They Didn’t Know Him Luke 24:13-35 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
These two disciples on the road to Emmaus were walking with Jesus and didn’t know him. They remind me of Christians who know only enough about Jesus to know that they are saved. But they don’t know him and have little to no fellowship with him in their lives. These two disciples should have known him because they had been close to him; but they didn’t.
These two disciples are Cleopas and Mary. Cleopas is identified in Lk 24:18. Mary is identified in Jn 19:25. She stood by the cross of Jesus when he was crucified, but she was not with the women who went early to the sepulcher after Jesus arose [Lk 24:22-24]. The Mary’s who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene [Matt 28:1] and Mary, the mother of James [Mk 16:1].
After all the time that Cleopas and Mary had spent with Jesus, they didn’t know him. They didn’t know they were walking with Jesus. And you don’t know him for the same reasons that they didn’t know him. You don’t know him because:
He is beyond reason – Lk 24:14-15 – they reviewed the facts and their assumptions based on the facts, and concluded that he wasn’t alive. They were wrong. You aren’t going to know Jesus by reason; he is the God of the impossible.
He is beyond sight – Lk 24:16 – their eyes were holden. See also Lk 24:22-24. You cannot see him. We are supposed to live by faith, not by sight. But since so much of what we do is by sight, we get used to only recognizing those things we can see. You won’t know Jesus by sight.
He is beyond emotion – Lk 24:17 – they were sad. Just because you can’t feel Jesus doesn’t mean he’s not there. People become so overwhelmed with emotions that what they feel becomes their reality. In fact, you can’t feel the presence of the Lord. You may have had a feeling associated with him at some point, but the feeling is not him and the lack of feeling isn’t his absence. Emotions are very deceiving when it comes to knowing God.
He is beyond knowledge – Lk 24:18-20 – They were already too smart, like Martha in Jn 11:21-24. What they knew was hindering them from knowing what they still didn’t know. You may know about Jesus; but you don’t know him. He wants to reveal himself to you.
He is beyond expectation – Lk 24:21 – They had trusted him for the wrong thing. They trusted that he should have redeemed Israel. He will; but he didn’t do it at that time. They didn’t know him because they didn’t trust him. They trusted what they thought he should do for them. Lots of people lose faith when Jesus doesn’t do what they think he should do, the way they think he should do it, in the time that they want him to do it.
If you want to know Jesus:
He is known by the scriptures – Lk 24:25-27 – They didn’t believe the scriptures. That’s the biggest problem of all. He reveals himself to you through the scriptures, just like he revealed himself to Cleopas and Mary through the scriptures [Lk 24:31-32]. Just consider some of the major prophecies Jesus could have expounded to them. If you want to know Jesus, he reveals himself to you in this Bible. He wants you to believe what you are reading so that you will know him.
He is known when you seek him – Lk 24:13 – Cleopas and Mary were walking to Emmaus; yet they were instructed to go to Galilee. They were with the disciples when the women came to tell them that Jesus had risen Lk 24:23-24. But they didn’t follow the angel’s order in Matt 28:7. He told them that they would see Jesus in Galilee. They obviously weren’t looking for him or else they would have been heading to Galilee. Instead, they were going about some other business in Emmaus. That’s the problem with most Christians who don’t know Jesus. They are preoccupied with their own stuff. Jer 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Conclusion: Do you want to know Jesus? Invite him to abide with you [Lk 24:29]. If you are lost, believe on him and receive him. If you are saved, seek him and search for him in the scriptures. Become preoccupied with knowing him.