Meeting the Risen Lord

KEY VERSE: “Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” —Luke 24:32

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:13-19, 27-35

A FEELING of despair and disappointment was well reflected in the faces and in the conversation of two disciples who later in the same day as our Lord’s resurrection were walking the road to Emmaus. Jesus had not as yet personally revealed himself to them. “They talked together of all those things which had happened. … While they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them, but their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” They were talking about him, his miracles and crucifixion. He inquired about the subject of conversation, and commented on their appearance of sadness.

This caused them to enlarge upon the matter and, no doubt, they recited many evidences of Jesus’ miracle-working power which they had observed. But then their story trailed off with these sorrowful words, ‘The chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be … crucified.” Note, too, how their words reflected their perplexed minds and dashed hopes as they said, “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.”—vss. 20:21

Doubt, too, was in the disciples’ voices when they told of the women who had reported finding the empty sepulcher, and saw angels who said that the Lord was alive. One can almost feel their despair when reading the conclusion of their investigation of these claims: “Certain of them [the disciples] which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even as the women had said. but him they saw not.”—vss. 22-24

How startled they must have been when the stranger replied, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and [then] to enter into his glory?” (vs. 26) The answer implied was an entirely new concept to them. If the prophets foretold such need of suffering and death, it would mean perhaps they had not believed in vain. And then “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” The skill of his presentation is revealed as they later described their reaction to it by the words, “Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?”—vs. 32

The fact that Jesus began with Moses in his presentation to show that the Messiah must first suffer, suggests that he might have explained what the Passover, lamb pictured. Also, there may have been some discussion of the typical Atonement Day sacrifice of the bullock, picturing the death of Jesus. And then, too, our Lord could have called their attention to the prophecy in Isaiah 53, which explicitly details so many facts surrounding his death.

Their eager minds were so gratefully accepting the logic of the ‘stranger’, it appears they did not give much thought as to why he possessed such accurate knowledge. When they reached the village of their destination, Jesus indicated he would continue on. He must have been pleased as the two now joyful disciples constrained him saying, “Abide with us.”—vs. 2

The time came for them to partake of the evening meal. The account reads, “As he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” As he disappeared before their eyes they began to place the events in proper order—Jesus was indeed risen.

The two were so excited that they returned immediately to Jerusalem to. share their joy with their brethren! The eleven, gathered together with other disciples in a room, were still in a state of shock and in much fear of the mobs. No doubt their place of haven was known only to the disciples, and at this time was kept locked for protection. When the two were admitted into the dimly lit room it was apparent to all that they were elated as they spoke out the words, “The Lord is risen indeed.”—vs. 34

The disciples gathered round them as they recalled the details of that memorable walk while Jesus had talked to them. And while they were gathered in that tense atmosphere with only the voice of the narrator being heard, suddenly Jesus himself stood in their midst. A strange hush fell over the room, and all eyes were fixed on him who had suddenly and miraculously appeared. Then calmly and in the old familiar voice he said, “Peace be unto you.”—vss. 35,36

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