Communion With the Christ:: Emmaus: Where We Recognize Jesus

Lk: 24:13-35- On the road to Emmaus two disciples of Jesus walked, speaking to each other regarding the events of which they had been a part of, that being Jesus' Ministry and then His entry into Jerusalem, His arrest, crucifixion, death, burial and now there were reports that Jesus has been seen alive.

The two disciples attempt to sort out all that they had been a part of and that which they had been witnesses of , the power and words of Jesus, they and others had vested so much hope in Him. There was this certainty that He was the long hoped for Messiah of Israel and now, within one week their hopes collapsed around them.

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened" Lk: 24:13-14

Jesus Draws Near

As the befuddled disciples walk and talk together, the two encounter a stranger on the road to Emmaus and unbeknownst to them it is Jesus Himself. Yet, they at this point, do not see Him for Who He is, even as He walks along with them.

Jesus came to them in their perplexed walk toward their destination of Emmaus. He listens to the pondering questions and queries as they discuss the events and the unexpected turn that things had taken.

Then Jesus joins in the conversation. He asked about their perplexed dispositions, and what are they attempting to sort out in their journey toward Emmaus.

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk long?” Lk: 24:15-17

"They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”“What things?” he asked". Lk: 24:17-19

The Disciples recount to Jesus the reason for their current state of being .

“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 him they did not see.”

Jesus Sorts it Out

After the explanation is given, Jesus chides them gently, reminding them of what is found in the Word of God regarding the Messiah. He also points to an often over looked view of Scripture, that it is all about Himself.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ 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.” Lk: 24:25-26

It Starts to Make Sense

As the Lord Jesus opens the Scriptures in light of what was to befall the Christ, things begin to strike a chord within them, they deep down recognize the truth. Their lives begin to make sense in light of what has occurred in the life of their friend Jesus. They know that this one who walks with them is speaking truth, and they bound with him.

As they come to Emmaus, the “unrecognized” Jesus makes as if to go on, but they urge Him to remain with them and He consents to do so.

“As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 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.” Lk: 24:28-29

Now They See

As the three go to enter the inn, and the meal is brought, it is Jesus Who takes the moment to show the disciples what has been true during their walk to Emmaus, that it has been he all along the whole way walking with them, and directing them to the words about Himself, Jesus helped to sort out the events they have passed through. He does this in a simple and profound means, He takes the bread up from the table, and then giving thanks Jesus divided it and places it in their hands. In that moment their eyes are opened and they see it is Jesus Who is and had been with them the whole time. Here, at Emmaus, they see it is Jesus who walked with them even if they did not recognize Him.

“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”. Lk: 24:30-31

The astonished disciples, begin to put things together, they now realize why the words of the Lord were so powerful when they heard them. They begin to see the truth. And as the realty of things come together in their minds, they want to share their experience with Jesus they no longer have to see Him to know He lives, and they depart back to Jerusalem to tell the others that they have seen and spoken with Jesus.

“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?” They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread”. Lk: 24:32-35

We All Walk to Emmaus

What occurred there on the road and at Emmaus, is not just a historical event in the lives of two first century followers of our Lord. This is what all of us experience. We pass through this life and much of what we encounter is often hard for us to understand, why things happen as they do, it can bring us to a state of being dismayed and perplexed.

But at some point, we begin to grow aware of the presence of an unrecognized stranger, who has drawn near us as we walk along. We do really know who it is that walks along with in this life. But little by little things get a bit clearer; this anonymous one starts to bring focus and understanding. It is Jesus walks along with us, we may not always recognize Him, but it is He Who goes along with us.

Jesus starts directing us to the word of God, our lives begin to make sense in light of who Jesus is. Then there is that moment, we arrive at Emmaus, when we realize that It is He who has from the beginning walking along with us. We see Jesus in the sharing of the bread. He, it is, that gives us this bread. Our eyes open, it is Jesus all along. Emmaus is that place in our lives where we see Jesus. We can walk by faith, not by sight, which is what is pictured in His despairing from their view, He was still there but they did not need to see Him they knew that He lives. The Sharing of bread is also pointing us to the simple sacrament of the Communion with Him.

We still see Him in the breaking of the bread. In that sharing, this Communion. When the two see it is Jesus, they want to share the experience with others, so should we.

All of us walk the road to Emmaus, it is that place in each of our lives when we recognize Jesus, and that it is He Who has walked this life with us, even when we did not recognize Him. He was there all along.

Benediction: May we each and all ever be mindful that our Lord Jesus is always with us as we walk the road to Emmaus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen