The Message of the Bible from the Road to Emmaus (Part 1)
(The Christ Hermeneutic and the Problem of Sin)
April 26, 2006
Pastor Matt Black
Midweek Service
Luke 24:1-53
Discipleship: What are the Ten Commandments of God’s moral law?
(Quote them.)
Catechism Questions
Q1. Who is the first and best of beings?
A. God is the first and best of beings.
Q2. What is the chief end of man?
A. To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
Q3. How do we know there is a God?
A. The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God, but His Word and Spirit only do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation.
Q4. What is the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and obedience.
Q5: How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?
A: The Bible reveals itself to be God's Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints. But the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.
Q6: May all men make use of the Scriptures?
A: All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures.
Q7: What do the Scriptures mainly teach?
A: The Scriptures mainly teach what man is to believe about God and what duty God requires of man.
Introduction: Open your Bibles tonight to Luke 24. Our theme our text tonight is: “The Message of the Bible from the Road to Emmaus.” There is a lot here, and we may not get through all of it. We will cover as much as we can tonight.
Tonight’s catechism question asks us “What do the Scriptures mainly teach?” In other words, “What is the main message of the Bible.” The answer is that the Bible teaches us about God and in relation to knowing God, what is required of man. To put it even more plainly, the Bible tells us who God is and asks us to believe and obey Him.
Men by nature are ignorant of God! This ignorance is a hardness and dullness of heart by birth and by choice.
As we look at Luke 24, our main proposition is the following:
You are not a true Holy Spirit led student of the Bible unless you see Christ from Genesis to Revelation. To really understand any particular text of Scripture, we must discern how it relates in the Person and Work of Christ.”
We are all here tonight because we say we love God and His Word. We have all in one way or another “forsaken all and followed Christ,” have we not? And yet I believe one of the greatest struggles each of us experiences, has to do with how we read the Bible.
How Do You Read the Bible?
Let me ask you a very important question tonight: “How do you read the Bible?” That may sound like a ridiculous question. You’re probably thinking, “Well, I read it just like everyone else reads it—one word at a time.”
How Do Jews, Moslems, Atheists Read the Bible?
Let me put it to you this way. Do you think there is a difference between the way a Jew reads the Bible and how a Christian reads the Bible? Today there will be some atheists that read the Bible; and then there will be some Moslems. How do you think they read the Bible?
What we are going to find out from our text tonight is that even though we all own a Bible, and many of us read the Bible on a regular basis, perhaps even most of us here tonight read the Bible every day—we are going to find out that we can still miss the point of the Bible entirely. Reading the Bible alone does not help anyone. There are many people that have read the Bible and it did them no good whatsoever. There are people in hell at this very moment that read the Bible ten times more than anyone in this room. There are Pharisees and Scribes and all kinds of religious people in hell that (some of them) spent their lives copying the Scriptures word for word—they thought they undertood the Bible, but they were just as lost as the Philistines and the Sodomites that they condemned.
There is something that we are going to get from our text tonight that ought to arrest all of our hearts with fear and with a determination to know the truth. The message we are going to find out from our Scripture texts tonight is that:
You can know the Bible in great detail and miss the message of the Bible altogether and be eternally lost.
Let us first turn to Luke 24. We will begin with verse 13 and continue to until the end of the chapter.
Read Luke 24:1-53
1 ¶ Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs [SEVEN MILES]. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden [HELD SHUT or PREVENTED] that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas [POSSIBLY THE BROTHER OF JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY], answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he [CHRIST] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon [PETER].
[1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas [PETER], then of the twelve:]
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 ¶ And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 ¶ And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Introduction: Let me ask you a question: When you read the Bible, does it bring you great joy? Does it delight your soul? Or are you like those Jews that Paul described in Corinth?
2 Corinthians 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
Again, let me repeat the main point of what we are learning tonight:
You are not a true Holy Spirit led student of the Bible unless you see Christ from Genesis to Revelation. To really understand any particular text of Scripture, we must discern how it relates in the Person and Work of Christ.”
The hermeneutic that we have of the Bible is all important. What does the word hermeneutic mean? It means how do we interpret the Bible.
What I am saying tonight is that Christ tells us exactly how we are to see and interpret the Bible. It is very simple. The entire Bible revolves around the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.
Let me repeat verses 25 through 27 of Luke chapter 24:
25 O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he [CHRIST] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
One preacher (John MacArthur) said this:
Every book…points in some way to Christ, from Genesis all the way to Revelation He is the theme….You go into the law and He is the one that the law points to. He is the one who will fulfill all law. He is the perfect sacrifice who will bear all sin. He is the one of whom the prophets spoke. He is the one who is to be praised in all the holy writings. He is the one who is wisdom personified. He is the theme of the gospels. His coming, life, death, resurrection are the subject of the epistles and He's the returning King of Revelation.[1]
Perhaps you have lost something vital in your Bible study tonight. Perhaps the Bible is lifeless, colorless, drab. Or maybe the Bible seems irrelevant. Why record the genealogies? Why all the details about the Levitical system? If you think the Bible is lifeless and irrelevant, YOU ARE MISSING THE ALL IMPORTANT KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE!! You must come to the Bible looking for your Christ!! Perhaps Christ says to you tonight as He said to the church at Ephasus:
Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience…4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
It’s not enough to know the Bible. Look at John 5:39.
