Sermons on Luke 24:25-27

Luke 24:25-27 Interpretation:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) offers a unique interpretive angle by contrasting how Jesus reveals himself post-resurrection in Luke 24 versus John’s Gospel. The preacher notes that, in John, Jesus proves his identity through physical signs (showing wounds), but in Luke 24:25-27, Jesus points to the Scriptures as the ultimate validation of his identity and mission. This is used to argue that the authority and reliability of the Bible are so central that even the resurrected Christ appeals to Scripture rather than miraculous signs. The sermon also uses the analogy of the Bible as a “sighted skier” guiding the “blind skier” (the believer) through life’s obstacles, emphasizing the Bible’s role as an active, living guide rather than a static text. The preacher further highlights the Greek word for “all” (pas) in “all Scripture is inspired by God,” underscoring the totality and divine origin of the Bible, and connects this to Jesus’ use of “Moses and all the Prophets” in Luke 24:27.

Jesus: The Central Theme of Scripture and Life (New Creation Church) interprets Luke 24:25-27 by emphasizing that Jesus himself is the central theme and interpretive key of all Scripture. The preacher uses a hypothetical scenario—if he claimed all of Scripture was about himself, he’d be rightly dismissed as a false teacher—to highlight the audacity and uniqueness of Jesus’ claim. The sermon details how Jesus, in Luke 24, systematically walks through the Old Testament to show how it all points to him, and then parallels this with Paul’s similar approach in Acts 28. The preacher also provides a detailed breakdown of the Bible’s structure (preparation, manifestation, propagation, explanation, consummation) to show how every section ultimately centers on Christ.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) interprets Luke 24:25-27 by focusing on the intent and function of Scripture as revealed by Jesus. The preacher argues that the Bible’s trustworthiness is rooted in its purpose: to bear witness to Jesus, not to serve as a science or history textbook. The sermon uses the passage to show that Jesus himself interprets all of Scripture as pointing to himself, and that this Christocentric reading is the foundation for trusting the Bible. The preacher also uses the analogy of misusing a table (expecting it to fly you to Florida) to illustrate the error of misjudging the Bible’s trustworthiness by misunderstanding its intent.

Discovering the Gospel: Principle and Story Unveiled (Gospel in Life) provides a distinctive interpretive framework by arguing that Luke 24:25-27 is Jesus’ own mandate for reading the entire Bible as pointing to him. The preacher critiques both moralistic and purely narrative readings of Scripture, insisting that the “principle” (salvation by grace) and the “story” (creation, fall, redemption, restoration) are united in the person of Jesus. The sermon uses the example of David and Goliath, showing how a Christ-centered reading (as Jesus instructs in Luke 24) transforms the story from mere moralism to gospel proclamation.

The Centrality of the Cross in Christian Faith (Alistair Begg) interprets Luke 24:25-27 as Jesus’ own exposition of the necessity and centrality of his suffering and death, not as a tragic accident but as the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament narrative. Begg uniquely imagines what it would have been like to hear Jesus’ “sermon” on the road to Emmaus, suggesting that Jesus likely referenced specific Psalms (22, 31, 69) and Isaiah 53, and that the disciples’ inability to grasp the resurrection was rooted in their refusal to accept the necessity of the cross. He draws a strong analogy between the disciples’ slowness to believe and the modern church’s tendency to marginalize the cross, arguing that just as the disciples could not comprehend the resurrection without the cross, so too the church cannot understand the gospel without the centrality of Christ’s atoning death.

God's Redemptive Plan: Zechariah's Prophecy and Christmas (Alistair Begg) interprets Luke 24:25-27 as the interpretive key to the entire Bible, emphasizing that the Old Testament is a story in search of an ending, and that Jesus’ exposition to the Emmaus disciples reveals that all Scripture is about him. Begg’s notable insight is that fulfillment is “more often than not... fulfilled Christologically rather than literally,” using the example of the temple’s promises being fulfilled in Jesus himself. He also highlights that Luke, as a Gentile, does not minimize the Old Testament but instead insists that Christ is the lens through which both the Old and New Testaments must be read, using the analogy of a “bus tour” to stress the importance of seeing the big picture of redemptive history.

