Walking With Jesus – The Walk Continues (Part IX)
Sermon Title: Walking With Jesus – The Walk Continues
Good News Statement: Jesus walks with us but do we walk with Jesus
Preached: Sunday, April 27th, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC
Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.
Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 24:13-35 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. During the Lenten and Easter Season, we are going to be walking with Jesus to the Cross, listening to his parables, deciphering his teachings, and experiencing our own resurrection. Our walk concludes today be realizing that we still have more walking to do for Jesus. Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Twenty-four, verses Thirteen thru Thirty-five. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.
The Walk to Emmaus
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over 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 took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed 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 they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”
The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar Charles R. Swindoll, who offers commentary and thoughts on the Gospel of Luke in his book ”Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke” published in 2012 by Zondervan Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012.
Introduction:
Just two weeks ago, the followers of Jesus, the Messiah, had welcomed their King to Jerusalem. They covered his path with their cloaks and waved cut palm branches in the air; they cheered, and praised God, and shouted, “Hosannas,” or in other words, “Save us! Save us!” Tens of thousands, at least, lined the streets of Jerusalem fully expecting Jesus to redeem Israel[1] by the sword and make the nation great again—prosperous, free, and powerful, and even righteous. Jesus would throw off Roman tyranny, place the temple into godly hands, restore the rule of God’s law, and finally establish Israel as the light of the world.[2]
Jesus was their Messiah, their long awaited King. He had promised abundant life, hope, and salvation. However, the people didn’t realize what Jesus had to go through in order for their cries of “Hosannas” to come true. Just over a week ago, as the sky darkened over Jerusalem, as the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, as the earth shook, all before the day of the Sabbath, Jesus hung on a cross—flogged, beaten nearly to death, mocked, ridiculed, and tormented—lifeless. As he hung on that old rugged Roman cross between two condemned criminals, crying out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” and “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. It is finished”, Jesus breathed his last breath.
Meanwhile, his enemies preened the temple market for business again and politicians resumed their daily trade, exchanging truth for power. Everything returned to “business as usual” in the temple and in the streets; but for the followers of Jesus, fear and confusion settled in. The Passover celebration marked the death of a long-awaited dream crushed by power and politics. What should have been a celebration of freedom from enslavement to the Promised Land for the people became a reminder of their torture while enslaved in Egypt. While the heart of Jerusalem beat on, some of its constituents couldn’t move, couldn’t think, couldn’t comprehend what had just taken place.
And just a week ago, on that Sunday morning following Jesus’ crucifixion, “disillusioned citizens of God’s kingdom”[3] as Swindoll notes, wondered what to do next. The Twelve had scattered to various locations. Some disciples gathered in a large room somewhere in the city, huddled behind locked doors for fear of the religious leaders.[4] Two other confused followers decided to leave town altogether, taking a risk being out in public. You see, while the two walked, Jesus walked with them. And even when Jesus disappeared, the two continued to walk. Are you willing to continue the walk of Christ in your life?
Body:
While living in Evanston, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, I would often take a few minutes to walk along Lake Michigan, which looks more like an ocean than a lake. I would take walks along the Lake to get out of my apartment, to get some fresh air, to take a break from studying, to clear my mind, and to be reminded of the beauty of God’s creation. During the Spring, through the Summer, and well into Fall, people could be found riding their bikes, walking their dogs, reading and relaxing on the beach, wading in the water, and on some occasions during the evenings there would be live music. I remember one time, when Emily came to visit me, that we decided to go for a walk and it happened to be the day that Northwestern’s choir was recording a new song and they were using the sounds of the water crashing against the rocks and the sounds of people walking by and the sounds of nature as their accompaniment. It was really neat to listen too! On April 29th, 2022, I proposed to Emily while walking along Lake Michigan!
