Week 4: 26th January

Journeying with Jesus: The Road to Emmaus

Preacher: Chris Stoddard

Scripture

Exodus 14:13–31 & Luke 3_15-17,21-22

Exodus 17:1-7 & Luke 24: 13 – 35
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 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?’ 19 ‘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. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 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. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.’ 25 He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going further. 29 But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread.

Outline of this week's theme

Today we are looking at one of the best-known journeys in the Bible. It’s not the longest or the most arduous but it’s filled with emotion and symbolism and has a profound message for us 2000 years later. It is of course the story of two disciples meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Jesus could have done a lot of things in the hours immediately after his resurrection. He could have supernaturally appeared in the highest court in the land. He could have appeared in Rome to Caesar or to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. He could have appeared in the Temple and shown everyone that he was indeed is who he said he was. Instead, we find Jesus spending a great portion of his first day as the Resurrected King of the Universe simply walking down a road to a little village called Emmaus with two disciples who we barely know anything about.

Questions for reflection

As we begin to unpack this amazing encounter you may like to think about what God might be saying to you and consider the following questions:
• What prevented the disciples from recognizing Jesus?
• Why did they not believe the women’s accounts of the resurrection?
• How would their conversation have been different if the disciples had recognised Jesus immediately?
• What one thing will I take away from this story today?

For more information or to catch up on previous weeks then visit our Discipleship website here:

discipleship.stmarysrisborough.org.uk