The walk to Emmaus provides a powerful template for how we encounter the resurrected Christ in the midst of our own ordinary, and often discouraged, journeys. As Cleopas and his companion walked away from Jerusalem, trapped in the “we had hoped” stage of grief, Jesus met them in the mundane rhythm of their commute, proving that He is never absent even when our eyes are too heavy with sorrow to recognize Him. Through the dual “shorthands” of Scripture—where He traces the messianic promise from Moses through the Prophets—and the “breaking of the bread,” He reveals that the Cross was the centerpiece of God’s plan rather than a tragic detour. This encounter teaches us that our “burning hearts” are a spiritual signal of His presence, urging us to look for Him not just in the sanctuary, but in every conversation, every meal, and every mile of our daily lives.
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Good morning.
It’s good to be with you on this Thursday morning as we continue together in our time with Rooted.
Just a reminder—as we talked about yesterday, I’m going to be taking a little break after this week, so we’ll finish out Luke’s Gospel. We have two more sections, including today and tomorrow, and then you’ll probably see me in the middle of March. I’ll come back for Ash Wednesday, but then likely the middle of March after that.
Today, let’s read the walk to Emmaus—one of my favorite stories in the Bible. There are so many great things in this passage. Let’s read Luke chapter 24, verses 13 through 35.
Now that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Then he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place in these days?”
He asked them, “What things?”
They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”
Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”
That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Understanding Scripture’s Shorthand
There are certain shorthand phrases we see in Scripture that are important for us to understand. For example, in John’s Gospel, anytime you see the phrase “the Jews,” John is talking about the religious leaders. You’ve heard me say this many times when we discuss John’s Gospel—I just want to make sure you’re clear about that.
Likewise, when you see the phrase “the breaking of the bread”—as it says here in verse 35, “how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread”—that’s shorthand for Communion. Anytime you see “the breaking of bread,” either the Communion meal was observed in that moment, or it was a moment where Christ was revealed in the meal itself, or his power and glory was revealed in the event.
Think about the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus broke the bread, blessed it, and gave it. It wasn’t Communion—it was loaves and fishes—but we see Jesus Christ breaking bread, blessing it, and giving it. So his power and glory is revealed in that meal itself.
Do you see how central Communion is in our faith? Think about how many times in Scripture we see the bread broken and given, and Jesus is fully known and revealed.
Emmaus is meant to be a clear reference to Communion. We see it twice. In verse 30, “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” That’s Communion. Likewise, verse 35 tells us “how he had been made known to them in the breaking of bread”—another Communion reference.
Eyes Kept from Recognizing Jesus
These disciples are walking to Emmaus—by the way, this is the story that gives the name to one of the great renewal movements in the life of the church: the Walk to Emmaus. Many of you have participated in the Walk to Emmaus. I have too. It’s a great renewal movement that I encourage everyone to be a part of.
They’re walking and talking, and Jesus appears with them. Notice verse 16: “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.”
This is something we see quite often in Scripture after the resurrection—people did not originally recognize Jesus. We see this with Mary in the garden. We see it with these disciples on the road to Emmaus. People don’t always recognize Jesus after the resurrection.
I think that’s an important point for us to consider. Do we recognize Jesus when we see him? How often do we miss Jesus? How often in our lives do we miss Jesus? It happens quite often. We can be looking another way, or we might not be anticipating his presence—and there he is.
Their eyes were opened to the presence of Jesus, and I think for us today, that’s an important thing as well: to make sure that we are opening our eyes to the presence of Jesus.
Jesus Made Known Through Scripture and Communion
Jesus speaks to them on the road, and then it says in verse 27: “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.”
We see Jesus pointing to the Old Testament, pointing to the Old Covenant, pointing to the truth of God through all of Scripture—all of it pointing to himself.
So Jesus is made known in two primary ways in this text:
- Through the reading of Scripture
- Through the Communion experience
For us in our lives, these are two things we need to take seriously if we want to encounter the resurrected Christ.
First, daily Scripture reading. Rooted is a great tool for that, but beyond Rooted, your own personal reading is important. When I’m taking my little break, I would encourage you to read through a book of the Bible or find some daily guides to help you read Scripture.
We meet Jesus through the reading of Scripture, and we meet Jesus through the breaking of bread. Be active when your church takes Communion. I’m blessed this week—I got to do it twice on Sunday. I got to serve Communion to my people, and then I got to go to St. Catherine’s on Tuesday and serve Communion to those saints over there. What a joy it is to participate in the breaking of the bread and the revealing of Christ in that.
Encountering Jesus in Daily Life
There are all these avenues—all these ways that God has given us to experience the power of the resurrected Christ. I’m preaching a series right now at St. Matthew’s about the importance of praying, reading your Bible, and going to church. We can experience Jesus through our prayers. We experience Jesus through reading our Bible. We experience Jesus through our community as Christians, through our worship. We can encounter Jesus through all these ways.
That’s really what it’s about: knowing Jesus and getting to encounter Jesus.
So today, as you think about your day, think about whatever is on your plate. Where will you encounter Jesus? Will you open your eyes to the truth? To the places where Jesus could appear to you?
I would encourage you to encounter him through Scripture today. I would encourage you to encounter him through Communion when you get the chance. But be looking for him.
They were walking down the road to Emmaus, and Jesus showed up. They were just walking, and here comes Jesus.
Maybe you’ll find him on your walk. Maybe you’ll find him in a conversation with a friend. Maybe you’ll find him as you go about your tasks today. Maybe you’ll find him on your commute. Maybe you’ll find him in a podcast. Maybe you’ll find him in a song you’re listening to. Maybe you’ll find him—who knows?
But if you aren’t looking for him, you won’t find him.
They encountered Jesus that day, and it changed their lives. May we look for Jesus, and may we know that he will be found if we’re looking.
Thanks for being with us today. Tomorrow we’re going to finish out the Gospel of Luke with verse 36. Thanks for being with us. Have a great day.
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