The Road of Faith
May 24 | Vermon Pierre
Stream from your smart TV by going to our Youtube channel: youtube.com/@ViaChurch
Luke 24:1-53
The Resurrection
1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
On the Road to Emmaus
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension
50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Jesus is risen from the dead! But can it be true? Is it for real? The women disciples came to visit Jesus’ tomb and found it empty, with two angelic men standing there letting them know that Jesus had indeed risen. But many of the disciples didn’t believe it, couldn’t believe it. (Luke 24:11, “but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”)
Here then is what faith is like. It’s like a road we travel, where we want to believe that Jesus is who He says He is, that He is there for us and is truly with us.
But there are potholes and roadblocks along the way that can get in the way of us fully believing in this Jesus. Things like fear, like doubt, like disappointment – all of them can trip us up, make us stop alongside the road and think that Jesus, with all that He says and promises, isn’t going to really work out for us.
But here in fact is where Jesus especially shows up. It’s when we hit the potholes and roadblocks in life. That’s when Jesus wants us to see He is especially near to us, ready to show Himself to us even more, so that we can keep having the faith we need to keep traveling down that road with Him.
We see this happen, quite literally, in Luke 24:13-35. Two disciples are traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Jesus comes alongside, but “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (v.16) Jesus asks them what they are talking about and they share with him their disappointment about the recent death of Jesus, how they had hoped He would be “the one to redeem Israel.” But now He was gone.
This was a major disappointment. Disappointment can be one of the more significant potholes to faith, because it attacks us at the level of our hopes and dreams. Disappointment means the disruption and even shattering of a hope or dream, and that can shake or even shatter what we believe about ourselves, about God, about the world.
But here is where Jesus really steps in. In the passage Jesus helps the disciples see that all that happened, yes even the suffering of Jesus, was part of God’s plan. Eventually the disciples reach their destination. They invite Jesus to have a meal with them, and it’s at that moment as they are about to eat that Jesus is revealed to them. Jesus then disappears and in joy these two disciples immediately leave to return to Jerusalem to give the other disciples the good news.
Their faith had run aground on disappointment. But that’s where Jesus met them and led them through. Because the difficult sections on the road of faith are actually spaces where we can especially 1) see Jesus, and 2) walk more closely with Jesus.
A chance to see Jesus
One of the things Jesus points out to these two disciples is how the whole Bible is about Jesus. Jesus is how we make sense of all the ups and downs in the Bible. The same applies to human life. Jesus is how we make sense of all that happens in our lives. In fact, it is especially when things are very unsteady and our faith is most rattled, that God wants us to see how Jesus is in it all and helps us make sense of it all.
A chance to walk more closely with Jesus
Jesus stayed with these disciples, explaining things to them, for as long as they needed. Jesus does the same today. He will walk with us and, if we let Him, explain and guide and comfort and encourage, for as long as we are willing to stay with Him and walk the road of faith.
Discussion Questions
What are some “potholes” or “roadblocks” that can make it difficult for people to keep walking the road of faith in Jesus? How have you experienced any of these personally?
Jesus explained to the disciples how all of Scripture pointed to Him. How does seeing the bigger story of God’s plan help us make sense of setbacks or failures or unanswered questions in our lives?
Jesus did not immediately remove the disciples’ confusion; instead, He walked with them and taught them along the journey. What does this show us about how spiritual growth and renewed faith often happen?