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The Emmaus Road

"That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him."

This little story is the very first encounter anyone had with the risen Christ in Luke's gospel account. For a little context, it is right before this that the women arrive at the tomb of Jesus, spices in hand, and are met by angels who tell them that they're not going to find Jesus in there because He had risen. The women go and tell the eleven disciples and others what they heard, yet "these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them" (24:11). Peter, however, heard this and ran to the tomb, saw the linen lying there, and "went home marveling at what had happened" (24:12). Long story short, a lot was going on, Jesus' friends were either confused or astonished and no doubt trying to figure out where exactly He was, not to mention they didn't know if He was even alive or was stolen from the tomb.


I don't think they would have ever guessed He was on some obscure road (the word emmaus literally means "obscure"...I am not kidding here). Yet, there Jesus was.


And he said to them, 'What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?' And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, 'Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?' And he said to them, 'What things?' And they said to him, 'Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'

Note how, though Cleopas recounted at length the story of Jesus of Nazareth, he failed to notice Him right there beside him. Like the women who had heard from the angels but did not go into the tomb to see that Christ was no longer there, Cleopas also searched for the facts of this matter, but Jesus Himself he "did not see".


And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus (undercover) explains to them that this issue is far larger, the implications more far-reaching, than if it were just normal town gossip. To do this, He expounds on the Scriptures. Since Luke tells us that the journey is seven miles, we can assume that this takes many hours.


So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, 'Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.' So he went in to stay with them.

Cleopas and his friend urge Jesus (still undercover) to stay. It's actually really funny to me how Jesus "acted as if He were going farther" as if the schedule of a man just risen from the dead and had all eternity was just packed, ahaha!


But anyway.


At this point, it is likely they have gained some understanding of the Scripture, as evidenced by the question they ask themselves later, "did not our hearts burn within us...while He opened up to us the Scriptures?"


Herein lies the reason I decided to call this passage to our attention today, and that is prayer. Scripture is not simply to be read, but to be prayed through. It is Christ Himself that opens up His Word to us and not our own head knowledge. As important as some of that may be, we can know as much information as we could humanly retain and not see Jesus standing there right beside us, expounding it for us. There is not a single word in all of the Bible that returns to God empty but shall succeed in the purpose for which He spoke it (Isaiah 55:11). And truly, it is only Jesus (the Word Himself) Who brings meaning to words.


So if Christ is the one that opens up the Scriptures to us, how could we furiously tear through the pages of His Word, absorbing information but never seeing the risen Lord in it? How could we think of praying Scripture as a chore that one must do, instead of seeing it as the lively conversation it is?


The women at the tomb mistakenly assume the whole encounter as an "idle tale" because they forgot that Jesus brings every word He speaks to fruition, whether it be in the pages of Leviticus, the prophets, or the words of the angels proclaiming that Jesus had risen.


Jesus simply does not speak an idle word.


I have observed how the Bible has increasingly lost respectability in our culture, and today many feel the urge to verify and research every single word to make sure it is true. For example, you read Jesus' principle of you reap what you sow and you wonder if that's just nonsense and scamper off to read about Hebb's Law of Neuroscience, "cells that fire together, wire together" (which proves Jesus true, but that isn't my point).


We feel the need to drag in outward sources instead of consulting with the Source of all life.


Perhaps the internet, commentary, lexicons, podcasts, scientific studies, and other books have been drowning out the voice of the Good Shepherd expounding His Word right beside us. Hear me out, some of those resources are amazing. Every single one I love using. But they do not replace Jesus in any way. But unfortunately, many unknowingly have replaced Him, making the Bible into an "idle tale".


When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?' And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, 'The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!' Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread." -Luke 24:13–35

It's rather abnormal to see a guest take charge of blessing and breaking the bread, especially at this time, and so it reminds the reader of the practice of communion that Jesus showed His disciples days prior. One must note that though Cleopas and his friend had their "hearts burn within...while He opened to [them] the Scriptures", it was not until communion that they recognized this as Jesus, as "He was known to them in the breaking of the bread". Jesus revealed to them the true meaning of the Scriptures, but He made Himself known to them with His presence, in communion with them. There are certainly ways of knowing the word of God well, but not knowing The Word well. It wasn't until after they knew it was Jesus that they mused how their hearts burned upon hearing Him speak. Head knowledge doesn't get you that far, no matter how deep you try to study.


Praying through the Scripture, reading it slowly and carefully and meditatively, enables us to have our eyes opened to Christ, who is living and working and speaking today. God speaks into our lives through the pages of His Word, but He is not stuck inside a book or anything. He is with you always, to the end of the age, willing to walk down obscure areas of Scripture and expound them to you. Because He is alive, when you start reading the entire Bible in light of Christ, you start living life in light of Christ. When you start praying through the Bible, you start praying through your own life.


Your eyes are opened to Christ, the Living Word, who is active in your own life. Not just within the Scriptures that testify about Him, but directly in front of you, expounding upon them.


We often look at the Emmaus Road story and scoff at Cleopas for being so absurd to not realize he was speaking to Jesus about Jesus for hours on end. But really, we are all very similar to him, rushing into praying through the Bible with our own opinions, our gossip about what we have heard about Him from other sources, without consulting Christ Himself. We understand God a lot less than we sometimes think we do and don't give Him the space in our lives to reveal Himself to us. Praying through the Word does just that, it allows the Bible to make its way into our hearts, to burn within us. It ushers Him in and stills our souls for a while. It allows for the Spirit of Jesus to be with us, enabling us to understand His very confusing, thick, and old Book. It is His Spirit that enables us to open our eyes and see the Bible not as daunting and confusing, but as a whole realm of possibility for Jesus to speak to you, explain it to you, and just be with you. It is an extended invitation to come and walk down the Emmaus Road.


For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:8–11

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