An Encounter with the Risen Christ
復活したキリストとの出会い

April 28^th, 2019

Minoh International Church
Pastor Joseph Ricohermoso
Text: Luke 24:13~32
　　　ルカの福音書24:13-32

Introduction

In their book, On Grief and Grieving, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler introduced the Five Stages of Grief. The five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
五つの段階：否認、怒り、交渉、うつ、受容
are a part of the framework to help people learn to live or better equipped to cope with life and loss. I imagine the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ went through some, if not all, of these stages too.

Cleopas and his companion were two disappointed men; for in the death of Jesus, all their hopes for Israel had been dashed (note Luke 24:21 & 1:68; 2:30-32, 38; 21:28, 31). Just like the other followers of Jesus, these two disciples were still grieving and despairing for the things that had happened in Jerusalem.

Emmaus was about eleven (11) kilometers northwest of Jerusalem, and they were returning home to decide what to do next. As they walked, they talked about the recent events and discussed what they might mean. They did the best they could with the limited knowledge they had, but they lacked the key that would unlock the prophetic Scriptures: the Messiah must suffer and die before He could enter into His glory. It was this key that Jesus provided as He walked and taught them on the road.

In their experience, what can we learn about how the resurrected Jesus guided them in processing and overcoming their grief?

1. Remember that Christ is near even in times of grief and despair
   われわれが悲嘆と絶望のうちにあってもイエス様はいつもそばにいらっしゃる、ということを忘れないでください。

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
Luke 24:13~17

13 この同じ日曜日のことです。二人の弟子が、エルサレムから十一キロほど離れたエマオという村へ急いでいました。 14 二人が道々話し合っていたのは、イエスの死のことでした。 15 そこへ突然、当のイエスが近づき、彼らと連れ立って歩き始めました。 16 しかし二人には、イエスだとはわかりません。神がそうなさったのです。 17 イエスが尋ねました。「何やら熱心にお話しのようですね。いったい何がそんなに問題なのですか。」すると二人は、急に顔をくもらせ、思わず足を止めました。
ルカの福音書24:13-17 Japanese Living Bible (JLB)

It is natural to be overwhelmed with emotions in the face of tragedy. It is possible that our judgment is clouded and our faith is shaken. Questions are raised and yet answers are either not available or unsatisfactory. It’s a place where you feel trapped and nowhere to go. What do we do in such situations? It’s definitely easy to feel disoriented and hopeless. Grief and despair block understanding of the truth. Verse 16 says, “their eyes were restrained.”

When you hit “rock-bottom” there’s no other way but up. Look up to God. Remember that He is near. His nearness means He cares.

For the disciples, Jesus came to them. He didn’t only get near them; He talked to them. He noticed that they “are sad” (v.17).

The Lord is near to those who are broken hearted…
Psalm 34:18a

18 主は心の砕かれた人のそばにおられ、謙虚に罪を悔いる人を助け出されます。
詩篇 34:18 JLB

2. Let God’s Word validate our experience
   神の御言葉で私たちの経験を検証してみましょう

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:18~27

18 クレオパというほうの弟子があきれたように、「エルサレムにいながら、先週起こった、あの恐ろしい出来事を知らないとは。そんな人は、あなたぐらいのものでしょう」と言いました。 19 「どんなことでしょうか？」「ナザレ出身のイエス様のことをご存じないのですか。この方は、信じられないような奇跡を幾つもなさった預言者で、すばらしい教師でもあったのです。神からも人からも重んじられていたのですが、 20 祭司長やほかの宗教的指導者たちは、理不尽にもこの方をつかまえて、ローマ政府に引き渡し、十字架につけてしまったのです。 21-23 私たちは、この方こそ栄光に輝くメシヤで、イスラエルを救うために来られたに違いないと考えていたのですが。ところが、話はそれで終わらないのです。弟子仲間の女たちが、なんとも奇妙なことを言いだしたのです。処刑があった日から、今日で三日目になりますが、今朝がた早く、その女たちが墓へ行ったところ、イエス様のお体は影も形もなかったというではありませんか。しかもその場に天使が現れて、イエス様は生きておられると語ったとか……。 24 その話を聞いて、仲間のある者たちが墓へ駆けつけて確認したのですが、彼らも口をそろえて、墓は空っぽだったと証言しているのです。」 25 「ああ、どうしてそんなに、心が鈍いのですか。預言者たちが聖書に書いていることを信じられないのですか。 26 キリストは栄光の時を迎える前に、必ずこのような苦しみを受けるはずだと、預言者たちははっきり語ったではありませんか。」 27 それからイエスは、創世記から始めて、聖書（旧約）全体にわたって次々と預言者のことばを引用しては、救い主についての教えを説き明かされました。
ルカの福音書 24:18-27 JLB

