He Is Risen: Seeing Jesus on the Road to Emmaus

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection is the Foundation of Our Faith

The entire Christian faith hinges on the historical reality of the resurrection. It is not a mere inspirational story or a metaphor, but a concrete event that validates everything Jesus said and did. If it is not true, then our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins. But if it is true, then it changes everything about our past, present, and future. This truth is the bedrock upon which we stand. [04:51]

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the core claims of Christianity, what honest questions or doubts do you have about the resurrection? How might you bring those questions to God, asking Him to reveal the truth to you in a way that strengthens your faith?

Day 2: Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture

The Bible is not a collection of disconnected stories or moral lessons; it is one unified story that points to Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures reveal our deep need and God’s ultimate provision through His Son. When we read the Bible with this Christ-centered lens, our hearts can burn within us as we see the magnificent tapestry of God’s redemptive plan. [39:18]

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27, ESV)

Reflection: When you read the Old Testament, what is your primary approach—seeking moral examples or looking for how it points to Christ? This week, try reading a familiar Old Testament story (like Joseph or David) and ask, "How does this passage reveal my need for a Savior or point to the coming Messiah?"

Day 3: Our Need is Greater Than We Know

We often have a limited view of our own need, believing our primary problems are external circumstances or other people. The gospel reveals that our greatest bondage is to ourselves—our sin, our pride, our self-reliance. Jesus came to meet this far deeper need, offering redemption from the ultimate oppression of our own rebellious hearts. [24:02]

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Romans 7:18, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you most often look for solutions to your problems—changing your circumstances, or seeking heart transformation? What is one area of your life where you are beginning to see that the real need is not for a situation to change, but for your own heart to be changed by the gospel?

Day 4: The Risen Lord is With Us Now

The resurrection means Jesus is not a historical figure or a distant spirit, but a living, scarred, and glorified person. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He is present with His people right now. This reality is meant to be a source of immense comfort, joy, and strength, knowing that the one who conquered death is ruling and reigning for our good. [49:35]

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b, ESV)

Reflection: How does the truth that Jesus is physically alive and ruling right now, rather than being a distant memory, change the way you approach a specific challenge or fear you are facing this week?

Day 5: Compelled by Joy to Be a Witness

Encountering the risen Christ produces an overwhelming and compelling joy. This joy is not meant to be kept to ourselves but propels us out to share the good news with others. We are called not to be experts, but witnesses—simply sharing what we have seen and heard about the love and power of Jesus. [01:04:22]

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the simple, joyful news that "It is true!"? What is one step you can take this week to gently and naturally share the hope you have because Jesus is alive?

Sermon Summary

The resurrection anchors everything about God's work and the meaning of Holy Week. Women who stayed at the tomb become the first witnesses, greeted by angels with the startling question, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Luke then follows two discouraged followers on the road to Emmaus, where a stranger opens the Scriptures from Moses through the prophets, showing that the suffering, death, and rising of the Messiah fulfill God's plan. Their hearts burn as the narrative of Israel points to the cross and to the empty tomb; recognition comes fully in the breaking of bread, when the risen Christ reveals himself bodily and then vanishes.

The bodily reality of the resurrection matters: the risen Jesus invites touch, eats with the disciples, and keeps his scars, proving that resurrection is not mere spirit or myth but a transformation of the incarnate Lord. That bodily victory ushers in exaltation and rule—resurrection leads to ascension and enthronement, placing a scarred, reigning Savior at the center of cosmic authority. Scripture ties together the necessity of suffering and the reality of forgiveness; the cross resolves divine justice while demonstrating divine love.

