The Breaking of the Bread
April 3, 2016, A.M. (Luke 24: 13-32) Command Baptist Church
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 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, (vs. 30-21).
This is one of the most beloved accounts of the resurrection of Jesus. It is the account of two disciples of Jesus, two ordinary believers, who had lost their way when they lost hope after the death of Jesus Christ. What they had experienced that week had driven them to the pits of sadness and despair. This account is written in four scenes. It begins with the death and gloom, but ends in life and glory!
It’s difficult for us to imagine how the disciples of Jesus must have felt as they watched the one they loved most on earth die on the cross that week. It must have been even harder as they saw the tomb guarded by capable Roman soldiers and the tomb sealed by the governor of Rome.
What we discover in their discovery is that in spite of how they felt about the things that happened that week, God has a plan and you can’t stop it. Little did they know that what they had experienced that week was part of the plan.
There are so many applications to the passages on the resurrection of Jesus. Most are theological, many are practical. If you hear nothing else I say today, hear this: when life gets hard and it looks like there’s no end in sight to tragedy and heartache, remember that:
BI – “The same Jesus that did the impossible by rising from the dead on day three will help you emerge from the impossible places in life.”
The first scene is one of:
1. Discouraged Disciples – (vs. 13-14)
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
In these verses two lonely disciples are walking alone from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Emmaus was 7 ½ - 8 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Apparently they had been to Jerusalem that week for Passover. They were disciples of Jesus. Little else is known about them, but what we read in Scripture here. One of them was named Cleopas. We don’t the name of the other.
It was Sunday, the first day of the week. It is the same day that certain women had reported the “empty” tomb of Jesus. This particular Sunday was Easter Sunday, “resurrection” day. Though they heard the news, they were very skeptical about the Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
On their way to Emmaus, sadness and discouragement gripped their souls. They were in despair over the death of their Lord Jesus. They had hoped that He was the Messiah that should come, but that hope had been dashed against the rocks of death! During the walk home, their minds were racing and thoughts were rushing wildly. Wuest says that their conversation was “animated or heated.” Perhaps they were quoting Old Testament prophecies and trying to remember what Jesus taught. They couldn’t put it together.
Added to this were the frustrating reports of the empty tomb. They heard the reports, but what did these things mean?
Why were they saddened? Surely they were deeply sad and mourned:
• Over the death of Jesus. No man deserved to die that way!
• Because they believed Jesus was the Messiah.
• The confusing and conflicting reports of Jesus’ resurrection.
There are some deep theological truths being presented here that these and many others of Jesus’ disciples and followers were not ready to receive. However, there are some practical truths as well. On top of everything else that is going on here:
APP: This scene symbolizes the events in life that squeeze the hope out of people. These things that made these “sad” are the things that quickly and unexpectedly take away our hope for family, meaning and purpose, success and acceptance.
In their sadness and discouragement, they heard reports of “good news,” but these reports were ineffective because they didn’t know what to believe anymore. Can you identify with this scene?
My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul, (Job 10:1).
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar, (Psa. 42:6).
I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me, (Psa. 69:2)
But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me, (Isa. 49:14)
==> Scene 1 is that of two very discouraged disciples. Look at scene 2 now. It’s found in verses 15-27). It is one of:
2. Disquieting Questions – (vs. 15-27)
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him, (vs. 15-16).
Notice the language in the first two verses of this section. These disciples were involved in animated conversation. They were trying to make sense of that just happened in Jerusalem. They were reasoning among themselves. They were putting together the pieces of the puzzle.
To show us just how entrenched their thoughts and conversation were, the Bible says that Jesus, the risen Savior, walked right up along side of them and they didn’t even notice Him. How could you not notice Jesus walking along side of you? Maybe He appeared to them in an unrecognizable form. We don’t really know. Maybe His resurrection body differed enough that He was not recognizable. Whatever the reason, they did not know Him.
What three questions caused such a stir? The 1st was:
A. Why are you sad? (vs. 17)
And he said unto them, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?”
The word “sad” means “gloomy, dejected, despondent, sullen or overcast.” The sadness and despair was written all over their faces. You’ve seen that look before haven’t you?
Notice Cleophas’ response: “Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem?” He couldn’t believe the question. How could anyone not be sad and despairing who had been there that week? How could anyone who had seen the things that had happened that week not be sad? Cleophas answered Jesus’ question with another question, (18).
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, 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, (vs. 18).
These two were trying to make sense of the death of the Savior, but they could not understand. They questioned: “Why must He have to die?” “Why did He leave us alone?” “How could anyone who claimed to be God allow weak, mortal, sinful men to kill him?” “Where does this leave us now?” “What are we supposed to believe or do?”