It was usually during those walks that I thought about a Latin phrase originally stated by St. Augustine. In Latin the phrase is, “Solvitur ambulando,” which in English means “it is solved by walking.” To be honest, I didn’t solve everything while I walked, but I did figure out a few things. But the more I think about that phrase, the more I begin to realize how powerful and truthful it is. Have you ever taken a walk to figure something out? Have you ever taken a drive to contemplate things? Have you ever taken a trip to give yourself something new to look at, to gain a new perspective, to get away from the routine? Have you ever walked away from a difficult and stressful project or situation—to think about things—only to return to it and see a new way to fix it? Have you ever taken a step back and looked at the bigger picture in front of you?[5] Have you ever considered how some things are solved by walking?
The act of walking is powerful. It can do a lot of things, even remind us of those we choose to do some walking for. In August of 1988, a Scottish duo known as the Proclaimers released a song that five years later reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.[6] The name of this song is “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” The song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” according to Charlie Reid, the lead singer of the Proclaimers, “is a devotional thing about how far [a person] would walk for [someone they love].” The chorus is probably the most remembered of the song, and it goes like this, “But I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk five hundred more just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.” How far are you willing to walk for the person and people you love?
I was thinking about this song the other day. Did you know Jesus walked everywhere, except when he was in a boat? He walked to Nazareth to Jerusalem every year with his parents to celebrate the Passover Meal; He walked from village to village and town to town preaching the good news; He walked all over the Galilean Region healing the sick, casting out demons, restoring sight to the blind, helping the deaf hear again, giving words to the mute, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, releasing captives, blessing the poor, and telling the paralyzed to stand up and walk. He walked by wells and places of gathering to forgive sins and to eat with Pharisees, Tax Collectors, and Unbelievers; He walked throughout the land inviting people to give up everything and to “follow him”; He walked in deserts, up mountains, into deserted places, and within the peacefulness of gardens to find restoration, isolation, and hope; He walked to places that blessed him and to places that rejected him; and He walked, while carrying his cross, to his death on Calvary. Then three days later, He walked out of the tomb! Jesus even walked on water!
It is extremely evident that Jesus walked. He probably walked more than 500 miles! As a matter of fact, according to Ray Downing—a 3D illustrator and animator—“The Gospels give us a detailed accounting of these walks and destinations [within a region roughly the size of the state of New Jersey] and is [estimated] that during the three years of Jesus’ public ministry he walked approximately 3,125 miles.”[7]
While Jesus walked, he solved a lot of issues, problems, and situations. But now that Jesus has been resurrected, his earthly walking is coming to a close. But for us, his ending is our beginning. It’s our time to walk for Jesus. It’s our time to walk 500 hundred miles and more for the one who saved us and forgave us. And what better way to motivate us to walk for Jesus than to be reminded of the story of those who walked to Emmaus and back to Jerusalem.
Movement One: Understanding the Text…
Before we can relate this text to our own life, we first need to understand the meaning of what is taking place. So we begin with Luke 24:13, which states, “Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem…” Two of them refers to followers of Jesus: not necessarily two of the apostles but just two disciples that chose to follow Jesus. Deciding to risk their lives and be seen in public, the two decided to leave their idealistic dreams in Jerusalem and return to normal life: the pair of disciples quietly set out for their home in Emmaus. The exact location of Emmaus is unknown today, but Luke sets the distance at 60 stadia. One stadia is roughly 600 feet: 600 times 60 equals 36, 000 feet which is equivalent to about 7 miles. So, Emmaus is about 7 miles from Jerusalem, about a day’s journey.
Later on, Luke names one of the disciples walking on the road to Emmaus as Cleopas, who may be the same as Clopas, the husband of a follower named Mary (John 19:25), though this is not likely. Swindoll claims, “While similar, the names differ in origin; their difference is more than a mere spelling variation. Cleopas is a shortened version of the Greek name Cleopatros, while Clopas derives from Hebrew origin.”[8] Although knowing who these people are is important, it is not as important as what this moment teaches us.
Next Luke writes in 24:14-16, “… and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Luke describes their discussion using the verb homileo, which carries the idea of bantering ideas back and forth, undoubtedly with great emotion as the two sought answers to the question, “What happened?” or “Where did it all go wrong?” This conversation took place as the two walked along the road. Somewhere along the way, Jesus drew near and kept pace without identifying himself. We read that the disciples’ eyes “were kept from recognizing him.” For whatever reason, which Luke doesn’t elaborate on, they didn’t recognize Jesus. Maybe God prevented them from seeing Jesus? Maybe there was something personal causing them not to see Jesus? Maybe they didn’t recognize Jesus because they couldn’t get past seeing the Jesus on the cross rather than the Jesus who went from village to village spreading the good news? For whatever reason, they couldn’t recognize Jesus even though Jesus was walking with them.