The resurrection also rewires mission and witness. Those who see and learn become witnesses sent to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations, empowered by the promised Spirit. Doubt meets patient, concrete compassion: the risen Lord meets fear with proof, meets ignorance with exposition, and meets paralysis with a commission that reaches beyond human ability. Joy becomes the natural response—overwhelming, visible, and mobilizing—because the future has broken into the present and death no longer dominates history.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection proves the whole story Seeing the risen Jesus validates the promises woven through the Old Testament; the cross does not negate God's plan but fulfills it. The empty tomb turns prophetic hints into decisive history—what once read as mystery now reads as accomplished redemption. That truth reframes fear and fuels a hope that reorders priorities and confessions. [46:24]
2. Scripture constantly points to Christ The Scriptures function not as self-help moralism but as a narrative centered on the Messiah from Genesis through the prophets. Reading with Christ in view rearranges every passage from law and sacrifice to kingdom and covenant into a single saving story. Such reading turns study into encounter, moving hearts from information to conviction. [31:50]
3. True repentance begins with need The disciples’ blindness traced to a shallow view of their own bondage; longing for political rescue missed the deeper slavery to sin. Recognizing personal helplessness before divine holiness makes the cross both necessary and joyful rather than merely tragic. Real repentance awakens gratitude that cannot be manufactured by moralism. [24:02]
4. Witness flows from encounter and sending Those who actually see and hear the risen Lord become witnesses, not because of excellence but because of testimony. The mission depends less on human competency and more on the Spirit who equips the ordinary to proclaim the extraordinary. Seeing produces testimony, testimony produces mission, and mission spreads the joy that changes communities. [63:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:33] - Series wrap-up and Lent connection
[02:08] - Opening prayer
[03:45] - Resurrection as the decisive claim
[05:35] - Burial: Joseph of Arimathea and the tomb
[06:44] - Women at the tomb, first witnesses
[12:58] - Road to Emmaus: conversation and confusion
[14:46] - Breaking bread: eyes opened to Christ
[31:50] - Jesus explains Scripture about himself
[46:24] - Resurrection's meaning: joy and new age
[53:14] - Appearance to disciples and commission
[62:19] - Ascension, reign, and universal authority
[69:22] - Closing prayer and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Luke 24:1-35 (ESV)

Observation questions

What question did the angels ask the women at the tomb, and what was their message?
How did the two disciples on the road to Emmaus describe Jesus and their hopes for him before they knew who the stranger was?
What specific action caused the disciples' eyes to be opened and recognize Jesus?
According to the sermon, the resurrection proves the whole story of Scripture. What does this mean for how we read the Old Testament? [46:24]

Interpretation questions

The angels asked, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" What does this question reveal about a wrong way to relate to Jesus, and how might people still do this today?
The disciples said, "we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel." Why was their understanding of redemption too limited, and how did it prevent them from seeing God's greater plan? [22:48]
Jesus called the disciples "foolish ones" and "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." Why is unbelief considered a matter of the heart rather than just the mind?
The sermon states that Scripture constantly points to Christ, not as self-help moralism but as a narrative centered on the Messiah. How does this change the purpose of reading the Bible? [39:18]

Application questions

The women at the tomb were the first witnesses because of their faithfulness and need, not their awesomeness. [08:42] In what areas of your life do you feel too "un-awesome" to be used by God, and how does the story of the women challenge that feeling?
The two disciples on the road were talking about Jesus, and their hearts were burning as the Scriptures were opened to them. [18:10] What is the normal subject of your conversations with other believers? How could you make Jesus a more central and exciting topic of discussion?
True repentance begins with recognizing our deep need and helplessness before a holy God. [24:02] When you think about your need for a Savior, do you tend to focus more on external circumstances you want fixed or the internal bondage of your own sin? How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of your true spiritual need?
The resurrection means Jesus is not a dead historical figure but a living, reigning, scarred Savior. [49:35] What practical difference does it make in your daily decisions, fears, and hopes to know that the same Jesus who walked the earth is alive and ruling right now?
Those who see and learn become witnesses sent to proclaim. [01:03:12] What have you "seen" and "learned" about Jesus that you are equipped to simply testify to? Who in your life needs to hear your testimony of what Christ has done?
The natural response to the resurrection is overwhelming, visible, mobilizing joy. [01:04:22] Would you describe your faith more by a sense of duty or by joy? What would it look like for the truth of the resurrection to rewire your life toward joy this week?

