Are You the Only One?

Luke 24:13-35

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          Sometimes it might feel like you’re the only one. The only one experiencing the things you’re experiencing. The only one feeling the way you’re feeling. The only one struggling with what you’re struggling with. You’re not, but it might still feel that way. In today’s Gospel, the Emmaus Road disciples ask the man whose identity they don’t yet know, “Are you the only one?” Not “Are you the only one walking this way with us?” or “Are you the only one who feels a certain way?” Their question is “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Of course, Jesus knows full well what has happened there in these days. They happened to Him. And yet, as He walks and talks with those who don’t yet know that it’s Him, He comforts them in their distress over the situation by slowly revealing Himself to them. Through the Word, and eventually as He makes Himself known to them in the breaking of the bread.

What those disciples don’t realize until later is that they are the latest in a long line of people who have asked a very similar question of Jesus. “Are you the only one?” or “Are you the One?” are questions that Jesus responds to by making Himself known to those who ask the question. We too should be asking this question, even though we already know the answer, because the answer is what keeps our faith alive. And when we ask that question, we should be clear to hear the answer that Jesus gives.

I AM THE ONLY ONE, THE ONLY WAY, BY WHICH YOU MAY BE SAVED.

          While Jesus is asked this question numerous times throughout His life, both before and after His resurrection, the answer is always essentially the same. His answer is always to point us to who He is and what He has done for us. It begins when John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus to ask the question, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Jesus answer is telling as He responds, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Just as Jesus opened up the Scriptures for those Emmaus Road disciples, He does the same for John. He reminds Him that these are all of the things that the Scripture has said would be happening when the Messiah comes. And they’re all happening. “Shall we look for another?” No! Jesus is the Messiah who fulfills all the prophesies!

The questioning continues when the Samaritan woman at the well asked Jesus, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” After a bit of conversation about the woman’s past, it becomes clear that she is waiting for the Messiah. Her implied question of, “Are you the One?” is answered by Jesus when He says, “I who speak to you am He.” If you ask Jesus, “Are you the only One,” the answer is most certainly yes! Jesus is the Messiah who is greater than all the saints and all the prophets.

When Judas approaches Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, he’s doing so at the request of the Jewish leadership in order to answer the question, “Are you Jesus of Nazareth,” because they’d heard that He was claiming to be God. Judas’s kiss was a formality because Jesus has no trouble telling them all, “I am He.” He could have denied it, but there was no point in that. All this had to take place so that He could suffer and die. The cross was His destiny and any lying about who He was would have only delayed the loving path He was about to walk down. So, to the implied question in the Garden, “Are you the One?” Jesus replies “I am He” because Jesus is the Messiah who chose to suffer and die for the sin of the world. Even those of His accusers, and His betrayer, and those who denied Him, and those who deserted Him. And even yours and mine.

This is probably a good time to address something that you may have heard this week. A prominent commentator on a popular morning show said this week that “Jesus himself did not run around saying, I’m the Messiah.” She also said that, “Jesus was more modest than that” and that “Jesus was not narcissistic…” Thankfully, a couple of her co hosts with a little bit more Biblical knowledge pushed back and stated that Jesus actually did say that He was the Messiah, and one even went on to say that “when you are the Messiah, it’s not narcissistic to say it.” For Jesus, His claims weren’t about elevating Himself. He was simply stating the truth. The One who is the Truth can do nothing other than speak the truth. Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus into the world to save the world. If no one had known who He was, His death would have simply been another execution of a common criminal to add to the lengthy list the Romans were racking up.

This week’s morning show interaction reminds us that it’s imperative to have a certain amount of Biblical literacy. To say you’re a Christian is one thing, but to know who Jesus is and believe in Him and the Truth of His Word must be the basis of that statement. And as Christians we’re always directed to His Word, because that’s where He reveals Himself to us.

Like when Jesus is asked by the members of the Sanhedrin after His arrest, “’Are you the Christ…?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Or when Pilate asks Him, “‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And [Jesus] answered him, ‘You have said so.’” Jesus says all of these things, not denying who He is, in order that you might have faith in Him. And to have faith in Him we must know who He is and confess that truth so that others might know as well. It was Jesus’ confident assertions, through word and action, that led the centurion at the foot of the cross when Jesus died to proclaim, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Jesus said and did everything that the Scriptures said He would. He said and did everything that was necessary for the salvation of the world. His life, death, and resurrection were all that was needed to pull you out of the depths of your sin. And His truthful claims of being the Messiah are not boasts or gloating, they’re what continues to need to be proclaimed today. Because the truth of God’s Word is what reveals to us that Jesus is the Messiah.

The question the Emmaus Road disciples asked Jesus on that Easter afternoon was meant to express their shock that this man could possibly not know what had happened in Jerusalem over the past week. But Jesus took that question and used it to do just what He had done throughout His entire life, and especially in His ministry. He opened up Scripture to them. He laid out the prophesies that pointed to the Messiah. And He showed them that He is in fact the answer to that question, “Are you the only One?” Yes, He is the only One. He is the only One who could keep the Law. He is the only One who fulfilled every one of the Old Testament prophesies. He is the only One who could die to atone for the sins of the whole world. He is the only One whose sacrifice can make us free. Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Savior.

And He makes Himself known to us as He walks with us through life. At times when we might think that we’re the only ones. When our sorrow and our doubt can threaten to overwhelm us. It’s then that He’s the closest, walking beside us and seeking to open our eyes. Making Himself known to us in the breaking of the bread. And in the pouring out of the cup. Opening our eyes to the truth of His Word and to see who He is. The only One who loves as He loves. The only One who forgives as He forgives. And most importantly the only One who can save as He saves. To God be all the glory for the Son who knows who He is and for the faith to hear Him and believe that yes, Christ is the only One. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.