Summer Heat
Havasu Christian Church
July 20, 2025
“Where’s the fire?”
Luke 24:13–35
INTRO: In our series of “Summer Heat,” we’ve seen fire in a lot of places… We’ve seen fire come down on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. We’ve seen Abraham, ready to give Isaac as a burnt offering. We’ve seen a great battle won with pitchers, torches and trumpets! We’ve even seen men thrown into a furnace full of fire! But today is different. This fire isn’t physical… Pay attention and you’ll see the fire before we are through.
It’s the day of Jesus’ resurrection. There have been all kinds of reports of Jesus being alive again. The city of Jerusalem is buzzing! The Jewish religious leaders are really upset! Into this Maelstrom, this turmoil, Jesus inserts Himself in a quiet way.
Luke 24:13–16 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.
16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.
- Two men on the road meet a stranger, and wind up telling Him their troubles.
- Two of Jesus’ disciples are traveling to Emmaus.
- Lots of questions come to mind.
- Where is Emmaus?!?
From: biblicalarchaeology.org
Two of the earliest manuscripts containing Luke 24:13 reference Emmaus being relatively close to Jerusalem—one manuscript claims the distance was 60 stadia (7 miles), while another claims 160 stadia (19 miles). Since the two men would have set out late in the day and arrived in Jerusalem before dusk, the closer claim of 7 miles was traditionally favored. Thus, two villages, each located about 7 miles from Jerusalem, have traditionally been identified as the Emmaus of the Gospel: Abu Ghosh and el-Qubeibeh.
However, a third site, located 19 miles west of Jerusalem in the Judean Hills, may be the real Emmaus for a number of compelling reasons. Early Christian writers living in the Holy Land were of the unanimous opinion that Emmaus was located at a major Roman crossroad in the lowlands area near the towns of Modi‘in, Gezer, and Lydda. This opinion is also supported by the Jerusalem Talmud (Sheviit 9:2). Formerly, the Arab village of Imwas (reminiscent of the name Emmaus) stood at the site. And finally, pilgrims who chronicled their visits to the house of Cleopas, which had since been transformed into the Church of the Breaking of the Bread, describe a major city of the Byzantine period known as Emmaus Nicopolis, located here.
- After all that’s happened, WHY are they going to Emmaus?
- Did they have a trip already planned?
- They couldn’t get a refund on their tickets?
- Does one of them live in Emmaus?
- Were they trying to get out of town to avoid trouble with the authorities?
- Who was the “other” guy?
- We know that one of them is named Cleopas.
- Jesus joins them.
- Just a regular, bored traveler…
- They were “prevented from recognizing Him.”
- How did this work???
- Jesus asks them “What are you talking about?”
- The men are sad.
- They stop walking to explain.
- The two travelers pour our their hearts.
Luke 24:18-24 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,
20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.
21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.
24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”
- The travelers can’t believe this guy doesn’t know what’s going on…
- “You must have just crawled out from under a rock!
- How can you not know what’s been going on in Jerusalem?
- They proceed to explain to Jesus, all that’s been going on the past week or so.
- They tell Jesus about Himself…
- A Prophet, mighty in deed and word.
- He did what He did in plain sight!
- The Chief priests and rulers had Him killed!
- This killed our hope that Jesus was the Messiah.
- Now it’s been 3 days.
- Some of Jesus’ female disciples came to us with an amazing story!
- They went to the tomb.
- His body was gone!
- They saw an angel who told them that Jesus has risen!
- Some of our men checked it out.
- Empty tomb.
- No Jesus.
- Jesus, the teacher, teaches.
Luke 24:18-25-27 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
- “You guys still don’t get it!”
- You are being foolish!
- You know what the Prophets said, but you don’t want to believe it!
- Slow of heart… We would say they were “having a hard time wrapping their head around the concept.” “Not using all the brain cells God gave them.” “A little slow on the uptake.” “Not applying themselves.” In other words, they just aren’t “A Students” today….
- Jesus reminds them that the Christ, the Messiah, had to suffer all this harm first.
- Then, He could “enter into His Glory!”
- It was a process.
- This process was for their benefit, and for ours!
- Salvation comes through the Death and resurrection of Jesus!
- Jesus then reminds them of all the Scriptures that foretold of His death and resurrection.
- Jesus does all this teaching while they walk.
- The two disciples offer Jesus a place to stay for the night.
- This of course, includes a meal.
- Jesus accepts.
- Jesus Finally reveals Himself to them.
Luke 24:28-32 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.
30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 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?”
- We finally get to the fire!
“Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
- Jesus reveals Himself when he blesses the bread.
- This is when and how Jesus CHOOSES to reveal Himself.
- It is incredibly appropriate!
- Just as quickly as He reveals Himself, Jesus “vanishes from their sight.”
- No sleight of hand.
- “Look over there!”
- Jesus simply vanishes!
- That would blow your mind a bit!
- They realize that these last few hours have been “just like old times.”
- Something has been nagging at them, that this is VERY familiar!
- They KNEW something was going on that really mattered.
- They had been blinded to WHO they were talking to, but they are blinded no longer!
- These disciples immediately return to Jerusalem to share what has happened!
33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
- They are probably pretty “road weary” by this time.
- But it doesn’t matter.
- I suspect the return trip went much faster than the trip to Emmaus.
- Now they have a purpose!
- When they get back to Jerusalem, they don’t even get a chance to tell about what happened to them.
- “The Lord has really risen and appeared to Simon!”
- Well, I guess Mary Magdalene saw Jesus first, but…. PETER SAW JESUS!!!
- They finally get to share their news as well!
Conclusion: What do we learn today from this “Burning within us?”
- PAY ATTENTION TO SCRIPTURE!
- It’s kinda important!
- Jesus sounds exasperated here. “Why don’t you guys understand?”
Psalm 119:9–16 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
- Learn it!
- Think about it!
- Follow it!
- These two disciples hadn’t “done their homework” and they required some “special tutoring!”
- Be ready to be taught… even on a road trip!
- These disciples thought they were done being taught… Instead Jesus comes directly to them.
- We too have lessons to learn.
- They may come from unlikely places.
On our road trip, Robin and I got to learn from some high school students who had just returned from CIY.
My initial thought was “Oh great!” I wasn’t expecting it to be a “teaching moment,” but it was!
- Always be prepared to learn.
- Jesus had REALLY raised from the dead!
- We talk about it. We sing about it.
- But deep down in our soul, DO WE BELIEVE IT??
- Do I live like I believe it?
- We have something important to share with the world!
- JESUS IS RISEN!!!
- No matter how you may sometimes feel, YOU ARE A MESSENGER OF THE KING!
- Tell it everywhere, tell it often!
- Do whatever it takes to be able to share!