Submitting to Christ's Authority: A Call to Faith (Alistair Begg) references Luke 24:25-27 as a summary of Jesus’ teaching method—explaining all things concerning himself from Moses and the prophets. Begg’s unique contribution is to connect this method to the authority of biblical preaching, arguing that true preaching must always be Christ-centered and that the authority of Christ is inseparable from the authority of Scripture. He uses the analogy of a preacher’s “driver’s license” to illustrate the religious leaders’ demand for authority, contrasting it with Jesus’ self-authenticating authority rooted in Scripture.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) interprets Luke 24:25-27 as Jesus’ declaration that the entire Bible is about him, and that the Bible’s primary purpose is to present Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer. The sermon’s notable insight is its statistical analysis of biblical content, showing that the vast majority of biblical chapters focus on the redemptive line from Abraham to Christ, and that the Gospels themselves devote disproportionate space to the final week of Jesus’ life, underscoring the centrality of the cross and resurrection as the climax of Scripture.

Luke 24:25-27 Theological Themes:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) introduces the theme that the authority of Scripture is so foundational that even the resurrected Christ appeals to it over miraculous signs, suggesting that the Bible is not just a record of God’s actions but the living, active means by which God reveals himself and guides believers. The sermon also explores the idea that the Bible is both authored and preserved by God, with a special emphasis on the reverence and care taken by ancient scribes, especially in African and Asian contexts, to transmit Scripture faithfully.

Jesus: The Central Theme of Scripture and Life (New Creation Church) presents the theme that Jesus is not only the central fact of human history but also the central fact of Scripture and the believer’s life. The sermon’s breakdown of the Bible’s structure as preparation, manifestation, propagation, explanation, and consummation of Jesus is a fresh organizational lens, and the preacher’s insistence that all of Scripture—Old and New Testament—finds its meaning in Christ is a robustly Christocentric hermeneutic.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) adds the theme that the Bible’s intent is not to provide exhaustive information on every topic but to bear witness to Christ, facilitate meditation, and effect transformation. The preacher’s threefold purpose of Scripture—testimony to Jesus, meditation, and transformation—offers a practical and spiritual framework for engaging the Bible, moving beyond information to personal and communal change.

Discovering the Gospel: Principle and Story Unveiled (Gospel in Life) introduces the theme that the gospel is both a principle (salvation by grace that leads to transformation) and a story (creation, fall, redemption, restoration), and that these are united in the person of Jesus. The sermon’s critique of both moralistic and purely narrative readings, and its insistence on a Christ-centered approach as mandated by Jesus in Luke 24, is a nuanced theological contribution.

The Centrality of the Cross in Christian Faith (Alistair Begg) introduces the theme that the cross is not merely an event within Christian doctrine but the interpretive center of all Scripture and Christian life. Begg adds the facet that marginalizing the cross leads to a loss of authority and substance in preaching and worship, and that the offense of the cross is essential to its power—contrasting therapeutic or political reinterpretations of Christianity with the biblical necessity of atonement.

God's Redemptive Plan: Zechariah's Prophecy and Christmas (Alistair Begg) presents the theme that Christ is both the fulfillment and the interpretive key of the Old Testament, and that understanding either testament in isolation leads to confusion or trivialization. Begg’s fresh angle is the assertion that fulfillment is “Christological rather than literal,” and that the inability to see Christ in the Old Testament results in a sentimental or irrelevant Christianity, especially evident in the way the Christmas story is often presented.

