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Is there any hope for a renewed and revitalized world? When we see so many who have turned from God, is there any hope? When we see nations devastated by war, is there any hope? When we see children taken advantage of and families broken apart, is there any hope? When we see the world racked by drugs and all the dirty business of getting it here, is there any hope?
The answer of this passage is a big “yes.” There is hope because Jesus is risen. He has overcome death, sin, and hell and come out on the other side. So, there is hope. The question is, how does it come about? How does God bring hope to this world? The answer is what we have in our text.
Knowing the Fact of the Resurrection
Before we continue in Luke 24:13, let’s review what we have seen so far. The women encountered the empty tomb and did not know what to think. They were not expecting Jesus to rise. They had to have an angelic explanation before they understood what was happening. They then went to the other disciples and told them what had happened. They did not believe the angelic message. They thought that what they were saying was nonsense. The disciples were not looking for Jesus to rise from the dead either. They thought that their hopes were dashed. This helps us understand the conversation on the road to Emmaus.
On the road to Emmaus, there were two of Jesus’ disciples walking. Of course, they were talking about all that had happened, all the things that we have read and considered in Luke 22 and 23. As they were doing this, Jesus appeared alongside of them. God kept them from recognizing Jesus immediately so that they might better discern the fact and the meaning of the resurrection. Here God closed their eyes so that later He might open their eyes to a fuller light.
Jesus joined them and asked them what they were talking about. They gave a general answer, all the things that had happened in Jerusalem. He then asked, “What things?”
They described their own understanding of what had happened. They said that Jesus was a powerful prophet who had been taken by the leaders of Israel and handed over to be crucified and killed. According to them, this was the end of their hopes. “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). They told Jesus that it had been three days since these things happened. This tells us that this occurred on the same day that the women discovered the tomb. These two disciples were in the place where the women had come to tell them about the empty tomb. They said, “some of our women amazed us” (24:22). They told Jesus that the angels said that Jesus was alive and that some of the disciples had gone to the tomb and found it empty but did not see Jesus.
Jesus’ response is quite remarkable. “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:25–26). He then went through the Old Testament and explained how it prophesied that the Messiah was going to suffer and then rise from the dead. It was quite a conversation.
When the disciples arrived, Jesus kept moving forward. However, they invited Him to stay with them. They sat down to eat, and Jesus broke the bread. “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:31). As they thought back, they said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).
Immediately, they went to tell the other disciples what they had seen. When they arrived, the other disciples told them, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34). Then, “the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread” (Luke 24:35). They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.
In the midst of that very conversation, Jesus appeared to them, “Peace be upon you!” He said.
In spite of their previous conversation, they were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost. Then, He gave them the proof of His bodily existence, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” A ghost as they conceived it was the spirit of a human being. A spirit is an immaterial being, but they were able to touch and feel Jesus.
He wanted to give them further demonstration of his bodily existence, and so he asked for food. Then, he ate it in front of them. They could see that it was really Him, body and soul in front of them.
He told them that this is exactly what they should have expected. “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). He then opened their minds and hearts to understand the Scriptures.
Understanding the Meaning of the Resurrection
The disciples now understood and believed that Jesus was risen from the dead. But what did it all mean? That’s what we want to explain in this section in five points.
1. The resurrection’s meaning was described long ago. One thing is clear. Jesus believed that the Old Testament taught clearly that He, the Messiah, would suffer and then rise again. Remember what He said to the disciples on the road to Emmaeus? “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:25–26). Then, Jesus explained to them from the Scriptures that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again. What might He have said that day?
He might have started with Genesis 3:15 where God told the serpent that even though the coming Messiah, the seed of the woman, would crush the head of the serpent, the serpent would successfully attack His heel. Thus, there would be a suffering that would produce a total victory.
He might have pointed them to the various people of the Old Testament who were pictures or visual prophecies of the Messiah. He may have pointed to Joseph who was brought low before being raised high. He might have pointed to David who had to suffer before being exalted as king. He might have pointed to the example of Israel as a whole who went into exile and then was restored to the land. And that’s just the beginning.
He might have gone to the Psalms and explained that the suffering in the Psalms always ends with promised joy and victory. For example, in Psalm 16, God promised to the Messiah using the words of David, “you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10). Or Psalm 22 where the Psalmist begins, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and then changes to say, “I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you” (Psalm 22:22).
He could have pointed to the prophets like the prophesy of Isaiah 53. Isaiah said, “though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand” (v. 10). And on and on it goes. What happened in this passage was planned out long ago.
2. The resurrection entails worldwide transformation. Remember that the two disciples said that they were hoping that Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel. He was and is, but He is much more. He is the Savior of the world and not just of Israel. His death and resurrection meant that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:48). Jesus had come proclaiming these things to Israel, but they would go out and proclaim them to the nations. Repentance means that people would change their hearts and minds. Forgiveness means that they would be forgiven for not having done that. It is grace that comes through Jesus’ death and resurrection that brings forgiveness and renewal to the world.
How does the world get hope? They learn about Jesus and His power to forgive, renew, and heal. This changes the world.
3. The resurrection empowers God’s people to be the agents of transformation. How will Jesus do this? Through His “witnesses.” When we see the problems in the world, we might ask God to do something. However, He’s made it clear that He wants to use us to bring people back to God, to restore relationships, to restore communities, to break destructive habits, and to put people back on track to serving God and His people.
We have seen our congregation do this. We have had people reach out to share the Gospel with foreigners, to do works of service, and to bless those who were in tragedy through the fires. The problem is how do we get the strength to do this and keep doing it? The answer? Power from on high. Jesus told His disciples that the Father would send them power from on high to enable them to carry this out. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (24:49).
4. The resurrection brings blessing for the world. Later, Jesus went out to Bethany, outside of Jerusalem. What did He do? He raised His hands and blessed them. This is what the high priests of the Old Testament did. After they had made the sacrifice for sins, they would come out, raise their hands, and bless the people. “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24–26). This declared what God would do for the people whose sins had been atoned for.
This means that there is now blessing instead of cursing for the world. Jesus took the curse by becoming a curse for us when He was crucified. Now, what is left is blessing! He declares the blessing, and we simply have to accept it. We have to say, Jesus, I want you in my life. I want you to bless me. I have had enough of the curse. Send me this blessing. I believe that you are able to do it! Have you accepted that blessing?
While Jesus was blessing them, He was taken up into heaven. He ascended into heaven. Why? For several reasons. He went to appear on our behalf before God. When we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Second, He is now reigning over heaven and earth and installed as King of the universe. Third, He received the Holy Spirit whom He then sends to us to empower us to carry out His kingship so that His kingdom might come and His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven. He has accomplished redemption and is now carrying it out! There is hope for the world. There is blessing!
5. The resurrection causes joy and praise to God. Once the disciples finally figured out what Jesus was saying to them and that He was really alive, what was left to do? To rejoice! To give praise to God. “Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (Luke 24:52–53). And that’s what it should do for us! When we get the truth of it and the hope that it means for the world, then what can we do but rejoice and praise God? Amen.
Benediction: this concludes our series on our trial and triumph of Jesus. I hope you will receive it in your heart with faith, meditate on it, and rejoice in it. We have much to do, and we should work hard for the kingdom. However, the main thing is not what we do but what Jesus has done for us and will do in us. This is the foundation for service in the world, a limitless resource of joy, comfort, peace, guidance, and strength.
So, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.