Tag Archives: Emmaus

LUKE’S GOSPEL…THE EMMAUS ROAD – 67

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“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Back home…to the old routine…to dashed hopes and broken dreams…to disillusionment, devastating and bitter! Their steps were slow, dragging, reluctant. They longed to stay in Jerusalem, to mourn with their fellow followers…but to home they must go. Life must go on. Much as they wished to reverse time, to go back to those moments when Jesus was still with them… it could not be. 

A stranger followed them, unrecognisable in the gathering darkness. He listened to the conversation…heard the gloom and despair in their voices…and hastened to join them. 

He slowed His pace, kept in step with theirs and, knowing full well what they were discussing, joined the conversation. 

“One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?””

“What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭18-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

All in the past tense! Unbelief in every word! Grief…disappointment…misery in their tone. It’s all over! “We had hoped…!” Nothing left in this huge, promising interim of Jesus among us. Now it’s gone! Our hearts are broken. Our hopes are dashed. Going back home to the old routine is bitter!

Jesus listened to their torrent of disillusionment, His anger rising with every miserable utterance. He could no longer keep quiet…hold back His rebuke…

“He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

These were God’s covenant people. They knew the Scriptures. They were schooled in God’s Word from birth. Yet, they had never made the connection. How could they not see that His story was written on every page of their holy book?

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Finally…the penny dropped. They connected all the dots…and the picture that emerged blew them away. What this stranger was telling them made sense. The one they had watched…dying a humiliating death on a Roman execution stake, was truly their Messiah. 

So enamoured were they with this well-informed stranger that they invited Him home for dinner. Only as they sat around the table, as He lifted His hands in blessing, did the truth hit them like a thunderbolt. The hands… the open wounds…the nails…the cross! It was Jesus Himself at their table!

In a flash, He was gone! He did not tarry to socialise with them… He was still there, but invisible in the realm of the spirit. Enough that they had seen Him. Their faith had been lit, like a candle in the dark. They were now witnesses…with a story that, together with every other believer that He was alive, would shake the world. 

To be continued…

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – JESUS CAME…

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JESUS CAME…

“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognise who He was.

“He asked, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?’

“They just stood there, long faced like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, ‘Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?'” Luke 24:13-19.

Jesus must have enjoyed His little game with these disciples. They were not part of the Twelve, but they were disciples, nevertheless, people who were committed to this Rabbi and learning to walk in His yoke. The events of the past few days had hit them as hard as they had hit the remaining eleven disciples.

These two people were going over and over the tragedy they had witnessed, just like we do, in a sort-of cathartic way. Sharing their pain was a way of trying to come to terms with it. When a stranger came alongside them, they were so engrossed in their grief and frustration that they took little notice of Him.

Luke continues the “mystery” of the missing Jesus. The women had not seen Him. They had evidence that something unusual had happened but that was all. Peter had not seen Him. His visit to the tomb turned up nothing. Now Jesus joins this grieving pair and they are too preoccupied to notice who was walking with them.

Imagine their surprise when their unknown companion had no idea what they are talking about! Jesus egged them on, pretending to be ignorant of the dramatic events they were recounting. He must have chuckled to Himself, anticipating the moment when He would make Himself known to them. It was also a beautiful moment, a moment of opportunity – to share with them in the clearest way possible, the meaning of the story in which they were fully involved.

They were oblivious to the obvious clues surrounding this stranger because of their emotional state. They believed that their beloved Master was dead. Because of that, they were full of sorrow and despair. This is how the human psyche works. Our emotions are the symptom of what we believe. If the interpretation of our experiences is faulty, we will feel the emotional pain of the false belief.

Most often times we see ourselves as victims in difficult circumstances. Because of our inborn sense of worthlessness, aggravated and confirmed by the way we are often mistreated by family or peers, we interpret our experiences as confirmation of who we think we are.

The minds of these disciples blotted out the possibility of Jesus being alive. Instead, they believed their false idea that He was dead and with Him all their hopes. All they could do was to come to terms with their grief and bitter disappointment.

But Jesus was about to change that! Only an encounter with Him can expose and change our faulty interpretations and replace our emotional pain with peace. It takes an honest admission that we are wrong to bring about this radical and permanent release from pain.