Sunday, November 10, 2013 "Beginning with the Bible, Part 4: The Messiah's Word"

Scripture: Luke 24:25-27

- Two bereaved and dejected disciples, one of them Cleopas by name, walked a lonely road to Emmaus.

- They were bereaved because they had not accepted the eyewitness testimony of the women to the empty tomb, the angels, and their report of Jesus' resurrection.

- The two were dejected because they had not remembered and believed the words of Jesus.

- They were lonely on the road because the one in whom they placed all their hopes was gone and in their confusion he was still dead to them.

*- The two disciples on the Emmaus Road had not yet discovered what Christians throughout the ages know to be true; that the words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- As we begin to think about the three verses we read from Luke's record of the walk to Emmaus, I want us to consider a question:

*- Why did Luke share with his readers Jesus correcting the disciples' misconceptions about Messiah on the Emmaus Road?

- Cleopas and his fellow traveler were clearly confused.

- Why believe what the women said, when women in the first century had no credibility? Women were not thought capable of being reliable witnesses in those days.

- But, more than that, why didn't they believe what Jesus himself told them in the first place?

- They didn't believe because they heard from Jesus and from the Scriptures what they wanted to hear, their own preconceived notions.

- They brought their assumptions to the biblical text and the voice of Jesus, which is a natural human tendency, and "tried to cut a piece onto it."

- But, as I said before, measure twice and cut once; you can't cut a piece onto it and that is why they were so confused.

- So Jesus cleared the air of their confused minds on the road 2000 years ago.

- He explained to them that the whole Old Testament points to the life and ministry, suffering and death, resurrection, and return of Messiah, revealing the Scriptures' purpose.

- The Hebrew Scriptures, i.e., the Old Testament was the only Bible of the early first century. At that time, there was no New Testament. As of yet, it was unwritten.

- And so Jesus took them through "the writings of Moses and all the prophets," which is an expression referring to the entire Old Testament, "explaining to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

- The songwriter was right, 100% correct, "it's all about you, Jesus" (The Heart of Worship).

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

* - Again, Luke shared with his readers Jesus correcting the two disciples' misconceptions about Messiah on the Emmaus Road, why? Because the whole of Scripture points to the life and ministry, suffering and death, resurrection and return of Jesus Christ, revealing the Scriptures purpose.

- This morning I want to encourage you again about the authority of Scripture, but especially the Old Testament and I want to encourage you for a few reasons.

- I want to encourage you concerning the Old Testament's authority because the Scriptures' purpose is to point everyone who reads them to Jesus.

- I want to encourage you concerning Old Testament authority because in Jesus, the coming kingdom of God is present and available to everyone.

- I want to encourage you concerning the Old Testament's authority because everyone can access victory over sin, death and decay through a personal relationship with the living Jesus Christ.

- I want to encourage you concerning Old Testament authority as Jesus affirms biblical authority because ultimately it's all about him.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- Throughout the Gospels, we have a written record based on eyewitness testimony to the authority that Jesus recognized in the Scriptures.

- It was in his defense during his temptation in the desert that Jesus defeated Satan three times with the Hebrew Scriptures, it is written, he said.

- While Satan tried to use the Scriptures, he used them inappropriately and Jesus still defeated him with the Scriptures.

- In his many bouts with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus frequently silenced them with these words, "Have you not read?" Of course, he was referring to the Jewish Scriptures, the Old Testament.

- Let's hear again the words of Luke and listen intently for the voice of Jesus and the authority he places in God's words.

*- Then he 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.

- Why did Jesus tell them they were foolish and slow of heart? Although they knew the Scriptures, they did not understand that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer.

- They did not understand that the coming of the Messiah would not be about politics, power, and military might.

- They did not understand that when Messiah came, he would turn the world's values upside down and put them on display for what they really are rebellion and sin against a loving and just Creator.

- So Jesus began to interpret the Scriptures for them.

- Jesus is the promised offspring whose heel would be bruised as he crushed the serpent's head, Genesis 3.

- Jesus is the one through whom God's promise to Abraham is fulfilled. In him all the families of the earth are blessed, Genesis 12

- As David cried out to God, Jesus became the one crying out in Psalm 22: " My God, my God, why have you, forsaken me?"

- Jesus is the one consumed by his zeal for God's house, Psalm 69.

- Jesus is David's Lord of whom Yahweh said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool," Psalm 110.

- Jesus is the one of whom God has sworn, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek," Psalm 110.

- Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53.

- Jesus is the one who establishes the new covenant of Jeremiah 31, "I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more."

- Jesus is the one who came to Israel riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey, Zechariah 9.

- Jesus is the one who was pierced, Zechariah 12.

- Jesus is the shepherd who was struck and his flock scattered, Zechariah 13.

- Jesus is the messenger of the covenant who suddenly came to the temple, in whom the people delighted, but before whom no one was able to stand, Malachi 3.

* - Jesus is the single-strand that weaves the Scriptures together binding them as one.

- By explaining and interpreting the Old Testament to the two disciples as they walked along the Emmaus Road, Jesus stressed the authority of God's word and the mistake of handling the Scriptures selectively.

- Jesus was completely unlike the religious leaders of his time who had spent their lifetimes totally disregarding the message of God about a suffering servant.

- Jesus wouldn't have just taken them through a few selective texts that point only to the Messiah.

- He would have taken them through the entire story to show them the problem of sin, death, and decay, and how the only thing that could solve this apparent undefeatable problem would be the sacrificial death of God's only begotten Son, himself.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- Impossible problems call for the God of impossible things to solve.

- By interpreting and outlining the entire Old Testament for the two on the Emmaus Road, Jesus highlighted biblical authority and set an example for his disciples in how to use and understand the Scriptures.

- Jesus is also our example for today.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to follow his example in recognizing the authority of Scripture.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to follow how Jesus understood and applied the Scriptures.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to be open to having our misconceptions about Jesus and God's words corrected, so that we do not misguide others.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to understand the main purpose of the Scriptures is to point people to Jesus Christ.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.