Submitting to Christ's Authority: A Call to Faith (Alistair Begg) develops the theme that the authority of Christ and the authority of Scripture are inseparable, and that opposition to Christ is fundamentally a matter of the will, not the intellect. Begg’s new facet is the application of Luke 24:25-27 to the crisis of authority in contemporary Christianity, arguing that loss of confidence in the Bible leads directly to a loss of confidence in Christ’s authority, and that true submission to Christ requires bowing to the authority of Scripture.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) introduces the theme that the Bible is not a history of civilization or a scientific textbook, but a history of redemption centered on Christ. The sermon’s unique angle is its emphasis on the Bible’s structure and content as evidence of its redemptive focus, and its assertion that the Bible’s primary message to the unbeliever is the call to repentance and faith in Christ, while its primary purpose for the believer is spiritual maturity and equipping for good works.

Luke 24:25-27 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) provides detailed historical context about the transmission and preservation of Scripture, especially highlighting the practices of ancient African and Asian scribes. The preacher describes how scribes would bathe before copying, use special ink and quills reserved only for Scripture, and destroy entire pages or books if errors were made, all to ensure the purity and accuracy of the biblical text. The sermon also situates the Enlightenment-era European skepticism about the Bible’s reliability as a political movement distinct from the reverence shown by early Christian communities, particularly in Africa and Asia.

Jesus: The Central Theme of Scripture and Life (New Creation Church) offers contextual insight into the structure of the Hebrew Bible (the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms) as referenced by Jesus in Luke 24, and explains the unusual grammatical construction of “the seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15 as an early prophecy of the virgin birth. The preacher also references the historical context of Messianic prophecies and their fulfillment in Jesus, and the use of Torah scrolls in synagogues rather than personal Bibles in the first century.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) provides a brief historical note on the composition of the Bible as a library of books written over 1,500 years in three languages, emphasizing the remarkable unity and consistency of its message about Jesus despite its diverse origins.

Discovering the Gospel: Principle and Story Unveiled (Gospel in Life) situates Luke 24:25-27 within the broader narrative of Jesus’ resurrection appearances, noting that Jesus’ method of interpreting all Scripture as pointing to himself is a foundational hermeneutical principle for Christian readers.

God's Redemptive Plan: Zechariah's Prophecy and Christmas (Alistair Begg) provides extensive historical context, tracing the post-exilic period, the succession of empires (Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman), and the persistent longing for redemption among the Jewish people. Begg explains how the Old Testament’s unresolved expectations set the stage for the coming of Christ, and how the cultural and political domination by foreign powers heightened the sense of anticipation for the Messiah. He also references the function of the “minor prophets” in sustaining hope during periods of apparent divine silence and disappointment.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) offers historical context by analyzing the structure and composition of the Bible, noting the process of canonization (e.g., Council of Jamnia for the Old Testament, Council of Trullo for the New Testament), the translation history (Septuagint, Vulgate, King James), and the linguistic context (Hebrew and Greek as the original languages). The sermon also highlights the providential timing of the Greek translation of the Old Testament, making Scripture accessible in the lingua franca of the first-century world, and thus facilitating the spread of the gospel.

Luke 24:25-27 Cross-References in the Bible:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) references several passages to support and expand on Luke 24:25-27: John’s Gospel (where Jesus shows his wounds), 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (all Scripture is God-breathed), 1 Peter 1:20-21 (prophets moved by the Spirit), Psalm 119 (the love song to Scripture), and John 1:1, 14 (the Word made flesh). These references are used to show the Bible’s divine origin, its role in revealing Christ, and its transformative power.

Jesus: The Central Theme of Scripture and Life (New Creation Church) cross-references Acts 28 (Paul persuading Jews about Jesus from the Old Testament), Genesis 3:15 and 3:21 (protoevangelium and the first animal sacrifice), John 3:14 (Moses lifting the serpent as a type of Christ), Isaiah 52-53 (the suffering servant), and John 1:1, 14 (the preexistence and incarnation of Christ). Each reference is used to demonstrate how the Old Testament points to Jesus and how Jesus fulfills these prophecies and types.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) references Luke 24:44 (Jesus explaining the Law, Prophets, and Psalms as fulfilled in him), 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Scripture’s role in salvation and transformation), and James 1:22 (being doers of the word). These passages are used to reinforce the Bible’s Christocentric purpose and its transformative intent.

