What would you do if you wanted to start a revolution? If you wanted to prove that you were the most powerful person to ever walk the earth? If you wanted to prove that you had in fact just been raised from the dead? What would you do first?
I think I would shoot fireworks from my fingertips. Or maybe go to the people who had tried to kill me, and show them I was alive once again. I think I’d go flying around in the sky shouting from the rooftops.
These final few verses were Luke’s last chance to convince readers that Jesus really did rise from the dead. That He really is the Son of God. As a writer, I cannot fathom a more challenging task. But Luke made a decision. He decided to stick to the facts, and the facts are mind-bogglingly simple.
First, the women. A group of women find the empty tomb and return to their friends babbling in an excited confusion. This in itself should convince us of the veracity of this story. After all, in the first century, women were considered unreliable witnesses; their testimony wasn’t even permitted in a court of law. Tim Keller writes: “If the Christians were making up these stories to get their movement off the ground, they never would have written women into the story as the first eyewitnesses to Jesus’s empty tomb. The only possible reason for the presence of women in these accounts is that they really were present and reported what they saw.”
Second, the walk. While Peter runs to the tomb to determine if what the women said is true, Jesus goes on a walk. Oh, how I love this story! Two disciples I’ve never heard of—Cleopas and a disciple who goes unnamed—are walking and talking, processing recent events, when this stranger sidles up next to them. They recount all the events of the week: “How have you not heard about this?!” And then, still under the guise of a stranger, Jesus begins to teach from the Scriptures, starting from Genesis 1:1. Jesus loves Scripture. He knows it—He is the Word made flesh, after all (John 1:14)—and His teaching sets their hearts aflame. They have a simple meal together, and then just as quickly as He appeared to them, Jesus was gone.
Then, His words. Jesus’s first resurrected words to His gathered disciples were, “Peace be with you” (John 20:21). He knows they are terrified, full of doubt. And again, His first action in their presence is not to perform a miracle, but to perform the mundane. He invites them to touch Him, to see His hands and feet. He takes a bite of fish—at face value, an act not of divine power as much as simple human digestion. He then goes on to bless them and remind them of the meaning of the Scriptures, of what’s true. There is no rush. No hurry. In other words, Jesus acts in resurrection exactly as He had in life. Nothing has changed, and yet absolutely everything has.
Jesus is alive! He really is. And for that reason, I can trust that the rest of my life here on earth is but a shadow of what is to come. Jesus did not hustle. He did not worry. He did not feel threatened by doubt. He simply held up His hands and said, “Here… touch.” He walked alongside His friends, and He walks with you and me, too—even if we do not recognize Him at first.
“The Lord has truly been raised” (Luke 24:34), and we are not the same. So go babble excitedly like the women that first Easter morning. Run to the empty tomb like Peter. Walk at a leisurely pace with your God. Invite Him to teach you through His Word. Break bread. Take a bite of fish. Everything is different now, even the seemingly mundane.
Leave a Reply
37 thoughts on "Our Savior on the Emmaus Road"
A real great god!
Amazing to think about Cleopas and the other disciple. If they had not invited Jesus to join them for a meal, would they have received such a precious revelation? This is a reminder to me about the importance of inviting people into my life and to the table.
Everything is different. Jesus is alive. And His life gives us life! Abundant life. Free. Joyous. Overflowing. Even the simple things have meaning because of Him.
Sara, that is really encouraging! I always feel like I’m in a rush to accomplish my tasks. Jesus’ mode really puts things into perspective. Thank you!
Sara, that is such an encouraging thought! I feel like I am always rushing. Jesus’ mode really does put things in perspective. Thank you!
This might be one of my favorite days of the study yet! Our God always walks with us! He is a constant presence even if we don’t recognize Him or want to acknowledge Him at first.
It co to use to amaze me that even knowing how short his time on earth was. Jesus never rushed things. I think of the rush and hustle in our lives and am humbled by the fact that the one person with the most important task on earth never rushed it but waited until his time was come and completed it with such grace. Giving us grace in the process.
I know I am most at peace doing some of the most mundane things- taking walks by myself, watching the sunrise or sunset, looking up at the moon… these are times when I am filled with peace, even if it is brief. These are times I feel the love of God and I am thankful for Jesus Christ.
