How to Engage Others With the Risen Lord

INTRO

This is the final lesson in the Gospel of Luke. Luke 24:1–2 gives the backdrop for this chapter. It’s post-Resurrection day, and when the women arrived at the tomb, the stone was rolled away. Jesus predicted multiple times He would die and be resurrected three days later. The women were perplexed, but two men stood before them (v. 4) and pronounced Jesus’ Resurrection (vv. 5–6) and reminded them that Jesus had told them the Son of Man would be betrayed, crucified, and would rise on the third day (v. 7). The women remembered Jesus’ words and returned to tell the others (vv. 8–10). But the disciples didn’t believe the women (v. 11). Peter ran to the tomb, looked in and saw the linen cloths, and went home amazed (v. 12). While the women and Peter were excited and amazed that Jesus had risen, two disciples left Jerusalem feeling discouraged, thinking Jesus was still dead. The church has to believe Jesus has overcome death as well, that He has risen from the dead, and that He conquered sin. Instead the church tends to act like Jesus is still dead, not victorious. Today we’re going to consider four words that can equip us to be evangelists, to be able to share, with those who are discouraged or defeated, that Jesus is the Son of God who rose again.

TEACHING

Luke 24:13–16: The same day the news of Jesus’ resurrection was received, these two disciples were headed to Emmaus (the name means “warm bath”), a village about seven miles west of Jerusalem. They were discussing everything that had happened–crucifixion, death, resurrection, the empty tomb, and the women showing up. Their conversation became heated, possibly about whether or not the news was real, and Jesus appeared and walked with them. Jesus went out of His way to find them–love came near and walked with them. This is the opposite of the model of the church today. We expect people to come to us. Love comes from God (1 John 4:19). Love is the first step for us to begin engaging the community (1 Thessalonians 3:12). Love is the first word.

Luke 24:17–25: The second word is listen. Jesus asked them about their dispute. To listen we need to ask questions. Jesus didn’t respond to their responses, but He continued to listen. Constable states that according to early Christian tradition, Cleopas was Jesus’ uncle and Joseph’s brother, and he became a leader of the Jerusalem church. He could have been the husband of “Mary, the wife of Clopas (a variant spelling of the same name), who was present at Jesus’ crucifixion.”¹According to the early Byzantine church, Luke was the unnamed disciple on the road.²So Jesus talked to His uncle, who identified Him as a prophet. They talked about the crucifixion, but they didn’t talk about the resurrection. As we listen to people, we need to listen to the heart issue.

The disciples told Jesus they had hoped the Christ was the One who was to redeem Israel, that women had discovered the empty tomb and seen a vision of angels, who said Jesus was alive, and that some of the other disciples had gone to the tomb as well and found it empty. Their words poured out to Jesus (vv. 22–24).

Luke 24:25–27: Jesus told them they had been “unwise and slow” in believing what the prophets had spoken. In the Old Testament, a fool is defined as one who knows the Scriptures but doesn’t adhere to what it says and doesn’t allow the truth to influence his behavior. Jesus asked, “Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?” Then Jesus led them through the Scriptures about the Messiah in the Old Testament (v. 27).

Luke 24:28–29: The third step is discernment, which means to perceive or recognize something from the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave the impression that He was going to continue on. Discernment comes from the Holy Spirit. Every person we meet is different, and discernment shows us how to relate and engage to each. They urged Him to stay with them. Discernment understands where the point of entry is.

Luke 24:30–35: The fourth word is respond. The Holy Spirit shows how to respond. Then Jesus broke the bread at the table and gave it to them, and they realized who He was. Their understanding may have come from the Lord’s Supper or from the feeding of the 5,000 or the teaching about how Jesus was the bread of life. Jesus responded to them by showing them the bread. But as soon as they recognized Him, Jesus left them and disappeared from their sight. As soon as they realized Jesus had been with them, they got up and walked back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples they had seen Him. They returned with victory because they had seen the risen Lord.

CLOSING

The reality at the end of Luke is that Jesus is alive. Go love someone today. Listen to what he or she is saying. Discern from the Holy Spirit how to engage that person, and possibly respond by inviting that person to the table.