These are good questions, even for us, except we already know the rest of the story. If Jesus had died, but had not have risen like He claimed He would, then we would all be in a heap of trouble! If Jesus did not rise from the grave like He said He would, then He was an imposter and we are still in our sins, (1Cor. 15:14-17).
APP: They were seeking the truth and the “Truth” drew near to them. Since Jesus is the truth, seek Him in every situation.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened, (Mt. 7:7-8).
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free, (John 8:1-32).
==> The 1st question – “Why are you so sad?” The 2nd question was:
B. What things? (vs. 19-24)
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: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 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. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 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. 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, (vs. 19-24).
The answer to question #2 had a three-fold reply.
i. The death of Jesus – (vs. 20-21)
These men had great love and respect for Jesus. They said He was a mighty “prophet.” They said He performed mighty things in word and deed. In this, they were not mistaken. He did perform mighty things because He was mighty God!
Though He was a mighty prophet, He was crucified by the rulers of Israel and Rome. How could this be? They trusted Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel that would liberate them from the Roman government and now He was dead. How would they be delivered?
ii. The prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection – in 3 days… -(vs. 21)
Before He died, Jesus told His disciples that He would rise from the dead within three days after that death. They were to watch for some unusual event to take place. They really didn’t understand the resurrection, but He told them of it. Had they misunderstood the significance of the “three days”? Was Jesus speaking of something else?
iii. The report of the empty tomb – (vs. 22-24)
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 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. 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, (VS. 22-24)
Besides all of that, it had been three days and there were various conflicting reports of strange events on that very day! The tomb was reported as “empty.” There were reports of angelic appearances to some of the women in their group. There were reports that Jesus was alive, and supposedly some of them had been confirmed sightings. But, where was He? They certainly had not seen Him. Oh boy, did they have a surprise coming!
APP: Put yourself in their place for just a moment. I think we can understand how these men felt. Am I right? So, what can we learn from this scene of the narrative?
1st. Jesus cares about the things that make us sad. He wants us to share these thigns with Him. There is nothing that touches you that doesn’t touch Him. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, (Heb. 4:15)
2nd, these disciples’ problem was their shortsightedness. They didn’t get the total picture. They saw through physical vision, but not through spiritual vision. How often do we get down and discouraged because we are only looking through the lens of flesh?
Sometimes we miss what God is doing because we don’t see life’s circumstances from His perspective. We think we know what is best. We think we are in control of everything, but the reality is that we are not, and that God has our “best” interest in mind, (Rom. 8:28).
3rd, We glory in the cross, and we should, but we cannot stop there because Jesus overcame the death of the cross! A cross without a risen Savior is an empty religion, and there are so many of them today! “I serve a risen Savior. He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, No matter what men say…”
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, (Rom. 4:25).
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us, (Rom. 8:34).
==> The 1st question – “Why are you so sad?” The 2nd question was: “What things?” The 3rd question was:
C. Why shouldn’t Christ have suffered these things? (vs. 25-27)
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things,” and to enter into his glory? (vs. 25-27)
Jesus rebuked these two for being slow to believe what the prophets had spoken. They should have believed. Why were they so slow in putting it all together? They heard it from the Lord Jesus. He held nothing back from them. They heard it from the Scriptures. Neither did it hold anything back from them. Why did they not believe?
Jesus explained why His death was necessary. The words “ought not” form an imperative. The death and resurrection of Messiah were both necessities. There was no other way around it. Messiah must suffer, (Isa. 53:1-6). Messiah must also rise again, (Isa. 53:10-11). There was no other choice. It must be done for salvation’s sake! It was the eternal plan of God, (Rev. 13:8). The Lamb must be slain! God’s plan was not defeated, but rather carried out to the fullest extent. Listen:
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, (Isa. 53:1-6).
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, (Isa. 53:10-11).
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself, (vs. 27).
Jesus didn’t just voice His opinion concerning what must have happened. He explained it to the two from the Scriptures, book by book. He showed them how “all the scriptures” pointed to the death and resurrection of Messiah as a Lamb slain for the payment of sin. The prophecies about Christ are discoverable in every book of the Bible! Salvation had truly come to their house that day!
==> Scene 1 is that of two very discouraged disciples. Scene 2 is one of disquieting questions. Scene 3 is one of:
3. Delightful Discovery – (vs. 28-32)
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 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. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 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, (vs. 28-32).
Okay, these disciples of Jesus had gone from the top of the pinnacle to the depths of the valley. They had experienced about everything to be experienced that week.
They were filled with discouragement and flooded with questions. But now, they are experiencing the reality of what had happened that week. Jesus was alive and they have experienced that first hand.
