Never Alone

SERMON SUBJECT: NEVER ALONE

SERMON TEXT: Luke 24:13-35

SERMON THESIS: “God walks beside us and within us.”

INTRODUCTION: Friday, April 14, 2000, has been recorded in the annals of history as “Black Friday.” Black Friday is the day on which the “C” word was being used on Wall Street. Both the DOW and the NASDAQ experienced the worst one day point loss in history. For investors, this caused fear, panic, and great sadness over the loss of substantial financial gains.

The Emmaus disciples in Luke 24, were experiencing their own “Black Friday,” as they returned to their little village of Emmaus, about 7 miles east of Jerusalem, following the horrible crucifixion of Jesus. They were experiencing great sadness; sadness not due to loss of savings, but sadness due to the loss of their Savior. As they returned to their little village, their countenances is described, by Luke, in these terms . . .

“They stood still, looking sad”(Luke 24:17).

For a few moments this morning, let’s join the Emmaus disciples in their walk to their little village and see what we can learn from them.

1. SEPARATION BRINGS SADNESS. Separation of any kind brings with it a certain degree of sadness, but the most heart rending sadness of all is the death of a dear loved one. The walk from the cemetery back home, on the part of the family, can be the longest walk of all. For the Emmaus disciples, seven miles must have seemed like an endless journey.

As a pastor, I have walked many miles over the years from the cemetery to the homes of bereaving family members. The longest walk of all for me, however, was the walk from the grave side of my deceased Dad, and Mom. As many of you can identify, sadness of heart characterizes this walk. The sadness we feel, is not for the one left behind, it is our own sadness we feel over our great loss. For the Emmaus disciples, this sadness of heart produced a kind of hopelessness. They said to the stranger who had joined them in their walk, “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel”(Luke 24:21).

Yes, my friends, as we learn from the Emmaus disciples, separation brings sadness of heart. Many of us have experienced our own “Black Friday” as a result of being separated from a loved one by death.

There is, however, a positive side to the sadness we feel at the loss of a loved one, as we learn from the Emmaus disciples...

2. SADNESS BRINGS THE SAVIOR. On their way back to their little village of Emmaus, they suddenly realized that they were not walking alone. The Bible says, “Jesus Himself approached, and begin traveling with them”(Luke 24:15).

As you read Scripture, you will discover that Jesus was always present at funerals. Why? According to the Psalmist, “He is concerned about the things that concern us.” Anywhere there is SADNESS you can always find the SAVIOR!

Jesus not only sympathizes with us in our sadness, He empathizes with us. Entering into the Emmaus disciples sadness with them, He brought good news to them from the Scriptures. The Bible says . . .

“And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

(Luke 24:27)

They would later reflect on their walk with Jesus, and say, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”(Luke 24:32).

Yes, my friends, sadness of heart brings the Savior with his balm of healing. He has been described as the wounded healer and He always knows exactly what we need.

Separation brings sadness. Sadness brings the Savior, and the final lesson for us to learn as we walk with the Emmaus disciples, is this . . .

3. THE SAVIOR BRINGS SALVATION.

Nearing the end of their journey by now, with the day almost spent, at the last moment, they invited the stranger to join them in their home. They said, “Stay with us for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” (Luke 24:29).

All Jesus needed was an invitation. All Jesus needs from us is an invitation to come in. Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock . . .”(Rev. 3:20).

When we invite Him in, He brings the gift of salvation. Then, according to this hymn, “He takes the gloom and fills the heart with gladness.”

Once inside their home, Jesus became the host; broke the bread, was recognized by them, and then He disappeared from their sight.

Having ran all the way back to Jerusalem to share the news with the other disciples, for the first time they understood the message Jesus had taught them along the way.

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:45-47)

The simple message is this - Jesus brings salvation! This is the good news of the Resurrection. On a more personal note, the good news of Resurrection is that, “God walks beside us and with us.”