Luke 24:25-35 Stay with us, LORD

The story of the encounter on the Road to Emmaus is a favorite.  There are so many scenarios floating around in my mind and I would love to create a short story on this theme, but who could do it justice?  This encounter is so sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.  And the final words in this episode grip my heart, "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?” (Luke 24:32)

Whose heart wouldn't be burning? These men, disciples of Jesus, were in the midst of mourning a beloved friend.  They were hurting and afraid for so many reasons; fearful they might be next, ashamed that they couldn't save Jesus, but ran away instead.  As Jesus approached them, verse 16 says they were kept from recognizing him.  Don't you wonder why?  Certainly Jesus wasn't testing them to see what they were saying; after all, He was God so he already knew their heart.

It wasn't until they shared a meal with Jesus did they recognize Him and He disappeared from their sight.  Still puzzled?  I am.  I am thinking that perhaps Jesus wanted his fellow travelers to bear witness to the fact Jesus was alive.  The men returned to Jerusalem and went to the Eleven Disciples and shared their experience.  Even though Jesus had been preparing his followers and told them he was going to die but that He would rise again on the 3rd day, they were pretty much clueless.  He wanted to break the news to them gradually.

The Good News for us is that He is Alive and because of that we will live also.

Read Luke 24:25-35 here.

Listen to Luke 24:25-35 here.