In this scene, they have come to the amazing reality and burning conviction of the truth. Notice three things in this scene. The 1st is:
A. The Request – (vs. 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.
The two travelers were arriving home to Emmaus. It was late in the day. The Bible says that Jesus “made as though” or “acted as though” He would continue His journey. They wanted more time to speak to and visit with this fascinating stranger. They invited Him; no they “constrained” Him to stay. They were seeking the truth and were eager to hear what He had to say.
APP: If you want to know the truth, who better to invite to your house than He who is called the “Truth” in Scripture, (John 14:6)? Amen?
APP: The Bible says Jesus “made as though He would have continued on,” but He wasn’t pretending. He would have kept going had He not been asked to stay. There is an important lesson here. It is: “Jesus never enters one’s life or home without a personal invitation.” He said in (Rev. 3:20),
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
If you are here today and have never invited Jesus into your life, what are you waiting for? He is a gentleman. He only comes in by invitation. Do you see that? Will you invite in? If you do, He will come.
B. The Requisition – (vs. 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.
As the three sat down for dinner that evening, something strange and wonderful happened. Jesus asked the blessing. The Bible says Jesus “took bread, brake it and gave thanks.” No doubt they had experienced this before. They weren’t there the night of Passover when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper so they did not know His blessing from that night. Where and when did they experience the blessing and breaking of the bread?
Could it have been when Jesus broke the bread and fed the 5,000? Maybe it was the other occasion when He fed the 4,000. Or perhaps it was one of many times when disciples followed Him. Whatever the occasion, they were familiar with the breaking of bread and blessing. They heard it somewhere. They experienced it before! At that particular point they experienced:
C. The Revelation – (31)
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Their eyes were opened. They could see more clearly than they ever had before. They understood so many things at that instant. The things that had puzzled them before were in plain sight now! There was no more guessing, supposing or doubting. At the moment of revelation He was gone! Just as He has slipped up beside them on the Road to Emmaus, He has slipped away from them!
D. The Result – (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?
The result of spending time with the resurrected Christ was a “burning heart.” The word “burn” means to be “kindled, set on fire, or consumed.” There was a new fire burning in their hearts that was all but extinguished three days ago. Where they were doubts, and fears, frustrations and confusion, there was now a fire burning brightly!
What stirred this fire? Surely it was the presence of the resurrected Savior! There is no doubt about that, but there is more here. Not only were their hearts burning brightly because of the presence of Jesus in their midst, but it burned brightly again because of the presentation of God’s Word to them. Remember what they said: “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”
Yes, it is the presentation of God’s Word that stirs the fore of conviction in our hearts. We must never get away from this. The Word of God is sharp like a sword and dynamic like a fire!
Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them, (Jer. 5:14).
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces, (Jer. 23:29).
==> Scene 1 is that of two very discouraged disciples. Scene 2 is one of disquieting questions. Scene 3 is one of delightful discovery. Scene 4 is one of:
4. Dynamic Response – (vs. 33-35)
And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
The dynamic response of these disciples is recorded in these verses. The first response to the revelation to Jesus’ resurrection was:
A. Ascension – “And they rose up…”
It was night. It was getting late, but nevertheless, the disciples of Jesus “got up” for the glory of God. Where they tired? Sure. Where they weary? You bet. Where
they a little bit unsure of themselves? I can only imagine they were. But regardless of what kind of a week they had, they were ready to move out for the Master!
B. Activation - “and returned to Jerusalem…”
Not only did they get up, but they “moved out” for the glory of God. And where did they go but to Jerusalem. Remember, Jerusalem was a 7 ½ - 8 mile walk. They couldn’t stay where they were and be satisfied. They had to tell what they knew: Jesus was alive! So, they rushed back to Jerusalem. That was a seven to eight mile journey, or a three to four hour walk. Surely they were tired from the previous walk back to Emmaus. Certainly, they were emotionally, spiritually and mentally exhausted from the painstaking events of the previous week. But they could not help themselves. They had to tell what they knew!
C. Affirmation – “and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed…”
They arrived in Jerusalem where the eleven apostles were assembled in the upper room, (John 20:19). They were bursting with excitement! They shared the appearance of the resurrected Christ with them. What do we do with the message of Jesus' death and resurrection? Surely, we should not hide it as the man given one talent in the Lord's parable did. Oh not. If we have truly received the message and Messiah of salvation, we can do no better than to tell it to those who do not know He died for their sin and was raised again for their justification!
Applications:
BI – “The same Jesus that did the impossible by rising from the dead on day three will help you emerge from the impossible places in life.”