Then Luke indicates in Luke 24:17-18, “And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’” Jesus joined the discussion, still without being recognized, with a polite question: “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” The confused followers debated the possible reasons. Cleopas answered, “Are you the only stranger who does not know the things that have taken place…?” This is a little ironic! Of course Jesus knows what has happened: he was there; what happened involved him. However, the two are still clueless who is walking with them, and they even identify Jesus as a stranger.
Then Luke states in Luke 24:19-24, “He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 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 took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.’” Like a wise counselor, Jesus prompted Cleopas to explain this meaning in order to get his problem out into the open. The grieving disciple summarized the Lord’s ministry accurately enough, but failed to understand his mission. “Redeem Israel” from his perspective had Jesus behaving like a typical earthly king—delivering earthly, tangible, temporal blessings, only more righteously than any before him. Swindoll notes, “Cleopas’s noble expectations for a social, political, and economic Messiah had failed to materialize.”[9] Cleopas recounted the major facts of the day. He said, in effect, “The women found the tomb empty; angels said the tomb is empty because Jesus is alive, and some other people verified that the tomb is empty…but I can’t figure out what happened.”
Luke continues and explains in Luke 24:25-27, “[Jesus] said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” The challenge for Jesus became clear: adjust the disciple’s perspective to help them see the true Messiah. Jesus reviewed the Hebrew Scriptures, starting with the beginning and working his way through the prophets. The reference to Moses points to his writings, the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. Jesus pointed to himself as the one-and-only Messiah and then demonstrated specifically the necessity of his sacrifice in order to become the kind of King the followers hoped to serve.
Moreover, Luke tells us in Luke 24:28-31, “As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.” In keeping with ancient near Eastern rules of hospitality, “the disciples invited the stranger to stay the night.”[10] They became the Good Samaritan in this story. Jesus accepted their offer, yet maintained his cover in order to complete the lesson he had begun. According to Swindoll, “Luke doesn’t explain how the breaking of bread opened the disciples’ eyes. They may have seen the nail holes in Jesus’ hands. Perhaps they had witnessed the feeding of the multitude in the wilderness and say something familiar in the way he broke bread there.[11] All we can know for certain is that the eyes of the two disciples were suddenly able to see everything clearly for the first time but not before Jesus vanished.
Luke ends this story in Luke 24:32-35, “They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon! Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” In the beginning of the story, the disciples saw the trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus as the end of their hopes; this carried them away from Jerusalem. By the end of their time with Jesus, they saw the same events as the fulfillment of God’s prophetic promise, and this carried them toward Jerusalem to see the risen Christ. They returned to Jerusalem sharing what they had witnessed!
There is a lot that happens within this story, within this walk to Emmaus. But what does it motivate us to do today? Could you walk back to Jerusalem, the very place that crucified your Savior?
Movement Two: A Simple Explanation…
How does this text relate to our life? Well, the story begins with two disciples on their way back home to Emmaus. They are sad and confused. Sad because their hope died on a cross, and was buried in a tomb. Confused, though, because they have heard reports that the tomb was found empty by the women who went there, and that there were angels telling them that Jesus was alive, although no one had yet seen him. So, you can imagine their conversation as they walked back home that day.
And while they were talking about all these things, Jesus himself joined them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And what did Jesus do when he joined them on their journey? First, he listened to them. He asked them a simple, open-ended question, and then he listened to their answer. “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” He asked. And of course, Jesus knew what they were discussing. But he still wanted to listen to them. And so, in this story, Cleopas and his friend share what is on their hearts. Standing still, looking sad, they share their story.
