One of my very favorite passages from the Bible comes at the end of the book of Luke.
Two men are walking down the road discussing the crucifixion of their leader. Another joins them and asks what they’re talking about. They wonder at Him not knowing.
But they don’t realize that He’s the only one who actually does know what really happened.
He talks to them about prophesy. When they reach Emmaus, He indicates that He will keep going.
It’s evening, they say. Stay with us. When He breaks the bread, they recognize Him. Then He vanishes.
Did our hearts not burn within us? They ask themselves.
Often that’s where we stop reading. But what happens next?
Once they realize Christ was the One who talked with them, opened the scriptures (the prophecies he fulfilled) to them, and broke the bread, they don’t just go to sleep planning to react to their revelation the next morning.
They immediately return to the place they’d just left–Jerusalem. Walking, tired but exhilarated, filled with the adrenalin of realization, of fulfilled understanding.
Remember, it’s evening. Perhaps it’s even dark before they begin. They already walked and are walking again.
Imagine their arrival, very late, even in the middle of the night.
“Wake up! Let us in! We’ve been with Jesus! He has risen!”
The crucifixion had destroyed any hopes they had that Jesus would lead them in victory over Roman rule. They had been confused. They had lost all hope.
His resurrection brought a better kind of hope, a hope based in the true understanding of who Christ is–a God for life and eternity–not someone who came to get us off a hook of political oppression.
He came to free us from the consequences of being us. He came to give us this life and the next one.
Like the men who traveled to Emmaus and then returned to Jerusalem in joy, our next step cannot be to go to sleep.
What a great post! As usual, I love how you’ve worded this. The consequences of being us are typically a mess, for we are fallen human beings, sinners, stumbling around seeking Jesus and grabbing hold tightly when words like this are shared with us. God bless you, sister.
God bless you too, Melinda. Thanks and happy Easter!
Thank you for sharing this inspiring message, Nancy. As you mention, many of us who read the story of the risen Christ walking along with some of His followers fail to recognize the importance of what the men do next. They rejoiced and couldn’t wait to share their message. They acted immediately to spread the Good News of their Lord. What a wonderful example for us!
They are a great example for us today, Katherine. Thanks and God bless!
Such an excellent message. Truly, after Jesus “our next step cannot be to go to sleep.” We must be ready, and we must share the good news!
Amen, Jessica. Thanks and God bless!
It is amazing to realize their reaction to head back to the city immediately. We saw the road on our recent trip to Israel and it would not be an easy walk in daylight. I pray to have this kind of excitement for my Lord. Great message Nancy.
Thanks for that insight, Yvonne. If it’s hard in the daylight, it’s harder at night. God bless!
Good point, Nancy. If we truly believe, how can we “sleep”?
Amen. The Bible mentions sleep more than once in regard to the faithful. The disciples slept while Jesus asked God to take away the cup. Now that He rose, they’re wide awake. Thanks and God bless!
Excellent point we all must consider regularly. God is always doing something new, and we dare not sleep through it.
Thanks, Annie. God bless!
Thank you, Nancy. Your words are always so soul-stirring and eye-opening. I want my heart to continue to burn within me over the presence of God and be joyful in the hope the resurrection brought! A thousand Hallelujahs!
Amen, Karen. Hallelujah! Thanks and God bless!
Thanks so much for this post. I love that story too, although I haven’t really contemplated the last bit. I so appreciated thinking of how the resurrection must have been “awakened” in them. May that excitement burn in us.
Amen, Sylvia. May we awaken to Him. Thanks and God bless!