Jesus rose from the dead without much fanfare. He didn’t have anything left to prove! His bodily resurrection is the ultimate proof that he is the Son of God and our Saviour. ❤️
Even if we don’t realize it, Jesus is always there, from the biggest aspects, to the simplest things like a dinner.
He is always there giving us his breath, he always walks by our side, only that we are so egocentric and self-sufficient that we don’t realize it.
Today my prayer is so that each of us can forget about herself and put her eyes on Jesus, who gave everything to be our friend.
Lord, please never stop showing yourself in our lives, and prepare our ears so that we can learn about the scriptures just as those disciples did in the way of Emmaus. Open our minds so we can understand, but adove all, prepare our heart that burns every time we hear you word!
Even if we do not realize it, Jesus is always there, from the biggest aspects, to the simplest things like a dinner.
He is always there giving us his breath, he always walks by our side, only that we are so egocentric and self-sufficient that we do not realize it.
Today my prayer is so that each of us can forget about herself and put her eyes on Jesus, who gave everything to be our friend.
Lord, please never stop showing yourself in our lives, and prepare our ears so that we can learn about the scriptures just as those disciples did in the way of Emmaus. Open our minds so we can understand, but above all, prepare our heart that burns every time we hear your word!
I picture myself on that road, leaning in to hear what others are saying. Who is this stranger, I wonder.
When I realize Jesus is Alive, I’m changed. I want to listen to every word he speaks, serve him, do what he says. Today, I can listen, serve and do what he says. Do I? Somewhat, but I can step it up a notch. Everything is different now. Praise be to God.
(I signed up for the devotionals yesterday and purchased a She Reads Truth Bible.Loving it all so far!).
So many good things to remember – be excited about what God has done, run to Him, walk slowly with Him, take care to recognize Him even in the mundane. If I could remember these things, my life would look different. It would be full of time spent with God and less full of doubt, fear, anxiety, or sin.
God, I pray today that I can share your good news, that I can run to you with faith, that I can find you in every moment – even the simplest ones.
“Walk at a leisurely walk with Your God”. Thank you Claire for this. I need to do this more often. Sometimes I’m so caught up on what’s going on in my life that I don’t take the time just to walk with HIM.This is the main reason why I like to run alone so that I can talk to God, and listen to worship music, and sing. I am reminded today I also need to slow down and go on that leisure walk just Jesus and I.
I can’t imagine walking along the road and having Jesus show up. Are we so into our own selves and into our own grief or into our own even praise that we don’t recognize the Lord? I’ve always wondered how they didn’t recognize him. But then I look at all the things that I do or things that I see and I’m not looking for the Lord in them. Look at my backyard that has deer in it all the time and other wildlife and I don’t appreciate even that. Today I long to see him in the little things, know that he is walking beside me even when I feel all alone, and hold on to that promise that he will be taking us home with Him someday.
Lord I long to know more about you. I long for you to be walking next to me and talking to me telling me your story. And that I would know who you are and feel your presence.
Blessed Tuesday sisters!
I always wish I could be on the road to Emmaus and hear this part, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Jesus please guide me in the Word. Let me walk with you today and everyday!
Thank you Jesus for dying for me and for providing atonement for my sins. Help to overflow with excitement of your truth and to run to you daily. Remind me to slow down and simply enjoy your presence. Open my mind to understand the scriptures. Help me to see you even in the smallest and mundane details of my day. I love you LORD.
I am a walking kind of person. I am not really a talker or a runner. I walk, a lot! I love the encouragement to walk with Jesus every day. The Lord is teaching me that He wants a relationship with me. To be my dearest and closest friend. I love how some of you substituted your name in the scripture. I do that, too. I hear Him say, Bessie, do you believe in Me? Do you trust Me?
It is easy for me to get caught up in the legalistic side of faith and feel a failure when I don’t do everything I feel I should do. What God wants is me. Raw, unfiltered, real.
He says to me, Bessie, be at peace. Let’s go for a walk!
Peace be with all of you, my dear friends.