Discovering the Gospel: Principle and Story Unveiled (Gospel in Life) references the story of David and Goliath (as a type of Christ), Luke 24:25-27 and 44 (Jesus’ hermeneutic), and the broader storyline of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. The sermon uses these references to argue for a Christ-centered reading of all Scripture, as modeled by Jesus himself.

The Centrality of the Cross in Christian Faith (Alistair Begg) cross-references Luke 24:25-27 with several passages: Luke 24:44 (Jesus’ further explanation to the disciples), Psalm 22, Psalm 31, Psalm 69 (words from the cross), Isaiah 53 (the suffering servant), and Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:32-34 (Jesus’ repeated predictions of his death and resurrection). Begg uses these references to show that Jesus’ suffering and resurrection are woven throughout the Old Testament and are the climax of the gospel narratives, arguing that the disciples’ inability to accept the cross blinded them to the resurrection.

God's Redemptive Plan: Zechariah's Prophecy and Christmas (Alistair Begg) cross-references Luke 24:25-27 with Luke 24:44 (fulfillment of the law, prophets, and psalms), John 2:19 (Jesus as the true temple), and the story of Moses and the Exodus as a foreshadowing of redemption in Christ. Begg also references the post-exilic prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) and the messianic expectations in the minor prophets, showing how these threads converge in the person of Jesus.

Submitting to Christ's Authority: A Call to Faith (Alistair Begg) references Luke 24:25-27 in connection with Luke 20 (Jesus’ authority questioned), Zechariah 9:9 (the king riding on a donkey), and Luke 4, 5, 8 (Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom and call to repentance). Begg also alludes to John 5:39-40 (the Scriptures testify about Christ) and 2 Timothy 3:17 (Scripture equipping the man of God), using these passages to reinforce the necessity of Christ-centered, authoritative preaching.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) cross-references Luke 24:25-27 with John 5:39-40 (the Scriptures point to Christ), 2 Timothy 3:17 (Scripture equipping the believer), and Genesis 12 (the call of Abraham as the beginning of redemptive history). The sermon uses these references to argue that the Bible’s overarching narrative is the story of redemption through Christ, and that all Scripture must be read in light of this purpose.

Luke 24:25-27 Christian References outside the Bible:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) explicitly references several African church fathers when discussing the authority and preservation of Scripture in relation to Luke 24:25-27. Tertullian is quoted as saying, “the holy scriptures alone are the fountains of truth and the deep well springs of salvation. He who is ignorant of scripture is ignorant of Christ.” Augustine is cited: “the authority of scripture is greater than all human ingenuity. The divine inspiration of the Bible is the foundation of all our faith and the rule of our conduct.” Origen is referenced: “the scriptures are not the work of human minds but are inspired by the holy spirit. They contain the words of God and it is through them that God speaks to us.” Cyprian is quoted: “the scriptures are the voice of God and in them we find the true path to salvation they are the light that guides our steps and the nourishment that sustains our souls.” These references are used to reinforce the sermon’s argument that the Bible’s authority and Christ-centeredness were recognized and revered by early African Christian leaders, who were culturally and linguistically close to the original context of Scripture.

Jesus: The Central Theme of Scripture and Life (New Creation Church) explicitly references Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of John, who said, “apart from Jesus let nothing Dazzle you,” and Augustine, who said, “in my deepest woundedness I saw your glory and it dazzled me.” Charles Spurgeon is also quoted: “Christ is the Great Central fact in the world’s history to him everything looks forward or backward all the lines of History Converge on him.” These references are used to underscore the centrality of Christ in Scripture and life, as well as to provide historical continuity for the sermon’s Christocentric interpretation.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) references St. Jerome, quoting: “the scriptures are shallow enough for babes or for a baby to come and drink without fear of drowning, but they’re also deep enough for a theologian to swim in without ever touching the bottom.” This is used to illustrate the accessibility and depth of Scripture for all believers.