Sermon Clips

Try and be really awesome for fifteen minutes and you'll know. You'll know fifteen minutes. Not an unkind or superior thought about anyone, not a materialistic thought, not no resentment, no pride. I mean and that's you're sitting still by yourself in a dark room. Right? Much less interacting with somebody or dealing with actual things. Yo, this is the message of the final week. This is the message of the four gospels. This is the message of the whole scripture, is that the Lord has been at work now centering in the work of Jesus to fix what's broken. [00:24:36] (38 seconds) #Try15Minutes

That on the day Jesus rose from the dead and the whole cosmos was different for now and eternity, he spends the whole afternoon on resurrection day with these two insignificant guys and teaches them a bible study. This is what Jesus does on resurrection day. I would be running to Pilate. I would be running to Herod. I would be running to the tomb. I have a lot of things I would be doing and it would not be this. This is what Jesus told chose to do. First, he confronts them. [00:31:54] (36 seconds) #ResurrectionTeaches

If that is true, how can that not be the most important thing in your life? And if it's not true, it's not worth crud. It is not worth the paper it is printed on. The one thing it can never be is moderately true, moderately important, kinda cool. It's not if it's cool. Is it real? And is it true? And is if it is, it is everything all coming together and accomplished for us and given to us in this very week. Christ is risen. [01:07:11] (35 seconds) #ResurrectionIsEverything

When God looks at you, he sees a liar and a murderer and a thief. Should we maybe talk about Jesus and how much he's done for us and how much he loves us? Until you know your bondage, Jesus is just not that exciting. He's just not that exciting. But if you do, you know there is no other answer. There is no other redemption redemption. There is hope in no other name. Jesus came and lived and died and rose to meet our need. [00:27:42] (42 seconds) #KnowYourBondage

This is this beautiful little perk of y'all. It's the women. The women who were the last at the tomb, the women who on on Friday, the women who are the first probably while it's still dark on Sunday morning. Why? Because of their love, because of their loyalty, because of their longing, because of their commitment to him. They have obviously very incomplete understanding but they have unbelievable faithfulness. They have unbelievable faithfulness to him and the Lord honors their devotion to him by what? They are the first human beings in the universe to know that Jesus is risen. [00:07:34] (45 seconds) #WomenFirstWitnesses

He looks at these guys and he says, you will take what you have seen and you will take it to the entire world. And why in the world would you take it to the entire world? Because that's the promises all the way from the garden and from Abraham and from But why would you take it to the entire world? Because where are the boundaries that are of those that cannot be reached by Christ? There are none. I mean, y'all who's not qualified? No one. I mean, that is what is crazy. And he says, I'm sending you because you're gifted. No. I'm sending you because you're smart. No. I'm sending you because you're holy. No. What does he say? What is the language? I'm sending you because what? You're witnesses. [01:02:06] (48 seconds) #SentBecauseWitnesses

They needed a deliverance from a foreign oppressor just like their forefathers coming out of Egypt. This was the great history of Israel and they were looking for the Messiah to do it all over again. This is obviously the needed point of rescue. And Jesus throughout his whole ministry and even now is like, you have a bigger bondage than that. And I came to do something way bigger and way more comprehensive than that. They have no idea how fully and deeply they are in need of deliverance. [00:23:17] (33 seconds) #DeeperDeliveranceNeeded

He got it and I didn't. It wasn't something that you say on Easter morning. It's something you can say at any point. I'm doing great. He is risen. The point is, I needed to be tutored in the resurrection. But let me tell you, it is a whole another ballgame to get tutored in the resurrection by the resurrected Lord on resurrection day. Only two men have that privilege, and they are as we pick up back in chapter 24 verse 13. That very day, this is resurrection day. Okay? [00:12:28] (37 seconds) #TutoredInResurrection

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He Is Risen: Seeing Jesus on the Road to Emmaus

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection is the Foundation of Our Faith

Day 2: Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture

Day 3: Our Need is Greater Than We Know

Day 4: The Risen Lord is With Us Now

Day 5: Compelled by Joy to Be a Witness

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

He Is Risen: Seeing Jesus on the Road to Emmaus

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