Last night I was telling my husband that lately I just feel overwhelmed by the problems around me. Doubt creeps in so often. Then this morning I am reminded that this life is just a shadow of what is to come because Jesus is alive! He is not scared of my doubts. He holds out his hands and says – look you can touch. Oh how I needed this. Thank you Jesus for loving me enough to lead me to just the right thing in your Word to be the salve for my heart.
Lord, thank you for being gentle in this time of me learning to praise you. When I was younger I had no issues, but over the past few years I have struggled with this. Thank you for having patience and being their in my daily life, while I get to know you again like the desciples in this scripture. Amen +
I keep trying to put myself in that upper room as a disciple who has lived with Jesus, with LOVE in the flesh, everyday for 3 years (~1095 days). The separation from Him alone would be unbearable and then to witness the horror of His death. I surely would not of been thinking about what He had been teaching me. My sadness would have engulfed me. And then the fear of them coming after me too would have filled in the rest. AND THEN while in that mental state Jesus appears before me and proves He has flesh (just in case I think I have slipped into a dream). I have a vision right now of His eyes looking at me. The Peace and Love that radiates off of them and Him are again overwhelming. But so so good. And now He has given us our marching orders until we join Him again face to face – GO and make more disciples. Love others in the way He did (so challenging). And so I will. What an honor and privilege to be called a sister of our Lord and Savior Jesus – to be co-heirs with Him! Hallelujah!!!
We have a nearby orchard who grows the best peaches on the planet so I am hoping for those peaches to be there . But seriously, as glorious as creation is, the earth and the sky, I can imagine it, since it was what God created first.
So good. So good this morning. Thank you Jesus for changing everything. Especially the mundane. I see things so differently now.
I’m choosing to see Jesus eating the fish and bread in His glorified body means that there will be food in heaven for all of eternity!! Lol :)
He is with us.
He is truly risen from the dead.
He is Lord.
He is our hope and peace.
I love you Jesus.
Thank you for the blessing of being able to speak those words freely.
Thank you for being Lord of all,
ALL.
We rest in You.
Thank you ladies also for your prayers for my family.
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank God for each of you.
May His blessings rest upon you today and…
ALLways.
When Jesus meets with the two men on the road to Emmaus, He reminds them of the writings of the prophets. When He speaks to the eleven gathered in Jerusalem, He again points them to, and expounds upon, Scripture. The Word points to the Word. I’m reminded that study of the Bible is paramount and foundational to being His follower. We meet Jesus in the pages there. We then proclaim Him as we go about our day. Our business is to be about His.
The Lord has truly been raised.
Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man, Jesus, forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.
I need to filter everything I do, say, and think through this truth: “The Lord has truly been raised.” Lord, help me to walk in this truth today.
I 100% agree – after reading that I am reminded of that truth
Everything has changed! Mundane and majesty at the same time! May I revel in His glory while I work and live in the ordinary!
I love the way you phrased that!!!
Jesus didn’t need bread, but he broke bread with the disciples. How gentle he is, taking his time to prove to us that he is indeed alive. So patient with us even when we doubt. Thank you for teaching us how to have compassion, patience, love, perseverance, kindness, meekness and self control.
Thank you for giving us a future and a hope.
This is awesome! Thank You, Jesus! We have hope for eternity because of You and You alone! These teachings are about the three Marys that followed Jesus. I thought I’d share: https://youtu.be/XtqykPW4G_A
https://youtu.be/FL7WQnOzqqY
This is from the First 5 app about Heaven called: No Place Like Home:
@First5App @Proverbs31org My grandma has been in her true home, her eternal home, for about ten years now, and I have missed her every day since she left.http://www.first5.org/plans/Even%20If/ff_evenif_12
Claire thank you for explaining how God encourages us to explore our faith at our own pace, whether it’s “running quickly”, “walking leisurely”, or “babbling incessantly” we get there in the end.
I walk regularly with a group of women. With this passage of scripture I smile at what transpired. May the Lord walk and talk with us every day. He has risen indeed!
I too love to walk after studying His word, pondering in it and “listening” for His leading. Yes, May He walk and talk with us!
Thank you God for all that your death and resurrection means to us now. Thank you that in defeating death we have life. Help us to use that life to the fullest today and every day!