It was the evening of resurrection day. Two disciples, one named Cleopas, decided to go to the nearby town of Emmaus. They presumably went because they did not know what else to do with themselves. In the conversation they reviewed all that had happened that weekend only to be interrupted by Jesus. They did not recognize him. He asked them to elaborate on their conversation to which they replied to his quizzical question whether or not he had even been in Jerusalem lately.
Then he began to explain various passages of Scripture in the Old Testament. They persuaded him to join them with a meal in Emmaus. After he blessed the food, they recognized him as the resurrected Christ. Their eyes were opened and they quickly returned back to the main body of disciples in Jerusalem. While they were explaining their experience, Jesus appeared before the whole crowd minus Thomas.
It would appear they did not fully comprehend the consequence of Jesus’ resurrection. This is a case of a believer having had head knowledge and not heart knowledge. This we must do our best to avoid. Let us turn away from merely knowing facts to experiencing them. They were informed but walked away from the source. Jesus made extra effort to reach out to two men who was walking away from the edge of what was to be, including them.
Spiritual education is far important than hearsay. Whether it be a Sunday school lesson or sermon, a duty to us is to process what has been revealed into our spirit life. It was only then that our hearts burn as we walk with him gaining an expanding in-depth revelation of God’s plan.
The word disciple means student. With that in mind, it is easy to see that these travelers and the original disciples were on a big learning curve. Jesus took them from what they already knew to what he wanted them to incorporate into their lives to became motivating as witnesses to the impossible. Have you ever thought of yourself as a witness to the impossible?
The travelers declared they had trust in Jesus. However, their trust was misinformed because it was from the general consensus of the people at the time. Even those who thought themselves enlightened, as did these travelers, there is more for us to learn and experience with Jesus. Those disciples intent to follow Christ will keep themselves on an ever-continuing learning path.
They knew most or all of the story of Jesus’ resurrection and other disciples witnessing the empty tomb. Even so it appeared not to make much difference in the direction of the journey. We as modern churchgoers must be wear of their example. We cannot be habitual to process the same information over and over without it making a difference.
Jesus’ first reply was to call them foolish and slow of heart to believe. He wanted them to realize how an ineffective process they conducted what was already happening. Friends, we must go above and beyond into the new room of learning whereby the Holy Spirit becomes our teacher now days. Be honest. How many times have you left church and the next day could not recall the sermon or the Sunday school lesson? Ask yourself what the reason for that is. If we are to grow spiritually, we must internalize the Scriptures and applied them overshadowing our normal human thought process.
The travelers did the right thing by immediately returning to Jerusalem and testifying to their experience with Jesus. Anyone who receives Christ as Savior is admonished to share to as many people as possible their new birth experience. We are not to have prepared sermons memorized. He does ask us to be ready at any time to share our personal experience with Christ. What does Jesus mean to you?
Christian Writer 