First Baptist Church Ottawa
Our Online Church School Lesson - April 21, 2024
Walking the Long Road with Jesus - Luke 24:13-35
Today’s Scripture: Luke 24:13-35
Theme: Walking the Long Road with Jesus
Opening Prayer: Dear God, thank you for allowing us to gather here today to learn more about Jesus. Please help our ears to listen, our minds to learn, and our hearts to love as we hear the stories of His work. Amen.
Today’s Lesson: Today’s passage describes another encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the very first Easter. The events described take place after the women have found the empty tomb but before Jesus visits the disciples who are hidden away in the upper room. Today’s story takes place on the road out of Jerusalem, leading to the town of Emmaus. The story of the encounter on the way to Emmaus is deservedly one of the favorite Easter stories in the Bible. It's told in a very human setting we can all identify with, and yet it contains very powerful teaching about the continuing importance of Christ's resurrection in our lives. It also emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus in our daily lives and walking with Him as our friend and Savior. As you hear today’s lesson, think about how this story relates to your own life and how you can apply its lessons to your faith journey.
THE PASSOVER FEAST had ended, and some of the visitors at Jerusalem were returning to their homes. Along the roadway leading from the city of Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, seven miles distant, two men were walking slowly, with bowed heads. They were friends of Jesus, and they were troubled about the news that had come to the city just before they started on their journey. As these men talked together about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, and about the women’s message that early morning, suddenly a stranger joined them and asked, “Why is it that you are so sad? What are you talking about so earnestly?”
The men replied, “Can it be possible that you have not heard about the sad things that have been happening during these few days past?”
And the stranger asked, “What things?”
The men began to tell this stranger about Jesus of Nazareth whom they had hoped would deliver their nation from the rule of the Romans and set up a kingdom. They told him how the chief priests and rulers had become jealous of him because he was such a mighty prophet, and how they captured him and caused him to be crucified. They told him that Jesus had died on the cross and that his body had been buried by loving friends in a nice, new tomb.
“And this is the third day since these things happened,” they said, “and this morning some women of our company astonished us by saying they had gone early to the tomb and had seen that his body had been taken away. But they said angels were there, and the angels said he had risen from the dead. Then some of our own number hurried to the grave and found that it was indeed empty, but they did not see the angels nor did they see our risen Lord.”
The stranger listened patiently, and when they had finished he began to talk to them about the teachings of Moses’ law and of the prophets concerning the promised Redeemer of Israel. He showed them by the word of God’s book that Jesus, the prophet of Galilee, should suffer these very things and rise again the third day if he would really be the Redeemer for whom they were longing.
And the men listened silently, wondering who this stranger could be.
Presently they came near to the village of Emmaus, and the two men asked the stranger to stop with them until the next morning, as the day had nearly ended. So he stopped with them.
And when they sat down to eat their evening meal he took bread, blessed it, and gave it to them, and they knew at once that he was Jesus, their risen Lord. But he disappeared from their sight.
Now the two men understood why the women who had seen the angels seemed so full of joy. The men, too, believed in the risen Lord, and their hearts were filled with gladness. They rose up from the table and hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples that they had seen the Lord.
The deep shades of night had fallen over Jerusalem when the men at last came to the house where the disciples and some of their friends were gathered together. When they entered the room they saw that a change had come over these people who had been so sad.
Now everyone seemed happy, and excited about something. “Jesus is indeed risen,”they cried joyously, “for Peter has seen him!”
Then the men told how he had appeared to them on their way to Emmaus, and how they had not known him until he had blessed and broken bread at their evening meal.
At this point in the story, Jesus appears in the room with the disciples and speaks to them, “Peace be with you”. After a moment of shock and disbelief, they finally believe that he is the risen Christ and are filled with joy. Thomas, as you know, was not with them during this visit. He refuses to believe their descriptions of Jesus at first, but when he sees Jesus a week later, he is convinced of the resurrection after he has seen Jesus’s wounded hands and feet.
Let’s read today’s reading now and then discuss it a little bit more:
Luke 24:13-49
24:13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
24:14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
24:15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,
24:16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
24:17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad.
24:18 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 there in these days?"
24:19 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,
24:20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.
24:21 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.
24:22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
24:23 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.
24:24 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."
24:25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!
24:26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"
24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
24:28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.
24:29 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.
24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
24:31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.
24:32 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?"
24:33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.
24:34 They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!"
24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
It's strange that the disciples don't recognize Jesus when he first joins them on the road, and Jesus doesn't seem anxious to reveal himself to them. It's especially interesting, and a little funny, that Jesus "plays dumb" when they criticize him for being the only one who doesn't know what has happened in Jerusalem these last few days. "What things?" Jesus asks with a straight face.
Jesus holds back his identity from them, but he's very direct in his own criticism of their weak faith. He then proceeds to offer them one of the best Bible studies ever. Imagine Jesus himself going right through the Old Testament, explaining to them "what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself".
So Jesus remains unknown to them until he does four things later that evening. "He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them". Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. What is it about that fourfold action that gave him away? Any Christian to whom Luke was writing would know, as we should today. These are the four actions that are associated with the last supper, and with the communion feast of Christians everywhere. They recognized him in the breaking of the bread. In this story, Luke shows the risen Christ present with his disciples in two special moments, in explaining the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread, in the sermon and in the supper. He is risen from the dead, and even today, he is present with us still in his word and through Communion.
Have you ever felt lost or confused, like the disciples on the Road to Emmaus? Maybe you've had doubts about your faith or struggled with personal issues. The good news is that Jesus is always with you, even when you don't realize it. He is there to guide you through your struggles and to offer comfort and support.
But recognizing Jesus in our daily lives can be difficult. Sometimes, He reveals Himself to us in unexpected ways, just like He did to the disciples on the road. Maybe it's through the kindness of a stranger or a meaningful conversation with a friend. Whatever it may be, we need to be open to recognizing Jesus in these moments and allowing Him to guide us on our journey.
As we continue with our lesson today, reflect on how Jesus has revealed Himself to you in your life. Think about how you can walk with Him as your friend and Savior, and how you can share the message of Jesus with others.
What do you think the disciples were feeling as they walked on the road to Emmaus?
Why do you think they didn't recognize Jesus at first?
How did Jesus reveal Himself to the disciples?
Why do you think Jesus chose to reveal Himself in this way?
How can we recognize Jesus in our daily lives?
Here is a game that you can play about guessing the identity of an unknown person:
Each person should write the name of a person whom they admire on to top of a sheet of paper.
Then write three clues about the person on the same paper.
The leader or teacher collects the papers.
Randomly choose one of the papers and read the three clues to the group.
Have the group try to guess the name of the person being described.
Repeat with the rest of the papers.
Closing Prayer: Loving Father, we thank you for the story of the Road to Emmaus, where Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples after His resurrection. We ask for your guidance and strength as we walk through our own struggles and doubts, and as we strive to recognize Jesus in our daily lives. Help us to see Him in unexpected ways and to walk with Him as our friend and Savior. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.