Discovering the Gospel: Principle and Story Unveiled (Gospel in Life) references the preacher’s wife, Kathy, as a source of practical insight, noting that sermons become transformative when they move from information to a Christ-centered focus, echoing the heart-level impact Jesus’ hermeneutic in Luke 24 is meant to have.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) explicitly references Oswald Chambers, quoting him as saying that John 5:39 is the key verse to the whole Bible because it reveals that the Scriptures are about Christ. The sermon also references Norman Vincent Peale, citing his statement in Reader’s Digest that the problems of the church can be traced to seminaries that undermine confidence in the absolute, inspired Word of God. These references are used to reinforce the sermon's argument about the centrality of Christ in Scripture and the necessity of holding to the Bible’s divine inspiration.

Luke 24:25-27 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Embracing the Living Word: A Call to Action (Saint Mark Baptist Church) uses two detailed secular analogies to illustrate the function of Scripture as revealed in Luke 24:25-27. First, the preacher recounts the story of blind skiers at the 1988 Winter Paralympic Games, who successfully navigated a slalom course by listening to sighted guides who shouted instructions. This is used as a metaphor for the Bible’s role in guiding believers through life’s unseen obstacles, paralleling how Jesus used Scripture to guide the disciples’ understanding of his suffering and glory. Second, the preacher uses the analogy of “lane assist” technology in modern cars, describing how the system alerts drivers when they drift over dotted lines but actively prevents them from crossing solid lines, likening this to the Bible’s function as both a warning and a safeguard against spiritual danger.

Trusting the Bible: A Journey to Transformation (Community Church) employs several secular analogies to clarify the intent and function of Scripture in light of Luke 24:25-27. The preacher uses the example of expecting a table to fly you to Florida to illustrate the error of misjudging the Bible’s trustworthiness by misunderstanding its intended purpose. Another analogy involves receiving a text message about a concert and critiquing it as a bad essay, highlighting the importance of understanding the intent behind communication. The preacher also uses the story of a cat named Whiskey growling over meat to illustrate the concept of meditating on Scripture—enjoying, savoring, and focusing on God’s word. Additionally, the preacher tells a story about asking his son to pick up sticks, only for the son to memorize, discuss, and translate the command without actually obeying it, illustrating the difference between knowing Scripture and living it out. Finally, the preacher recounts an anthropologist’s encounter with a villager who credits the Bible with saving him from cannibalism, using this as a vivid example of Scripture’s transformative power.

God's Redemptive Plan: Zechariah's Prophecy and Christmas (Alistair Begg) uses the analogy of a “bus tour” in a major city (specifically referencing his own family’s experience in London and San Francisco) to illustrate the importance of seeing the “big picture” of the Bible. Begg describes how, just as a bus tour provides an overview that makes sense of individual landmarks, so too understanding the Bible’s overarching narrative is essential for making sense of individual passages. He humorously recounts his family’s lack of enthusiasm for the tour, using this as a metaphor for how many people approach the Bible without context and thus miss its significance.

Understanding the Bible: A Narrative of Redemption (SermonIndex.net) uses the example of the Declaration of Independence under glass in Washington, D.C., to illustrate the fragility and age of ancient documents, making the point that the preservation of biblical manuscripts over millennia is a remarkable providence. The sermon also humorously references knowing “a little Hebrew and a little Greek”—the Hebrew runs a delicatessen in New York and the Greek runs a restaurant in Virginia Beach—to underscore the importance of understanding the original languages of Scripture. Additionally, the sermon recounts a story about a church carpet selection, where a woman claims “God told me it should be this,” to illustrate the dangers of conflating personal preference with divine revelation.