A Pilgrimage on the Emmaus Road
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13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] 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 farther. 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 recognized 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 recognized by them when he broke the bread.
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One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Programmes about Pilgrimage are popular at the minute. Emmaus Rd is a pilgrimage that challenges us that this journey has to be personal, a personal relationship with the risen Christ.
Three ways in which we must recognise Jesus in our bible readings today….
1. Recognising Jesus on the journey
2. Recognising Jesus in the scriptures
3. Recognising Jesus in the breaking of the bread
Recognising Jesus on the journey
We pick up the story of the first Easter day late in the afternoon.
Two of Jesus’s friends, Cleopas and another. They were still bereaved, leaving Jerusalem to return home to Emmaus (a village about 7 miles and 2 hours walk - that’s the geographical location). Their real journey was not to Emmaus but a closer walk with God – a pilgrimage. The risen Christ drew alongside them. We can learn from these two on the Emmaus Road on their walk with God. Before they were even aware of him, Jesus had come alongside. We are often slow to recognise Jesus on our spiritual journey. But we can become more deliberate about recognising Jesus, (he is Emmanuel) God with us, eg we can say ‘Thanks for the scenery, eg thanks for that friend, eg thanks for that newborn baby, eg remembering Gods promises ‘I am with you always’ when we are in the depths of despair Matthew 28v20.
Elvis Presley in 1958 recorded: ‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea. Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak but Thou art strong, Jesus keep me from all wrong, I'll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to Thee.’
The resurrection means the risen living Jesus is able to walk with us and meet our needs. He met the needs of the beggar in Acts 3. Peter said ‘in the name of Jesus - walk (Acts 3:6).’ Only the risen, living Jesus could do such a miracle. We can be assured that long before we turn to God, he has already come alongside us.
Recognising Jesus in the scriptures
The Bible says Luke 24v27 ‘Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all scriptures beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of the prophets.’ Jesus explained to them how all scriptures, in fact, looked forwards to the cross and resurrection. The Resurrection makes the cross make sense, and together (cross and resurrection) opens up all of Scripture.
I would love to have a record of what Jesus said in his explanations about himself (it would be a best seller) but starting with the Torah I expect he would have said he was the seed of the woman in Genesis, He's the Passover lamb in Exodus, He's the high priest in Leviticus. In Numbers he’s the ever-present Pillar of cloud by day & fire by night. In Deuteronomy (the law giver) Joshua (Capt of our Salvation) Judges Judge Ruth (kinsman redeemer) 1 & 2 Samuel (calls us by name) 1&2 Kings & 1&2 Chron (King of Kings), Ezra & Nehemiah (rebuilder of broken down walls) Esther (Deliverer) Job (redeemer who liveth & will stand in the last days) Psalms (the Lord is our Shepherd); Prov & Eccs (Wisdom); Song of Songs (Bridegroom & Lover); Isaiah (Prince of Peace, despised and rejected, man of sorrows) Jeremiah (Righteous Branch); Lamentations (Weeping Lord who says does the cross mean ‘nothing to you’); Ezekiel (breathes life in to dry bones) Daniel (He’s in the fiery furnace) Hosea (Faithful Husband married to people who prostitute themselves) Joel (Baptiser in the HS) Amos & Obadiah (Burden Bearer & Mighty to save) Jonah (3 nights in the depths & rose again) Micah (messenger of beautiful feet, born in Bethlehem) Nahum (avenger of God’s people) Habakkuk & Zephaniah (saviour in troubled times) Haggai (He restores our heritage); in Zechariah He's humble king riding on a donkey & in Malachi he's the son of righteousness with healing in his wings
All scriptures looked forwards to Jesus, the cross and resurrection. The Old Testament was written over a span of 2000 years by more than 20 authors in 36 different books. The scripture promises are all fulfilled in one person. In Jesus Christ, who died and was buried on a Friday and rose again on Sunday.
Clopas and his friend said ‘Wasn’t it like a fire burning within us as he explained the scriptures to us.’ For us today, the truth of Easter and the miracle of the scriptures being the ‘living word’ of God burns within us. I encourage you to take that fire in your belly and read the scriptures again for yourself.
Recognising Jesus in the breaking of the bread
In Luke 24:29…they said ‘stay with us,’ v30 ‘he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them v31 their eyes were opened and they recognised him.’
The Resurrection is the lens we must see Jesus through, he is our Saviour and Lord. The resurrection changes everything. Take the bread and wine for example, two simple things, but through the lens of the resurrection, we see he is present with us in the sharing of it. We can reflect that he was broken for us, just like the bread is broken. That’s the mystery of our faith, that we take bread and wine, as he told us to, and the wonder of it all is that we encounter him (even in the ordinariness of bread and wine).
Conclusion
In our gospel reading today Cleopas and friend were off to Emmaus but their journey didn’t end at Emmaus. They turned around and went back to Jerusalem to share what they had received! “The Lord is risen indeed!” But the real walk was not Geography but a journey with Jesus and a new living relationship with our risen saviour. Resurrection gives us a message to take to the world. You cant just sit on it.
Luke24v33 on the Emmaus Rd these two disciples went back to tell the others what they had seen. The Resurrection gives us assurance that the Lord draws alongside us, it's a personal relationship, we can recognise him in the Old Testament and New Testament scriptures and in the breaking of bread and in everyday things.
I hope this gives us fire in our bellies for the bible, fire in our bellies for our friends, family and neighbours who can draw closer to the Lord as we connect with them, fire in our bellies with love for our Lord as we recognise him in the mystery of communion.
Cover Photo Jason Swain Photography https://jasonswain.co.uk/
