Going Home

Key Phrase: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me

Intro

Two friends walk the road to Emmaus talking about Jesus when Jesus joins them. Somehow Jesus keeps them from recognizing him while he explains how he fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament. When they stop for a meal, Jesus reveals himself as he breaks the bread. Then he vanishes. The two friends hurry back to Jerusalem to share what happened and they learn that Jesus also has appeared to Peter. As they share their stories, Jesus appears among them and explains again how everything written about him in the Old Testament has come true. Jesus tells the believers to carry this message to all nations: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.” He promises to send the Holy Spirit and rises into the clouds as he blesses them.

Going Home

 Luke24:13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles[1] from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

   They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

 19 “What things?” Jesus asked.

   “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. . .

27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat,[2] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! . . .

33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.[3]”

 35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. . .

 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[4] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.[5]

Acts:1:9 …he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

About 60 years later, Jesus appears to the Apostle John in a vision to reveal things which would happen before and after Jesus returns to earth in bodily form. Jesus' main message is that he has power over death and he is coming soon. As it was with the promises to Abraham, God will fulfill his promise to return in his own perfect time.

John's encounter with Jesus begins with fear when he sees Him.

Revelation 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.

18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[6]

At the end of Revelation, Jesus says three times “I am coming soon!”, almost as if to say "you can count on it."

 Revelation 22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.[7]”

 Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

 Revelation 22:20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Connect

Looking back over The Bible Trail, we first see that God creates everything. He gives humans one law which was one too many for us to obey. Next, God sets in motion His plan to bring us back into a relationship with Him through three promises to Abraham - a big family, land, and a blessing to the whole world.

God fulfills the first of the three promises to Abraham when he has a family in his old age. His family becomes a nation, God’s chosen people, who make their home in the Promised Land which is the second promise fulfilled. From these chosen people living in the Promised Land, Jesus is born to bless the whole world.

The third blessing to the whole world is Jesus' offer to receive forgiveness of sins by turning to him. In Jesus' words, ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’  This third blessing required Jesus to pay the price for our sin.

Turning to Jesus offers the new promise of being with Him always. He offers us adoption into his family and there is nothing we do to earn it. Adoption into Jesus' eternal family is a gift freely offered to all.

And that, my friend, is the good news. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end. He says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” May His Way be the trail for you. The peace of Christ be with you.

Footnotes

[1] Luke 24:13 Greek 60 stadia [11.1 kilometers].

[2] Luke 24:30 Or As they reclined.

[3] Luke 24:34 Greek Simon.

[4] Luke 24:47 Or all peoples.

[5] Luke 24:51 Some manuscripts do not include and was taken up to heaven.

[6] Revelation 1:18 Greek and Hades.

[7] Revelation 22:7 Or scroll.