Easter Changes Everything
Luke 24:13-35

I. The resurrection of Jesus gives you open eyes to Jesus’ identity.

A. In Luke 24:13 we read about two disciples of Jesus walking to a village named Emmaus on the afternoon of Easter. These two disciples were talking about the death of Jesus that took place three days earlier on Good Friday (vs. 19-20), and they were talking about the events of Easter morning (vs. 22-24). They are joined by another traveler for their journey according to vs. 15. We know as the readers that the other traveler is the resurrected Jesus. But the two people walking to Emmaus did not yet have their eyes open to the identity of their traveling companion.

B. Jesus gave them a sermon they would never forget. Verse 27 says, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” One passage was likely Isaiah 53:4-5: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

II. The resurrection of Jesus gives you a walking companion for life.

A. One of the major themes of the Gospel of Luke is the journey theme. In Luke 9:51 Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem where He knows He will die on the cross to pay for our sins. And here in Luke 24 we see two more people making a journey. These journeys are a picture of the fact that life itself is a journey. Our lives are all headed in a direction. And the resurrection of Jesus makes it clear to us that we do not have to travel alone in making our journey. Because Jesus is alive and has given His church His Holy Spirit to live in us we will never walk alone.

B. Verse 28 says that Jesus acted as if he were going farther in his journey, but the two travelers urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us!” When you find a walking companion like Jesus, you want Him to stay. So what did Jesus do? He stayed with them according to vs. 29. And Jesus will stay with you on your journey also if you will ask Him to. That is the promise of Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

III. The resurrection of Jesus gives you a burning heart.

A. When Jesus ate with the two travelers, their eyes were finally opened to Jesus’ identity. They said to each other in vs. 32, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Being with Jesus gives you a burning heart of joy. This is Jesus’ desire for every Christian. John 15:11: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Application:
Invite someone to our Easter service so that they might experience the joy of being with Jesus.

Sources:
The Gospel of Luke
Commentary on Luke by Darrell Bock
Sermon by R. Kent Hughes