First, this encounter with Jesus reminds us that Jesus wants to know what was happening with all of us. He wants to know, although he already knows, what is happening in your life, in your own words. In a song usually sung at Teens Encounter Christ, a Catholic Retreat for the Youth, those present will sing, “Jesus, Jesus, can I tell you how I feel?” And Jesus will always answer, yes. As you walk with Jesus, don’t forget to tell him how you feel, what is happening in your life, and share about your worries, concerns, praises, and joys. Jesus wants to know what is happening in your life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Realizing that Jesus wants to know what is happening, reminds us that the risen Jesus is walking with us through this life, even when we don’t recognize him.
This encounter also teaches us about how to share our faith with others. Jesus teaches us that it all starts simply by joining someone on their journey: Walking with them. Talking to them. Listening to them. It starts there. This might mean opening ourselves to someone else’s pain. That’s part of being with another person and caring for them in the way Jesus teaches. Sometimes we want to skip this step. But Jesus shows us in this story how important this step is. To listen to someone share their pain and their grief. To be present for and with them. To let them know that you are willing to help them in any way possible. This is the first step to ministering to another person. Before we ever share our faith, we listen. Before we can learn to run, we must learn to walk, just as Jesus did. As Jesus walks with you, share with him how you feel and then do the same for someone else: be a listening ear for your neighbor.
After Jesus listened to Cleopas and his friend, he then “opened” his Bible. Not literally, but he began to interpret what the Bible had to say about his death and resurrection. He shared scripture with them, and their hearts burned. Or as John Wesley would say, their heart was “strangely warmed.” Their hearts burned with a fierce joy as Jesus did this. Why? Because he helped them to see their story wrapped up in God’s story. And he helped them to understand that the cross was necessary. That everything Jesus did in his life and in his suffering was done out of love for us. And that it was all necessary to bring forgiveness, healing, and hope to our sad, broken, and sin-filled world.
Isn’t this part of what it means to walk with Christ? To help others to see their story wrapped up in God’s story? Whether it is literally using scripture or not, we can help others to see their life through the lens of God’s grace and mercy. We can help them to better understand their place and purpose in this world by helping them to see that they walk through this world with Jesus, who died for them, and is with them now. Sooner or later, as we help others understand that their story is part of God’s story, we, ourselves, will begin to see Jesus before us, taking note that what we are doing is exactly what Jesus would do.
Now, it is also important to notice that Jesus does not just offer those two disciples a pat on the back and a gesture of love. He also rebukes them for their lack of faith. “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe,” he says to them. Sometimes, in other words, when we look at our life through the lens of eternity, we don’t like what we see. We have wandered off the path. Or a friend has wandered off the path. Sometimes we need to hear, from our Lord or from a friend, a word of rebuke. Reminding us how foolish we are, and how slow of heart we can be to believe. And sometimes we might need to say that to another. (After we have addressed the splinter in our own eye, of course.) But there are times when we are called not just to be cheerleaders, but prophets: speaking a necessary word from above.
By hearing the words of Jesus, we allow ourselves to better understand that the walk that began with him is the same walk that we are called to walk ourselves; and as we walk, we are challenged to walk with others who need to know that Christ is also walking with them.
So, looking at what this story teaches us about ministry and the Christian life, we have seen how Jesus joins us on our journey, and invites us to open our hearts to him. We have seen how this can open us to sadness, but that sadness in God’s presence is always mingled with joy. We have seen how God’s word can help us to better understand how God is at work in our life. Sometimes it will comfort us, and sometimes it will challenge us.
So, what is next? Well, Cleopas and his friend are nearing their home in Emmaus. Jesus walked ahead, as if he were going on. They still don’t know it is Jesus, but they urge him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” Think about that: Jesus doesn’t invite himself into their home. He waits for an invitation. He teaches us to do that. And he does that for us. Jesus joins us on the journey without our asking. But at some point, and maybe at a lot of points, he waits to be invited in. “Listen, I stand at the door, knocking,” Jesus says in Revelation. “If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus comes to the doors of our hearts knocking, but he waits to be let in. He never forces his way in. And this, too, is a powerful image for the Christian life. This is a reminder to us of how we should approach walking with others: not pushing our faith on anyone, but always being ready when the invitation presents itself.
