MY HOPE IS BUILT

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A Bible Study for Women using the authorized King James Bible, the only inerrant Word of God

 

By Patricia Dowers

 

 

Introduction

 

The Road to Emmaus

 

As we remember and celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the grave and His victory over sin and death, well-known Scripture comes to mind.  The women at the empty tomb, the disciples in the closed room, the Lord waiting on the shore for the fishermen to return are all stamped in my mind from an early age.  Faithful parents and Sunday school teachers taught me these Bible stories as a child.  Pictures of the events decorating the walls of my Sunday school classroom held my attention long before I could read the Bible for myself.

 

There is one related event, however, recorded in the book of Luke that I do not remember being taught to me as a child and was seldom referred to in pastoral messages.  I am not sure why that was the case but it has come to be one of my favorite passages.  Here, the Lord gives us a perfect snapshot of a day in the life of two ordinary men experiencing desperation, fear, and ultimate joy in the Lord in the space of a few hours.  Joy that comes when we least expect it is the treasure of all believers when we find ourselves on the road to Emmaus.

 

Please note: In this study, as in all others, it is important to read all Scripture references for yourself that you may know what God has to say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 1

 

On the road

 

Let us begin this study by reading through the Scripture that contains our text.  Please read Luke 24: 13-35 aloud with your group.  In this session we will focus on verses 13-18.  The scene takes place on the Sunday after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.  Followers of Jesus arrived at His tomb that morning and found it empty. This was the latest devastation in several days of fear, anguish, confusion and hopelessness for those who trusted that Jesus was the promised Messiah and Deliverer (Luke 19:37,38).  Many were in hiding.  Some were returning to their homes and former lives, not knowing what else to do.

 

We find the two men of Luke 24 on the road to Emmaus.  They were returning home.  Emmaus is a small village approximately seven miles northwest of Jerusalem.  This area of Judea is very hot in the springtime and we can imagine the mood of these men as they plodded along.  By afternoon the sun would have been beating down on them from high overhead.  The grit from the dusty road would be filtering in through their open sandals, irritating their feet.  In their hurry and preoccupation did they even remember to bring water for the journey? 

 

Jerusalem was in turmoil.  Roman soldiers and Jewish temple guards had been given orders to crush the rebellion.  Followers of Jesus were living in fear for their lives and feeling abandoned by their Messiah.  Was this the end of all their hopes and dreams for a new life and freedom for their land?

 

What does verse 14 tells us these men were doing as they walked?

 

 

I’m sure they were trying to make sense of it all and perhaps attempting to console each other.  Perhaps they were still numb from the horror and shock of the trial and crucifixion.  How does one contemplate next steps when there is no hope left?

 

Have you ever been in a place like this?  Have you ever lost a loved one or experienced a broken relationship?  Perhaps a life changing financial set back has put you on your road to Emmaus.  Please give this some thought and in a later session you may be comfortable sharing your experience with your group.

 

Back on the road a Stranger falls in step with them.  It was Jesus in His resurrected body!  

What does verse 16 tell us about their reaction? 

 

 

 

If they had not been so preoccupied and distraught they may have been more watchful of Roman sympathizers, Jewish bounty hunters, and even highwaymen who frequented the area around Jerusalem.  They must have been so weary at this point that they were beyond fear.  This seems especially the case when they did not hesitate to answer His questions especially if their answers identified them with the crucified One.

 

In verse 17, what does Jesus ask them?

 

 

And in verse 18, what is their response?

 

 

 

As a side note, we also read in verse 18 that one of the men was identified as Cleopas.  Another Cleopas (spelled Cleophas) is mentioned in John 19:25.  Some Bible scholars believe these two men may be one in the same.  If this is the case, the Cleophas that John records is the husband of Mary’s sister, which would make him the uncle of Jesus by marriage.  It may also have been a common name at the time and these were two different men.  Either way, Jesus chose not to be recognized at that moment.

 

In our next session we will discover more about these men as they continue with Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  Please join me.

 

 

 

 

Session 2

 

What things?

 

Please read Luke 24:19-24 aloud with your group.  We left our two disciples walking along the road to Emmaus recently joined by the yet unrecognized, Lord Jesus.  They assume that He would have to be a stranger to the area not to know the events of the past few days that had consumed their lives and turned Jerusalem on end.  

 

Jesus goes on to ask in verse 19, “What things?”   I can almost hear a little trepidation in the voice of the disciple as he relates the events of the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus.  The account is all very straightforward but let us examine a few things in particular.  First of all, Jesus did not need to ask this question.  He obviously knew the answer.  I believe it was important for these men in determining their own personal position on what they believed about the Lord, to be allowed to describe the events with their own voices.

