Resurrection Encounter: Emmaus

Faith is a Journey

1 Corinthians 15 rattles off a bunch of resurrection encounters to underline, set in stone the truth of verses 3-4. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NRSV

3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,

Today’s encounter is the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Have you ever started a conversation with someone you’re sure you’ve met but not sure where? When this happens to me I’ll try to continue the conversation to give more time to figure it out. Sometimes I’ll figure it out in the conversation and other times, I’ll have an Oh yeah moment that’s who that was. If you’ve ever had one of those moments this is the closest way we can relate to the Emmaus road disciples.

This encounter is a journey to the revelation, to the Oh Yeah moment, that the stranger they were talking to is Jesus Christ. Their oh yeah moment is really an, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!” moment that changes their life from despair to hope.

Today as we walk along the road to Emmaus lets remember our faith journey. May we grow in a deeper recognition of our risen LORD.

Emmaus

The disciples on the road to Emmaus weren’t just on a physical 7 mile journey, but they were also on spiritual journey to their own, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” moment.

What are you talking about?

The Emmaus road disciples after the events of Good Friday are slowly plodding along to Emmaus. Talking about what they had seen, trying to make sense of it all.

Then Jesus appears alongside them and asks them what are you talking about along the road. The disciples were kept from recognizing Jesus, so they opened up to a stranger about the things they had seen, and the radical claims of the women from their group. They tell him how they had hoped Jesus was the Messiah the one who would rescue Israel. These events happened three days ago.

James 4:8 NRSV

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

As the disciples tried to make sense of what they had seen, Jesus comes along side to close the gap. When we start wrestling with questions like who God is, we trust God through the work of the Holy Spirit he will teach us. This is what happened on the road to Emmaus.

The Stranger discusses the scripture with them.

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the scriptures.” The stranger goes on to lay out how the Messiah was supposed to suffer and die before entering into his glory. He taught them along the way from Moses to the prophets all that the scriptures said about him.

Stirred by the conversation and not wanting it to end they invite the stranger to eat with them.

Breaking bread at the table

As they sat down for supper the Lord Jesus took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly as if the room was filled with light, chains falling off, bells ringing, they recognize who it was who talked with them on the road, and broke bread. Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Then he disappears.

Overwhelmed with excitement the disciples drop what they are doing and make the 7 mile journey back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples they had seen the LORD!

What started as a journey in mourning and despair, the resurrected Christ transforms into a midnight ride of hope and resurrection.

As we encounter our resurrected LORD may we be filled with excitement. May our lives bear witness to the resurrected Christ.

Along the Road

Our own encounter with the risen Christ is similar to those on the road to Emmaus. Our own faith journey begins with wondering just who is this Jesus? What did he do on good Friday and why did he do it for me? Before we have our Alleluia Christ is risen moment we like the Emmaus road disciples wrestle with questions like this.

This is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes in who comes along side us and helps us wrestle with these questions. Revealing to us who Jesus is, guiding us towards recognizing him as LORD.

To the Emmaus road disciples they recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Where are you on the journey? Have you had your Alleluia! Christ is risen moment?