The Emmaus Road - Part 2
Breaking bread
Luke 24v28-32
8th April 2016
Last week we looked at the story of when Jesus met two disciples who were leaving Jerusalem on Resurrection day to go to Emmaus. Like the others, these two hadn't understood that it had been necessary for Jesus to die to pay for our sins, and they were bewildered by stories that He'd risen from the grave, so He explained it to them. The last verse we looked at was:
Luke 24v27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning
himself.
The story continues:
Luke 24v28-29
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.
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.
Jesus waited for them to invite Him in, just as He waits for us to ask Him in. Consider such scriptures as:
- Revelation 3v20: "Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me"
- Matthew 7v7: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find..."
- James 4v8: "Come near to God and he will come near to you"
Although God is the author of everything, the fact remains that He waits for us to ask Him to be involved in our lives. Jesus could have insisted the two travellers give Him a meal and a bed for the night but, instead, he continued on as if he were going farther, even though he had nowhere to go. I think this is because we need to know that we invited Jesus to come. We need to know that we asked Him to get involved.
The travellers urged Him strongly. They asked Him, "Stay with us". Is there any better prayer? "O Lord, please stay in my life, continue to teach me about Yourself. Share life with me. The day is almost over."
Jesus did as they asked. He spent time talking and sharing with them, as He always will for those who ask.
Luke 24v30-32
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight.
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?"
In verse 16, we read that while the risen Christ was walking with the two travellers, they were kept from recognising him. Now, though, their eyes were opened. Perhaps they'd been present at the Last Supper, and now the sight of Jesus breaking bread again triggered something in their memories.
But I think they just couldn't see clearly until Jesus explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself, and they invited Him in, and they celebrated what most Christians call Holy Communion.
It's the same for us, in order to know Jesus well, we need the Holy Spirit to help us understand God's word, we need to invite Jesus into our lives, and we need to break bread in remembrance of His redeeming sacrifice. In all these things, we come to see Christ as He truly is.
When we break bread, we recognise Jesus.
We'll look at the next part of this story next week.