This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

The Risen Lord Appears on the Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:15,25-27(NIV) 13-16 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 recognize who he was….  25-27 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?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

The Emmaus road is the story of the Christian life. These disciples were walking away from Jerusalem and their faith community in defeat and dejection. They had lost hope. We too, have moments of despair and desolation. The Risen Lord Jesus accompanies us along the road, even when we are moving in the wrong direction. He never leaves us or gives us up, even when we cannot recognize His presence.

Only the Lord can “break open” the Word in order to help us understand the stories of our lives, especially suffering, and read them in harmony with the pattern of the Scriptures. Only Jesus can “break into” our lives and get us to finally understand what He is doing in us, through us and with us. Only the Lord can help us “break free” from the things that hinder us, enslave us, or “charm” us away from Him. Only when we allow the presence of Jesus to “break forth” within us, can His Holy Spirit rekindle our energy and our resolve to devote ourselves to what is most important in life.

I have been on my own “Road to Emmaus” many times, as I suppose many of us have. You may be on one today. They are often found at every fork in the road, every rough patch of sin or sorrow, every time we lose patience with our pace and try out a shortcut or to bypass things in the path. Emmaus Roads are dreary, confusing and often take us many miles from where God is leading. If you find yourself on one, take heart, for the Lord is with you. Pray for Him to reveal His presence to you, and then listen carefully to what He has to say.

You feel that warming in your heart? The thaw in your soul, that budding of new faith? That is the Lord, listen to Him and do as He says. You see, there is not much to see in Emmaus, never has been, never will be, unless you experience it as a place to sit with Jesus and get things turned around.

Peace. Phil Parsons

The Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-16 (The Message)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 recognize who he was.
25-27 Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.