Mission Venture Ministries

The story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is important for many reasons. It is often seen as a model of the journey that Jesus makes with many of us today, as He opens our eyes, points us to the Word, and reveals Himself along life’s walk as the resurrected Savior and Lord. 

Now there were two men, one of which was named Cleopas, who had been followers of Jesus. Yet in spite of following Him and in spite of hoping in Him, they now found themselves sad and lost as they were on their way to Emmaus. 

They had hoped that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. But when He was crucified it destroyed that hope, because they had been taught that the Messiah would bring about a political, social and spiritual change that would result in Him overturning Roman rule and taking the throne of David in Jerusalem. This was what they had been taught in the synagogues. The only problem was that they did not know or consider the whole counsel of God’s word. 

So Jesus suddenly appears to these two men as they are walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem. They were disheartened over what had happened. But as they are walking, Jesus walks up next to them appearing to be just another person on the road leaving Jerusalem after the Passover. Nonetheless, as Scripture tells us “their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:16). 

When they saw Him, they saw a normal person, but they didn’t recognize Him as Christ. Jesus is illustrating an important principle here; that truth is revealed in Scripture, and Jesus is the manifestation of that truth, the word of God. There eyes were closed until they believed in the word of God. This is why we put such an emphasis on the authority of Scripture. This is why we teach the Scriptures word by word, verse by verse. This is why it is so important to understand the inerrant breathed words of God. Hebrews 4:12 says that “the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword…” It’s alive, it’s active and it’s the Spirit of God contained in the word of God. 

Jesus is walking along within close proximity, incognito, listening to the disciples’ conversation. I wonder how long Jesus walked near them, listening; and wonder how often Christ is in our midst, even today, incognito, listening to us wherever we are. I think if we realized that He is always nearby then we would have a different way of talking. Proverbs 15:3 tells us that “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” 

So Jesus eventually comes alongside these two disciples and says, “What are you men talking about? Why are you so sad?” (Luke 24:17). At that they stopped looked at Him with their faces downcast, “Are you the only person visiting Jerusalem who hasn’t heard of what has happened?” And Jesus said, “What things?” (Luke 24:18-19). 

So they answer Him saying; “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. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus” (Luke 24:19-24). 

So not understanding Scripture and not searching for the whole truth they had hoped that Jesus was the Messiah. However, the crucifixion of Christ had destroyed that hope, because their theology called for a living, physical king to take the throne and overturn their enemies. As we see they had no understanding of the suffering part of the Messiah. They hadn’t been taught that in synagogue. 

There are a lot of similarities with Christian theology today. The forsaking of the world, the crucifixion of the flesh – the denial of the lusts and passions of the flesh so that we might live a God pleasing life. That part is not being preached today. Churches fail to understand the same thing these two on the road to Emmaus failed to understand; that the path to glory is on the road to suffering. The Messiah’s suffering was to come before His glorification. And Jesus said that the disciple is not above His master. We must join the fellowship of His suffering in the present world if we expect to be glorified with Him in the next. Paul said in Romans 8:17 that we are the children of God and fellow heirs with Christ “if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” 

Jesus continues dialoguing with them and says, “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” (Luke 24:25-27). 

So Jesus started with Moses that means He started with Genesis and worked through the Pentateuch, which was called the Law, then through the Psalms, and continuing through the Minor Prophets, showing them how they taught that the Messiah must suffer before He enters His glory. 

Well, I don’t know how long this message took, but probably the whole time until they got to Emmaus. Now Jesus acted as if He was going to go on further. But they implored Him to stay with them. If they had not asked Him to stay with them then He would have gone on further. 

Here is another good lesson to learn, Jesus was not going to force Himself on them, but He had created a burning in their heart that they invited Him to come and stay with them. 

Does your heart longs to know more at the reading of God’s word? Is that what the teaching of God’s word produces in you? It should if you are a true child of God. If you love God you will love His word because the word of God brings us into communion with Him. 

Then Jesus went inside to eat with them, and “when He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:30-31).  

These men seized the opportunity of Christ’s closeness and received a blessing. Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” If the Lord is speaking to you today, don’t let the opportunity pass to respond to Him because, you may not get that chance again. Today is the acceptable day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). 

Jesus said in Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” If you want to have communion with Jesus, then open the door and invite Him in. He will not force His way in. But know this that God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son that if you believe in Him, you will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). He came so that you might know the truth and that the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). 

If the Lord has come near to you today we hope you will invite Him to stay with you and to faithfully learn from Him as Mary did. Jesus told her sister, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42). The choice is yours. So, what will your decision be?

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