John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Verse 39. Search the scriptures. The word translated search here means to search diligently or anxiously. It is applied to miners, who search for precious metals—who look anxiously for the bed of the ore with an intensity or anxiety proportionate to their sense of the value of the metal.[2]
There were these religious Jews who were literally searching the Scriptures as if their life depended on it. They were doing this—anxiously and intensely studying their Old Testament. They were trusting in them for eternal life. But guess what? They missed the whole point. They were blinded because they did not see Christ.
Again, what did Paul say of them in 1 Corinthians?
2 Corinthians 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
Is that you? How do you read the Bible? Do you read it with your heart burning with love for Christ? Or are you reading it like a text book?
Tonight we are going to see that Jesus Christ Himself gives us the theme of the Bible. The message of the Bible is found not in a theological system, but in a person: Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ is the message of the Bible. He reveals to us who we are and who God is. Without understanding this one key truth, not only will you be lost forever, you will never understand the Bible.
So, I guess I need to ask you a question tonight. I could ask, do you know the Bible? That would be an easy question. We could all answer YES to that!
But let me ask you several questions that are a bit harder on ourselves:
The fact of the matter is, we do not naturally see Christ in the Bible. We yawn and are dead to the truth of the Bible. Why? Because of our corruption. And that brings us to our first point.
Here, we must come to our text and notice several very important things.
First we read in verse 13
13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus,
Two of WHO? Two of “the rest” found in verse 9. The Bible says that Mary Magdalene and several other women returned from a resurrection encounter with Jesus, and told the “eleven” –this is a phrase referring to the apostles as a whole even though Thomas was missing—so they told the ten apostles and “the rest” of the disciples that Christ was ALIVE. What was their response?
Verse 16 says these TWO “did not know [Christ]. Christ was a stranger to them!
Look at verse 11—
11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
So two of them (those who did not believe the Resurrection account of Mary and the other women) went that same day to a village called Emmaus. It was about a seven mile journey. They BELIEVED NOT as verse 11 says.
Now we look further in verse 15 and 16, and we see the reason why they were unbelieving. Now this is amazing, so look at these verses.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden [HELD SHUT or PREVENTED] that they should not know him.
Here we come to an important principle:
Man’s eyes are blinded until God gives spiritual sight. To put it another way, man is dead until God gives spiritual life. Look at how Deuteronomy puts it:
Deuteronomy 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
So these disciples who had not yet seen Christ had BLINDED EYES. They could not see. This was by nature and by choice, yes. But it was also because God was the only one who could open their eyes, and HE HAD NOT CHOSEN TO SOVEREIGNLY OPEN THEIR EYES YET.
Application: Now let me make an application. If you are here tonight, and you read the Bible with a vale over your eyes, you need to look to God to open your eyes. You should be VERY concerned about your soul. If you die without the light of Christ in your soul, you will die and never see LIGHT again!! Repent!!
But let’s get back to the text.
We then see that Christ was a STRANGER to these two, that there was a SATURATION of unbelief, that there was a SOVEREIGN SHUTTING of their eyes, but then we see:
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Their idea of REDEMPTION was wholly PHYSICAL. The other disciples had this idea also. Look at
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Of course by Pentecost, they had their theology (i.e. their FOCUS) straightened out, since Peter preached in Acts 2:39 that Christ’s Redemption and restoration of His kingdom came at His RESURRECTION. It’s not the PHYSICAL that Christ is concerned about. In other words—It’s not about us! It’s about Christ!
E. Then we see Christ’s SCATHING rebuke.
25 Then he [CHRIST] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Christ calls them FOOLS. They are foolish and slow of heart not to believe that CHRIST, and not THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL was the center of God’s plan. They had their own man-centered theology then. They thought it was all about THEM.
We are going to have wait until next week to see our final two points, but let me close by asking you:
Conclusion: You were not made to be consumed with yourself. You were made to be consumed with Christ. The answer to your problems is not to discover yourself or to find out who you are! The answer is to realize that you are a sinner, and you need to see Christ in all He is!! Look to Christ tonight.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Don’t be a fool and dull at heart and slow to believe the message of the Bible concerning Christ. It’s all about Him and His Kingdom!
Closing Hymn: 415 See Ye First the Kingdom of God
[1] John MacArthur. "The Character of God's Word," tape number GC 90-154, also found online at http://www.gty.org/resources.php?section=transcripts&aid=216343.
[2] Barnes notes on John 5:39.