Two Walks and a Turnaround (Luke 24:13-35)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
7 April 2024
Every believer sometimes feels like walking away from Jesus and his church. This is especially so at times of difficulty. Two disciples of Jesus were in difficulty.
They were perplexed and walking away from Jerusalem—walking away from their problem.
Jesus came and walked beside them. Jesus does not abandon his disciples. He comes and walks beside them in their hour of need.
Jesus engaged them in conversation. In Isaiah the Lord said...“come now and let us reason together”…(Isa 1:18). Jesus reasons with his people. He loves to hear them. He is a good listener.
The disciples demonstrate they knew much about the life of Jesus. They knew Jesus was a great prophet and that their leaders had condemned him. But knowledge is not understanding. You may know but not understand.
They had high expectations that Jesus would deliver them from Rome. When this expectation was not fulfilled they were sad.
The Lord said they were foolish and slow to believe all that the prophets spoke. The Old Testament is all about Jesus. We do Jesus wrong if we read the Old Testament and miss this point.
Jesus opened the scriptures to the two disciples. From Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them the things concerning himself.
The disciples were revived and their hearts were burning as Jesus opened their understanding. The scriptures, once opened to us, will warm our hearts as nothing else can.
They recognised Jesus as he blessed and broke bread with them. Jesus broke bread as only he could do. The disciples observed this stranger breaking bread in their midst and immediately recognised him to be Jesus.
They immediately turned and went back to the church in Jerusalem. This was a turnaround. Revived believers return to the church. It is the natural thing to do. God revives his people that they should benefit in together.
The church in Jerusalem burst forth with the news, "The Lord is risen and has appeared to Peter." The two revived disciples also tell their story. The church once confused by Jesus’s death is now comforted by his resurrection.
What began as a walk away from Jerusalem ends with a return to Jerusalem. It is the story of two walks and a turnaround. We walk away; Jesus walks to us; and we do a turnaround. Thank God he turns us for the better.