THE
EMMAUS ROAD SYNDROME AND ITS CURE

Lesson;
Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village
called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

Luke
24:14 And they talked together of all these things which had
happened.

Luke
24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and
reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

Luke
24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Luke
24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these
that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Luke
24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said
unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known
the things which are come to pass there in these days?

Luke
24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him,
Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and
word before God and all the people:

Luke
24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be
condemned to death, and have crucified him.

Luke
24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed
Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these
things were done.

Luke
24:22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished,
which were early at the sepulchre;

Luke
24:23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they
had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

Luke
24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre,
and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

Luke
24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken:

Luke
24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter
into his glory?

Luke
24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke
24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he
made as though he would have gone further.

Luke
24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is
toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry
with them.

Luke
24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took
bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

Luke
24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished
out of their sight.

Luke
24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within
us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the
scriptures?

Luke
24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and
found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

Luke
24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

Luke
24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was
known of them in breaking of bread.

Text;
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should
have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day
since these things were done.

Introduction;
On this occasion the disciples were suffering from a shortcoming
which is common to most of us in some degree at many points in our
lives.

The
psychologist might call it ego-centrism. Paget's theory
expresses it thus,'The inability of a person to take the perceptual
frame of reference of another person.' The philosopher, on the other
hand might say this is an ethical egoist."The goal of a
person’s actions should be his own self interest. The promotion
of whatever is to his own long term advantage, should be the end at
which he aims.

The
dictionary states,'the ego-centrist relates everything to himself' We
simply refer to it as being self-centered. To keep things in proper
perspective, some self interest is good and even essential to our
survival and well-being;

a.
IN conviction, one must see HIMSELF as the sinner. Seeing mankind as
depraved is not enough.

b.
Christ must be seen as a PERSONAL savior and not the general savior
of the human race.

c.
In our daily spiritual needs. 'Not my brother. nor my sister, but
it's ME. oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer"!

I.
The problem; self-centered Christian lives. NONE ARE IMMUNE FROM
THIS PLAGUE!

A.
Examine our examples;

1.
They were saved but unhappy.

2.
One of them apparently had a wife more dedicated than he!.Cleopas.
His wife was one of the Marys at the cross. John 18:25
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalene.

They
hadn't listened to her testimony. v-22-24 [lesson]

3.
Just associating with other Christians is not necessarily the answer.
This syndrome seems to feed upon itself.

4.
These were in the very presence of Jesus and were still unhappy!. He
is always in our midst but we are not always aware of His presence

II.
The most dedicated and powerful servant can fall prey to this evil.

A.
Samuel.1 Sam 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said,
Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

1
Sam 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the
people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

B.
Moses- took Israel's weaknesses personally and disobeyed God.

C.
We perceive every personal injury or trial to be the cause for
worry or unhappiness in our lives. We rarely perceive them caused by
a personal shortcoming!

III.
The answer to THEIR problem is also the answer to ours!

'WHEN
HE OPENED UNTO US THE SCRIPTURES"

A.
Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of thy law.

B.
Just searching the Bible isn't enough. It must be applied.

C.
An example of opening the scripture and seeing Christ;
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me. Here is an example: Do you see Christ as a helper? as an
aide in conquering.? These are NOT what Paul had in mind! The
secret was to see Paul IN Christ and Christ thus em-powering him.
Another word used for this process in 'infusing' Illus. The
strongest tea leaves make no difference until they infuse the
water or become one with it. Gal 2:20 I am crucified
with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

D.
When we really experience the 'fellowship of his suffering' [Phil
3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;]
we will also know the victory of the joy which was set
before him. Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb
12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

IV.
There are legitimate appeals to the self- centered christian. These
can touch them emotionally.

A.
I'll have a new body!

B.
I'll have no more sorrows!

C.
I'll have a crown! rewards.

D.
I can have the pleasure of winning someone to Christ.

E.
Some things can reach them intellectually.

1.I'v
learned new truths.

2.
I've solved some problems through Christ.

V.
When Christ becomes all in all to us we are touched 'spiritually'.