associating with other
Christians is not necessarily
the answer. This syndrome seems
to feed upon itself.
4. These were
in the very presence of Christ
and were still unhappy! He is
always in our midst but we are
not always aware of His presence
II. The most
dedicated and powerful servant
can fall prey to this evil.
A.
Samuel.1 Sam 8:6
But the thing displeased Samuel,
when they said, Give us a king
to judge us. And Samuel prayed
unto the LORD.
1 Sam 8:7 And the LORD said
unto Samuel, Hearken unto the
voice of the people in all that
they say unto thee: for they
have not rejected thee, but they
have rejected me, that I should
not reign over them.
B. Moses- took
Israel's weaknesses personally
and disobeyed God.
C. We perceive
every personal injury or trial
as the cause for worry or
unhappiness in our life.
Usually, not one will be caused
by a personal shortcoming!
III. The answer
to THEIR problem is also the
answer to ours!
'WHEN HE OPENED UNTO US THE
SCRIPTURES"
A. Psa
119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that
I may behold wondrous things out
of thy law.
B. Just
searching the Bible isn't
enough. It must be applied.
C. An example
of opening the scripture and
seeing Christ;
Phil 4:13 I can do all
things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.
Do you see Christ here as an
example? As a helper? As an aide
in conquering.? These are NOT
what Paul had in mind! The
secret was to see Paul IN Christ
and Christ thus in-powering him.
Another word used for this
process is 'infusing'
Illus. The
strongest tea leaves make no
difference until they infuse the
water, or become one with it.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me.
D. When we
really experience the
'fellowship of his suffering'
[Phil 3:10 That I may know him,
and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship
of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death;]
we will also know the
victory of the joy which was set
before him.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we
also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let
us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set
before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the
author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was
set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and
is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God.
IV. There are
legitimate appeals to the
self-conscious Christian. These
can touch them emotionally.
A. I'll have a
new body!
B. I'll have no
more sorrows!
C. I'll have a
crown! rewards.
D. I can have
the pleasure of winning someone
to Christ.
E. Some things
can reach them intellectually.
1.I've learned
new truths.
2. I've solved
some problems through Christ.
V. When Christ
becomes all in all to us, we are
touched 'spiritually'. |
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