After inviting Jesus to stay with them, they break bread together. This simple meal becomes holy. Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Sound familiar?! And then, their eyes are opened, and they recognize him. The breaking of the bread is arguably the most important act we do as Christians. Through the breaking of the bread, we learn that Jesus is the Temple: that his body is part of our salvation, that the offering of himself is an act of unconditional love, and that this simple act is a call to fellowship to join one another. Through this act of fellowship, we set aside our agendas in order to fulfill the agenda of Jesus. Through the act of fellowship, we meet people where they are. Through the act of fellowship, our eyes are open to see the person, our neighbor, on the other side of the road just like the Good Samaritan did (Luke 10). Through the act of fellowship, we learn what is needed to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Jesus breaking bread with these two disciples is a reminder to all of us to take time to fellowship with those in our life, and when we do, our eyes will be opened as we continue to do some walking.
But the story doesn’t quite end there. When their eyes are opened, and they recognize Jesus, he immediately vanishes from their sight. So what does this teach us about ministry and our walk for Christ? It teaches us about the importance of what we do after we fellowship in the presence of Jesus. As soon as those disciples realized that they had been with Jesus, they got up and rushed back to Jerusalem to share the news. Think about that: A seven-mile journey, in the evening, with the day almost over. But they went, eagerly, to share their joy. And so should we. After recognizing Jesus in our midst, we should always go with a sense of urgency—to share our faith, and to love our neighbor, and to do everything that Jesus has commanded us to do. After our eyes have been opened to see our risen Lord, how can we do any less? Once our eyes our opened, the importance of continuing the walk of Christ becomes even more important, even more crucial, to our life.
You see, there is a lot to discuss when it comes to the story of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. However, what the story invites us to really think about is, “are we willing to continue the walk of Christ now that he has been resurrected?” Can we walk in his footsteps with our eyes open? Can we walk in his shoes doing what he would do, teaching what he would teach, caring for those who he would care for? During our walk, are we willing to live in the present while noticing the changes needed to have a better future?
Movement Three: How are you going to Walk for Christ?
Being reminded of this story, I have to ask you, as an individual, “What are you going to do to continue the walk of Christ in your life? What do you need to do to keep your eyes open for Jesus?” Maybe your walk is more of prayerful walk. The Bible, on several accounts, in both the Old and New Testaments, encourages us to pray. Jesus prayed in the garden, on the mountain, in the wilderness, in the presence of others, alone, and he even taught his disciples how to pray with hopes of creating a deeper relationship with God. Or maybe your walk is a walk that exemplifies the acts of worship. On several accounts, especially, in the Old Testament, we read of people gathering to worship—to give praise, thanks, and recognition to God—to better their lives. Or maybe your walk is focused on fellowship. In the New Testament, Jesus is constantly drawing people together, in crowds or around the table, to be present with one another, with hopes of being part of each other’s story, of being a sense of support. Or maybe your walk is a walk of evangelism—developing ways to share the good news. Jesus was all about evangelism—doing something new, meeting people where they are, always inviting and never turning people away, and constantly going out of his way to walk with others who both believed in him and didn’t believe in him.
Or maybe your walk is focused on telling Jesus how you feel. Paul wrote to the people of Philippi, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). And David wrote in Psalm 30:2, “Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.” Again, Jesus wants to hear what is happening in your life: he wants to hear your joys, your concerns, your worries, your passions, your sufferings, your grief, and your blessings. Or maybe your walk for Christ is about you doing what you can to simply make it through the day: “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Or maybe your walk for Christ is trying to find ways to keep your eyes open to witness his presence so that you can share the good news that he is alive. Jesus has met you on the road. He didn’t cross over to the other side; but met where you are because he saw you, because he heard you, because he wants to help you continue the walk that he has started. What sort of walk are you walking for Christ?