1. Cleopas asserted that what happened to Jesus was common knowledge (v.18)
2. Jesus allowed them to retell what they already know about Him (v.19~24). What things? (v.19) In saying this, Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts. Even though He knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it to Jesus.

1. Jesus of Nazareth – a powerful Prophet (v.19)
2. The rulers and the religious leaders conspired to condemn and kill Him (v.20)
3. They were hoping that He would deliver Israel [from Roman control] (v.21)
4. The third day since His death and burial and are aware that His body was missing, but women testified that angels said He was resurrected. (v.22~24)

3. Jesus had to correct their misunderstanding and also redirect their attention to what God had already told them in His word.

The lesson is: We must seek God and His truth. Our experience shouldn’t be the final judge of what we should believe in.

3. Pray and hold on to God
   神に祈り、おすがりしなさい

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 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 stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:28~32

28 そうこうするうち、エマオに近づきましたが、イエスはまだ旅を続ける様子です。 29 二人は、じきに暗くなるから、今晩はここでいっしょに泊まってくださいと熱心に頼みました。それでイエスもいっしょに家に入りました。 30 食卓に着くと、イエスはパンを取り、神に祝福を祈り求め、ちぎって二人に渡しました。 31 その瞬間、二人の目が開かれ、その人がイエスだとわかりました。と同時に、イエスの姿はかき消すように見えなくなりました。 32 二人はあっけにとられながらも、「そう言えば、あの方が歩きながら語りかけてくださった時も、聖書のことばを説明してくださった時も、不思議なほど私たちの心が燃えていたではないか」と語り合いました。
ルカの福音書 24:28-32 JLB

He indicated that He would have gone farther (v.28): Jesus acted as if He might continue on farther, but did not want to force His company on these disciples. But they constrained Him shows that even though they didn’t know this was Jesus in their midst, they knew they wanted to spend as much time as they could with this man.

C.H. Spurgeon: “It is a very strong word that, ‘they constrained him’; it is akin to the one which Jesus used when he said, ‘The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.’ They not only invited him, but they held him, they grasped his hand, they tugged at his skirts, they said he should not go.”

Jesus may be right in front of you, walking with you and sitting down with you at every meal – and your eyes could be restrained from seeing Him. We therefore should pray that God would open our eyes to see Jesus as He is, as being with us all the time.
イエス様はあなたの目の前にいらっしゃるかもしれません。あなたとともに歩み、食事のたびにあなたのそばにお座りになっているかもしれません。それなのに、あなたの目はイエス様を見ることができないでいるのです。ですから、私たちは神に祈らなければならないのです。私たちの目をひらかせて、イエス様のことが見えるように、イエス様がいつも私たちのそばにいらっしゃるようにと、お祈りしましょう。

Did not our heart burn within us while He talked: Even when they didn’t know it was Jesus, even when they didn’t believe He was risen from the dead, their heart still burned because of the ministry of God’s Word and of Jesus, the Living Word of God.

God’s word can have this same effect on our heart, even when we don’t know that it is Jesus doing that work.

Conclusion

Jesus pointed out that these two men were “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken” (v. 25). They believed the promises about Messiah’s glory, but they could not accept the prophecies about His suffering (1 Peter 1:8-12). Jesus opened their eyes and hearts to understand all the Scriptures, and this brought a warmth to their hearts (v. 32). They saw Messiah in the Word, but they did not realize He was walking with them! It was not until He blessed their simple meal that Jesus revealed Himself to them personally. What a revelation! It transformed them from discouraged travelers into enthusiastic witnesses!