 

There are other places in Scripture where the Lord asks people to self-identify their circumstances.  We can take a moment to look at a few of them.  Please read the Scripture reference and briefly describe how the response reveals the attitude toward the Lord at the moment.

 

Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8-13)

 

 

Elijah (I Kings 19:9-10, 13-14)

 

 

Jonah (Jonah 4:6-11)

 

 

Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-16)

 

 

Paul (Acts 9:3-8)

 

Often, when we fall under conviction, the words we use in responding to God say a great deal about our attitude toward Him.  Are we penitent, taking full responsibility?  Are we fearful, concerned about a harsh response?  Are we self-righteous, trying to make excuses?  The Lord knows our hearts and with the leading of the Holy Spirit wants us to continually examine ourselves that all of our responses to Him be truthful, honoring and worshipful.  (Heb. 4:12, I Tim. 6:11-12)

 

Take another look at our Scripture verses for this session.  It is interesting to note how these men refer to Jesus. 

 

In verse 19 they refer to Him as Jesus of Nazareth.  How do they describe Him?

 

 

In verse 21 how do they describe their relationship toward Him?

 

 

 

In verses 22-24 how did they identify with His other followers?

 

 

 

Do you see the progression?    Hesitantly, they build up to identifying with Jesus.  First, He was a man from Nazareth who was also a mighty prophet.  This was common knowledge that wouldn’t get anyone into trouble.  Then, they admitted to trusting what He taught.  This takes a little more involvement, but probably nothing prosecutable.  Finally, they included themselves in being part of the company that followed Jesus and saw to His burial. 

 

I wonder if they were watching the reactions of Jesus as they relayed their information to determine if it was safe to say more?  Did you notice that they seemed to stop short of owning up to full belief?  Remember, they had just experienced an incredibly traumatic event and the Lord was sympathetic to that.  Perhaps their belief was shaken.  If so, they were not alone.  The disciples who remained in Jerusalem were just as shaken, confused and disheartened.  It makes me think, however, of the times we may use this approach in witnessing even when we have the benefit of knowing the outcome, which is the victory of our risen Savior over death.  The Bible instructs us to be bold in witnessing. (Eph. 6: 18-20) We also have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who is the power in witnessing.

 

Let us take a look for a moment, at what Scripture has to say about the Witness Who dwells within us, and the witness we are to share.

 

Read I John 5:1-15 aloud with your group and discuss the following points:

• Who is the Witness?

• How does He come to live within us?

• What do we believe as revealed by the Witness?

• What is our confidence?

 

The story grows in excitement in the next verses.  Please join me as we read about the response of Jesus that rescues the spirits of these men on the road to Emmaus.

 

 

 

Session 3

 

Slow of Heart

 

Our text for this session is Luke 24: 25-30.  Please read it aloud with your group.  From the last session we know that Jesus has joined his two disciples on the road to Emmaus but as yet, they do not recognize Him.  After listening to them expound on the reason for their dejection, Jesus responds in a way that at first, seems harsh. 

 

Take another look at verses 25 and 26.  Remember, Jesus knows our every thought and weakness.  He knows that the growth of our spirituality takes time and nurturing.  I believe part of what Jesus is expressing is His sadness that His followers were taken by surprise and were experiencing this needless grief even though He prophesied to them on a number of occasions that the Scriptures would be fulfilled in Him. (Isa. 53:7-8; Matt. 16:21; Luke 9:22; Luke 24:44)  They followed Him; they said they believed Him; they didn’t always understand Him; and in the crisis, they mourned His body and forgot His words.

 

What does Matt.16:21 tell us?

 

 

 

What additional information does Matt. 17:22 and 23 give us?

 

 

 

Read Matt 20:18 and 19.  Write out the last phrase of verse 19.

 

 

 

This forgetfulness and misunderstanding is what we experience when we allow ourselves to remain baby Christians.  Babies are always reactive.  They react to the joy and pain of the moment and never consider or care about the complete picture.  They rely on others to do that for them.  When disappointed, they look for someone to blame.  Hopefully as they grow, they take more personal responsibility for their behavior and have a better appreciation for those who oversee them.

 

As believers, we are lifetime students.  The more we study the Bible and learn about Who God is and His plan for us, the more prepared and the less surprised we are as events unfold, either personally or on a global scale.

 

Our disciples must have felt the compassion through the Lord’s words or they would have reacted defensively.  Instead they gave Him their full attention as Jesus patiently repeated the Old Testament Scripture concerning Himself.   Our Lord only responds to us with love. 

 

Please write out Luke 24:27 in the space below.

 

 

 

 

 

I would imagine Jesus spent some considerable time quoting to them from the book of Isaiah where He records many of the Messianic prophecies.  Let us take a look at several.

