Daily Bread 2011 - Luke 24
Daily Bread 2011 – Luke 24
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 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?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
What Does This Mean?
This is a scene that is only recorded in Luke’s gospel. It is another resurrection appearance of Jesus. These appearances give further validity to the physical and literal resurrection of Jesus, which has been called the “linchpin” of Christianity. Simply put, Jesus’ resurrection validated all His words which he spoke about His own resurrection and proved He was indeed the Messiah.
In this scene, Jesus walks along the road with two of Jesus’ disciples who were going to a town called Emmaus, which was 7 miles from Jerusalem. They had been to Jerusalem for the feasts and were returning home. Apparently they didn’t yet believe for themselves that Jesus was the Messiah, they merely reported all the information and how the women and other disciples had discovered an empty tomb.
Jesus then takes them through the whole Old Testament starting with the Moses (the Pentateuch or first five books of the bible) and the Prophets, and explained what was said concerning himself. When they came to their village, they urged Jesus to stay with them. And when he broke bread their eyes were opened and they recognized it was Jesus they were with.
They quickly went back to Jerusalem and reported to the Eleven, that they too had seen the Risen Jesus and had recognized him in the breaking of the bread!
What Does This Mean For Us?
First, the passage reminds us that just head knowledge about Jesus is not enough. We need to come to faith or believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and this does not originate from us. As it says their “eyes were opened and they recognized Him”.
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes (spiritually speaking), so we can see who Jesus is.
But as they recognize him, the two do something else. They go and testify to what they have seen. They spread the Good News of what they had seen and experienced. When we talk about Evangelism in the Church is about people who have seen and recognized Jesus, and go to their friends to share their experience.
Finally, we see they recognized him in the breaking of the bread. There is the obvious connection to Holy Communion, where we break bread and pour the wine and by faith recognize the Risen Lord. Again, it is not something we do on our own, but the Holy Spirit connects us to Jesus as we remember him and in faith take and eat, and take and drink.
Jesus, we thank you that there are so many ways we can experience your love and power. Continue to open up the eyes of heart so we can see and recognize you and then share that Good News with the whole world, Amen.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 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?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
What Does This Mean?
This is a scene that is only recorded in Luke’s gospel. It is another resurrection appearance of Jesus. These appearances give further validity to the physical and literal resurrection of Jesus, which has been called the “linchpin” of Christianity. Simply put, Jesus’ resurrection validated all His words which he spoke about His own resurrection and proved He was indeed the Messiah.
In this scene, Jesus walks along the road with two of Jesus’ disciples who were going to a town called Emmaus, which was 7 miles from Jerusalem. They had been to Jerusalem for the feasts and were returning home. Apparently they didn’t yet believe for themselves that Jesus was the Messiah, they merely reported all the information and how the women and other disciples had discovered an empty tomb.
Jesus then takes them through the whole Old Testament starting with the Moses (the Pentateuch or first five books of the bible) and the Prophets, and explained what was said concerning himself. When they came to their village, they urged Jesus to stay with them. And when he broke bread their eyes were opened and they recognized it was Jesus they were with.
They quickly went back to Jerusalem and reported to the Eleven, that they too had seen the Risen Jesus and had recognized him in the breaking of the bread!
What Does This Mean For Us?
First, the passage reminds us that just head knowledge about Jesus is not enough. We need to come to faith or believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and this does not originate from us. As it says their “eyes were opened and they recognized Him”.
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes (spiritually speaking), so we can see who Jesus is.
But as they recognize him, the two do something else. They go and testify to what they have seen. They spread the Good News of what they had seen and experienced. When we talk about Evangelism in the Church is about people who have seen and recognized Jesus, and go to their friends to share their experience.
Finally, we see they recognized him in the breaking of the bread. There is the obvious connection to Holy Communion, where we break bread and pour the wine and by faith recognize the Risen Lord. Again, it is not something we do on our own, but the Holy Spirit connects us to Jesus as we remember him and in faith take and eat, and take and drink.
Jesus, we thank you that there are so many ways we can experience your love and power. Continue to open up the eyes of heart so we can see and recognize you and then share that Good News with the whole world, Amen.
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