Now, church, friends, how are we continuing to walk for Christ? Last week, I shared with you different moments in which are church has shown signs of resurrection: proof that we are still finding ways to walk for Christ and proof that we are not seeking to walk away from Jerusalem but back toward Jerusalem where people need to hear about us. We are being resurrected, but our journey isn’t done. Jesus still needs us to do some walking. So what does that look like? Are there ministries we need to improve or grow or expand or even start? Are there projects that we should be doing or considering? Are there people out there that need to know that they can worship here? Church, do we need to get some new shoes so that we can walk farther, travel more terrain, and reach more places and people?
At this point, I should be honest with you, it’s not always going to be easy continuing to walk for Christ. We will encounter obstacles, doubt, worry, and we may even need to overcome hurdles, take risks, and face challenges head on and be reminded to open our eyes. But, also know that you aren’t walking alone. Look around: everyone here is walking with you; I am walking with you; Jesus is walking with you. It may take time before we realize that Jesus is walking with us, but sooner or later we will realize that he was, is, and always will be there because our eyes have been opened.
You may be walking through what seems like the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23), you may be walking through a battle field of sin, you may be walking through a storm—trying to stay above water—or you may be walking the joy of the day. We are called to keep walking because that is what Jesus has called us to do. He will not leave us to walk on our own. On the Road to Emmaus, the lives of two people were changed, and at the moment they decided to lace up their shoes and walk for Christ. Are you willing to do the same?
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Road to Emmaus invites us to open our eyes and to continue walking for Jesus, where he left off. To continue the walk of Christ, we must being willing to tell him how we feel, what is happening in our life. To continue the walk of Christ, we must be willing to join others on their journey and remind them, as Jesus has reminded us, that their story is part of God’s story. To continue the walk of Christ, we must be willing to share our faith when the time comes. To continue the walk of Christ, we must find ways to break bread with others, to fellowship with our neighbors, so that our eyes will be opened to the ways of Jesus. To continue the walk of Christ means to look around and see the path before us. To continue the walk of Christ suggests that we still have work to do as disciples and as a church. To continue the walk of Christ nudges us to share with others that Jesus is alive and living within us.
It is extremely evident that Jesus walked. As a matter of fact, he walked over 3,000 miles[12] for me, for us, for others, and for you. And all he is asking is that we open our eyes and continue his walk. While Jesus walked, he solved a lot of issues, problems, and situations. He saved thousands of people, healed the sick, cared for the poor, found the lost, and made the last first. But now that Jesus has been resurrected, his earthly walking is coming to a close. But for us, his ending is our beginning. It’s our time to walk for Jesus. It’s our time to walk 500 hundred miles and more for the sake of keeping his story alive within us and within our church. Are you willing to walk for Jesus?
Closing Prayer:
Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, thank you for meeting us on the road and for opening our eyes. Grant us the strength today to continue walking for you as we invite others to do the same. Amen.
Benediction:
Are you willing to walk for Christ? This week, allow the Lord to open your eyes so that you can see where he needs you to walk. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go continuing the walk of Jesus. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.
[1] Luke 1:68; 2:25, 38; 23:51
[2] Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3
[3] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 520.
[4] Luke 24:33; and John 20:19
[5] If you have ever studied the picture A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (Lah Grand Zautt) by Georges Seurat (George Sue-rah) from 1884-1886, you will notice up-close that the painting is composed of little dots of color, but standing far away everything looks well blended together.
[6] The lead single from their second album, Sunshine on Leith¸ has been featured in several movies and television shows, is still played on the radio today, and is said that the band’s earnings from this one song are “five times more than the rest of their music catalogue combined.”[6] Needless to say, this 1988 song has become a “live staple”[6] for millions of people across the world.
[7] Ray Downing, “How Far Did Jesus Walk”, an online blog post published on February 21, 2023: https://www.raydowning.com/blog/2023/2/20/how-far-did-jesus-walk#:~:text=His%20journey%20was%20not%20a,he%20walked%20approximately%203%2C125%20miles.
[8] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 520.
[9] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 521.
[10] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 522.
[11] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 522.
[12] Ray Downing, “How Far Did Jesus Walk”, an online blog post published on February 21, 2023: https://www.raydowning.com/blog/2023/2/20/how-far-did-jesus-walk#:~:text=His%20journey%20was%20not%20a,he%20walked%20approximately%203%2C125%20miles.