 

Please read the following passages and identify who fulfills the prophecy

 

Isa. 7: 14

 

Isa. 11:1-5

 

Isa. 53 1-12

 

What does Isa. 25:8 prophesy about our future?

 

 

 

 

I am sure that Cleopas and his friend were riveted to the words of Jesus.  The words were not new.  They had heard them before from Jesus and from the scrolls read by the rabbis of the temple.  It was all finally making sense but more than that, it was comforting like a healing balm applied to their souls.  With each step and with every word they were being restored with the hope they thought was lost.

 

This is a good moment to give some thought to how the experience of these two disciples applies to our own lives.  If you are comfortable sharing with your group, discuss an experience that may have put you on the “Road to Emmaus”.  It may be the illness or death of a loved one or any other situation that seemed hopeless until the Lord intervened.  Perhaps you are even on that road at this moment.  If this is the case, do not forget the importance of allowing your group to lift you up in prayer.  

 

What seemed like an arduous journey was suddenly over too soon.  They were not ready to take leave of this Stranger.  Verse 29 tells us they “constrained” Him to remain with them because evening was coming on.  I believe this was more than hospitality.  They craved more of His knowledge and assurance.

 

Compare Luke 24:30 with Luke 9:16 and Luke 22:19.  What is the common thread that sparked the memory of these men?

 

 

 

Join me in the next session for the amazing conclusion!

 

 

 

Session 4

 

Their Eyes were Opened

 

Our text for this session is Luke 24: 31-35.  Verse 31 is a short statement (only three lines in my Bible).  This one verse contains three simultaneous events that rocked the world of our two disciples.

 

Please copy verse 31 in the space below.

 

 

 

Have you ever had the truth suddenly dawn on you?  Sometimes it is referred to as an “Aha” moment.  That alone can be a momentous experience depending on the enormity of the truth.  In this case the disciples recognized their slain Lord Jesus.  I cannot even imagine the range of emotion they felt, perhaps shock, relief and confusion, to name a few.  If that were not enough, the Lord vanished before there eyes.  Hopefully, these men were sitting on the floor and did not have far to drop! 

 

How did they begin to collect themselves?  The Bible tells us in verse 32 they reflected on the words of the “Stranger” on the road and remembered how their hearts burned within them as He spoke.  Many believers describe a similar stirring sensation when they are reading Scripture or listening to preaching and the Holy Spirit is revealing Truth to them.  Our salvation is not dependent on feelings (I Pet. 1: 3-5) but as we grow spiritually we learn to recognize the Lord’s leading. 

 

The Lord leads us through His Holy Spirit Who interprets God’s Word to our hearts and minds.  Let us look at Scripture for some examples of the importance of being led by the Spirit.

 

In the space beside the reference identify why we need to be led by the Spirit.

 

I Cor. 2:4-5

 

 

Gal.5:5

 

 

Eph. 3:16

 

 

II The. 2:13

 

 

 

What happened next?  After that long exhausting journey verse 33 tells us they rose up that same hour and made the journey back to Jerusalem!  By now it was probably nighttime.  Few began a trip such as this at night.  Remember, this was a dangerous place and time.  Also, they were physically and emotionally spent.  Well, good news and adrenaline can be extremely restorative, and this was the best news of all.  Jesus was alive and well!  He walked with them, talked with them and broke bread with them!  Everything He told them was true! 

Verses 34 and 35 reveal how they found the other disciples in Jerusalem who were already afire over Peter’s visit with the resurrected Lord.  Imagine the celebration when the experiences were put together confirming all of it was true.  If only they had trusted Him from the beginning.  They didn’t need to always understand or wonder how what He said was possible, they only needed to trust Him, that He is Who He says and will accomplish His plan.

 

Below is an old familiar hymn I would imagine could have been relevant if sung by the disciples in that closed room and is as relevant today as it was when it was written.  This is the timelessness of the Lord’s relationship to His own.

 

My Hope Is Built

Text: Edward Mote, 1797-1874

Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868

 

1. My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

 

2. When Darkness veils his lovely face,

I rest on his unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,

my anchor holds within the veil.

(Refrain)

 

3. His oath, his covenant, his blood

supports me in the whelming flood.

When all around my soul gives way,

he then is all my hope and stay.

(Refrain)

 

4. When he shall come with trumpet sound,

O may I then in him be found!

Dressed in his righteousness alone,

faultless to stand before the throne!

 

Refrain:

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand;

all other ground is sinking sand.

 

 

Conclusion

 

As we walk through life in this world, we will sometimes find ourselves on the “Road to Emmaus”.  Remember we are not alone.  The One Who walks with us is not a stranger.  He is the Lord of salvation, the Lord of assurance, the Lord of hope, and the Lord of fulfilled promises.  I pray He is your Lord and...

 

may your hope be built on nothing less.