The Fellowship of Souls on Fire

Introduction

Meeting Jesus changes everything.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

PRAY

Luke 24:28–35 ESV

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

An Invitation to a Guest

So they drew near to the village to which they were going - The seven mile walk is about to come to an end at Emmaus.

He acted as it he were going further - Jesus, the anonymous traveller does act as if he will go into the village, but rather that he will continue on his way.

But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent - As Jesus continues to walk on, the two disciples begged or pleaded with him to stop for the night. They want Jesus to lodge with them for the night. The expressed reason was that nightfall was near.

Acts 16:15 ESV

And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

We know from the context in verse 32 that these disciples are enjoying the walk through the Scriptures. I believe that is what drives them to to compel Jesus, the unknown traveller, to stay with them.

So he went in to stay with them - As a result or their request, Jesus agreed to spend the night in Emmaus with Cleopas and the other disciple.

An Insight from God

When he was at table with them, he took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them - Since they arrived near the later part of the day, a meal was necessary. Luke records literally that Jesus is reclining at table. In addition, he adds that Jesus is serving the meal to the others.

Many have highlighted the similarity of language to the Lord’s Supper account. Jesus takes the the bread, says a prayer, then gives it to each of the disciples. I personally do not believe this is a communion service, but it is culturally odd that Jesus do the serving, since he was not the host. It is an example of how he seeks to do what needs to be done. They needed to eat and he makes sure they do so. It is also in this context that Jesus manifests himself to them.

And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him - Once again, there is the use of what is called the divine passive. The opening of their eyes was not caused by anything in them, but an action that finds its power in God. After their eyes were opened, they recognized Jesus to be Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified before them by the Romans. They saw him as the resurrected Lord.

And he vanished from their sight - This is most interesting. Jesus had spent several hours with them explaining himself from the Scriptures and finally when they are made able to know who he is, he disappears. This activity reveals something of the nature of Jesus’ resurrected body. He eats, but he also disappears.

Expository Thoughts on Luke, Vol. 2 Notes. Luke 24:13–35

This and other expressions concerning our Lord’s risen body, show plainly that it was a body in some wonderful way different from the common body of man. It was a real material body, and true flesh and blood. But it was a body capable of moving, appearing, and disappearing after a manner that we cannot explain. We may fairly suppose that it was a pattern of what our own bodies will be after they are raised again. They will be true bodies, material and real, but bodies endued with capacities of which now we know nothing.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume Luke 24:13–35

They said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us? “I am sure mine did,” saith one; “And so did mine,” saith the other, “I never was so affected with any discourse in all my life.” Thus do they not so much compare notes as compare hearts, in the review of the sermon Christ had preached to them. They found the preaching powerful, even when they knew not the preacher. It made things very plain and clear to them; and, which was more, brought a divine heat with a divine light into their souls, such as put their hearts into a glow, and kindled a holy fire of pious and devout affections in them. Now this they take notice of, for the confirming of their belief, that it was indeed, as at last they saw, Jesus himself that had been talking with them all along.

An Internal Glory

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road while he opened to us the Scriptures?- This response to the recognition of Jesus and his vanishing is powerful. They do not seem to be preoccupied with this unique experience of seeing a person who was raised from the dead, but rather how he had spoken to them on the road about the events in Jerusalem. Was not our heart burning within us? They interacted with one another and discussed the fire that was kindled in their spirits as he talked with them. They were inflamed by Jesus’ interpretation and explanation of the Word of God to them.

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Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume Luke 24:13–35

They said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us? “I am sure mine did,” saith one; “And so did mine,” saith the other, “I never was so affected with any discourse in all my life.” Thus do they not so much compare notes as compare hearts, in the review of the sermon Christ had preached to them. They found the preaching powerful, even when they knew not the preacher. It made things very plain and clear to them; and, which was more, brought a divine heat with a divine light into their souls, such as put their hearts into a glow, and kindled a holy fire of pious and devout affections in them. Now this they take notice of, for the confirming of their belief, that it was indeed, as at last they saw, Jesus himself that had been talking with them all along.

And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem - With the recognition of Jesus as alive and risen and then disappearing, they believed the best thing that they could do was to he back to Jerusalem immediately.

And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” - Remember, this is still the first day of the week, however it would be well after 9:00 P.M. Cleopas and the other are back to Jerusalem with the latest good news they think.

However, by the time the two Emmaus disciples made it back to Jerusalem, additional events have taken place of which they are unaware. Jesus had been seen alive by the Apostle Peter and the group is telling them about the certainty of Jesus’ resurrection. The details of this appearance to Peter are not recorded, but there references to it like this and in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:5 ESV

and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

1 Corinthians 15:4 ESV

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread - They communicated to the disciples in Jerusalem about how Jesus met them on the road, how he communicated to them all about the Christ from the Scripture, and how they were able to recognize who he was as he was sharing the bread with them at table.

1 Corinthians

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread - They communicated to the disciples in Jerusalem about how Jesus met them on the road, how he communicated to them all about the Christ from the Scripture, and how they were able to recognize who he was as he was sharing the bread with them at table.

Practical Application

When God reveals Christ to a person he does so through his Word.

When God Christ to a person Jesus comes near in communion and fellowship.

When God reveals Christ to a person he does so to the heart and soul.

When God reveals Christ to person those that know him will tell about it.

When God reveals Christ to a person that person has commonality with others that know him.