Witnesses of Glory Pt. 1 | Luke 24:31-13
Read Luke 24:13-31
Have you witnessed the glory of Christ? Has Christ Transformed your life? Are you saved by Christ?
Merriam Webster Definition of “Witness:” Attestation of a face or event, Testimony, one that gives evidence, testifies in a cause, or goes before a judicial tribunal
We are in a new sermon series called “Resurrection Power.” Over the next seven weeks we will be journeying with Jesus from His resurrection, to His ascension, to Pentecost. A journey from Luke-Acts.
Jesus’ ministry doesn’t end after His death, at His resurrection rather it truly just begins at His resurrection. This part of Jesus’ ministry has one goal: To create and empower witnesses to share the good news/ glory of Jesus Christ. God’s message of Hope, truth and glory is about to begin its spread all over the world: What is the main strategy for God’s kingdom expansion? Through those who have Witnessed the Glory of Jesus Christ.
“After that, He appeared In a different form to two of them while they were walking along their way to the country. They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.”
--Mark 16:12
Luke’s account does not contradict Mark’s account; again it tells the same account but includes a more detailed account of Mark—why does Luke do this? Because He is writing to a gentile audience; an audience that may be unfamiliar with the Old Testament and the prophecies about Jesus. Both accounts show that Jesus has one mission: To build a church, a movement of witnesses to spread the gospel around the world.
- Jesus tests these men’ He tests their hearts and belief in the Messiah.
-One man is named Cleopas, and they are a part of Jesus’ disciple following—not the eleven but the greater group (Luke 24:9).
“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd, said to Him, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’”
--Luke 19:39
-These men had been following Jesus in the larger crowd.
Read Luke 24:13-17
Jesus joins them on their walk towards Emmaus. He deliberately conceals Himself.
“But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, ‘What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?”
--Luke 24:16-17
“After that, He appeared in a different form to the two of them…”
--Mark 16:12
μορφή morphḗ shape, appearance, the form by which a person or think strikes the vision, appearance.
Jesus is changing is appearance, he is concealing Himself. This is the beginning of their test. Jesus asks what they know or believe about these events that occurred in Jerusalem (Lk. 24:19-21). To be a true witness of Christ we must believe in Christ—you can’t be a witness about something you haven’t seen, haven’t experienced, don’t believe or don’t know anything about. This does not make a credible witness.
In Saskatchewan you must take an “Oath of witness” to be a witness on the stand in the trial. This is the process of placing your hand on a bible “Tell the truth, nothing but the truth…”.
Jesus’ test reveals their unbelief, it reveals their true heart and rebellion towards Jesus Christ: The Messiah.
“that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth to be saved. For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
--2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
Cleopas the other man’s answer to Jesus’ test:
“But we were hoping He would redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.”
--Luke 24:21
Cleopas calls the Nazarene a prophet, not Messiah, He gets the crucifixion right but highlights the unfinished work of Israel’s redemption.
Many people in this world who rebel against Christ call Him “a good man” or “a prophet.” Muslims call Jesus an honourable prophet sent by God, He is 1 of 5 prophets or messengers, He didn’t die there was a substitute that died on the cross—this is a rebellious perversion of Jesus. It is blasphemy.
With this test we know that Jesus is practicing discernment—He knows that through this test, through this process these two men will have their lives changed, they will become witnesses for Christ.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone into the world.”
--1 John 4:1
“But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name…or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die…When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or true that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken.”
--Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Testing is a practice that God uses throughout the entirety of His word, in the Christian’s life. It is a practice; a tool God uses to defend against false witness and false claims/ works of God or another god. People are easily convinced and swayed by false teaching. God has also given His people this tool to use; we are to practice discernment to make sure we are worshiping the true Gospel of Jesus.
Jesus is forming powerful witnesses by testing/ weeding out their doubts and unbeliefs.
“And He said to them, ‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken.”
--Luke 24:25
- Jesus preaches the Gospel. He witnesses to them.
Read Luke 24:26-29
Remember that Jesus is our perfect example. Humanity is made in the image of God, Elohim, we are made in Christ’s image when He created the world in Genesis 1:26. Jesus’ ministry is an intentional example in how to live, how to worship, how to know God and How to share, preach, witness the Gospel of Jesus.
“Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
--John 20:30-31
Context of John’s gospel: 7 miracles names in John. Water into wine (2:1-11), Heal officials son (4:46-54), Healing paralytic at Bethesda (5:1-15), Feeding 8,000-10,000 (6:5-14), Walking on water (6:16-24), Healing man blind from birth (9:1-7), Raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-45).
The life, ministry of Jesus is recorded and passed down to preach, to be witnesses of His gospel.
We must preach the gospel—we are called to be witnesses.
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?...”
--Romans 10:14
Jesus is preaching the gospel to these men; this may be one of the very first expository sermons! (Luke 24:27-28)
- God’s people are hungry for God’s word, they will want more of Jesus.
Read Luke 24:29-31
“But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…the sheep follow him because they know his voice.”
--John 10:2-3
These men are slowing catching on to who Jesus is and even as Jesus conceals His form; these men don’t want Jesus to leave. His presence and preaching intrigued them, they started to recognize His voice as Jesus witnessed to them (Lk. 24:28-29).
Cleopas and this other man are some of the first witnesses of Glory—they finally recognize Christ then Christ vanishes. Jesus sovereignly executes His plan to perfection creating a burning desire for them to live for God, to follow Him, and to share this glorious news to others.
“They said to one another, ‘were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road; while he was explaining the scriptures to us?”
--Luke 24:32
καίω kaíō (present passive participle) to set on fire, light, burning, consume with fire.
This grammar usage, form means that this Kaio is happening to the subject, this figurative fire burning in their hearts is beginning to happen to these two men as Christ reveals Himself to them; as He preaches the good news of Himself to them.
If Christ has transformed your life then you are called to be a witness; to take action, to share the gospel of Jesus with the lost. To be a credible wintess of Glory you must share the gospel, you must love the lost, you must show mercy, truth and grace, you must be an ambassador for Christ in