April 21: ARE YOU SAD?

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened . . . Luke 24:30-31a

It would be an understatement to say that the followers of Jesus were devastated over His crucifixion. Their hopes and dreams for the kingdom of God had been crushed and replaced with anguish, grief, and confusion.

Two of His followers were walking the familiar, dusty road from Jerusalem to Emmaus (their home village) when the risen Lord came to stroll along with them on the way. And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” (v.17)

The well-loved story of the travelers on the road to Emmaus is indeed a joyful one. But joy is first discerned by its dramatic contrast with a seemingly hopeless situation. The atonement of the cross of Christ represents for eternity the endless mercy of a Savior who, as it has been said, “would rather die than live without us.”

But death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24). Thus, we are led from that fateful Friday, through the Sabbath, which He kept — even in His death, directly to His resurrection. Hallelujah!

The two disciples, Cleopas and his companion, paid little heed to their fellow pilgrim on the dusty road. They were too dejected to even think, “what next?” – and so as they rehearsed the terrible events of the weekend, they became sadder with every step. Jesus listened quietly. He longed to reveal Himself to His beloved, downcast friends. But what they needed most in that moment was to understand the Scriptures. They had heard His teaching and preaching for three and a half years, yet they didn’t comprehend the nature of His mission, as indicated by their unwillingness to ask the meaning of statements they thought strange (see Mark 9:31-32).

Rather than reveal Himself right then (they would have been too excited to listen!), He spent the next couple of hours reminding them of Scriptures they knew well and drawing the connection of illustrations and prophecies directly to Himself. Then . . . there was something about the manner in which He blessed, broke, and gave the bread (picture it in slow-motion) that dramatically punctuated the end of their special lesson time together:

Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:31-32

Further emphasis upon gaining understanding the Scriptures: Job 23:12; Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 24:25; John 14:6,26; 16:13; 17:17; Acts 17:2,3,11; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15; 2 Peter 3:16