13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus,
seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened.
15 As they talked and discussed these things,
Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them.
16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.
18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied,
“You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things
that have happened there the last few days.”
***
“The Emmaus Road is the road of every believer
who has felt lost and confused after a disappointment.”
Unknown
***
19 “What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said.
“He was a prophet who did powerful miracles,
and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people.
20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders
handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him.
21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel.
This all happened three days ago.
25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people!
You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.
26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to
suffer all these things before entering his glory?”
27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets,
explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
***
“Jesus didn’t offer them a new revelation;
he opened their minds to understand the revelation
they already had in the Scriptures.”
Tim Keller
***
28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey.
Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him,
“Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them.
30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it.
Then he broke it and gave it to them.
31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
And at that moment he disappeared!
***
Many of us have at times walked the Emmaus Road,
wondering where God is …
when all along He walks beside us.
Randy Alcorn
***
32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road
and explained the Scriptures to us?”
33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem.
There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them,
34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”
Luke 24:13-34 NLT
***
“The Road to Emmaus teaches us to look for Christ
in the unexpected places,
in the ordinary moments of life.”
Brennan Manning