A Stroll With Jesus

Are you sure Jesus was resurrected? Are you certain He lives? For anyone who contests the fact that Jesus rose from the dead, today’s passage is for you. It contains the story of a 7 mile walk that Jesus took with two of His disciples.

The Lord led me to a particular passage in Scripture this past week that comes from Luke 24:13-35 and is told only in Luke’s gospel.

Keep in mind that this was the same Sunday, the same day that Jesus had arisen from the grave.

Luke 24:13-14 - And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

I’m sure they had a lot to talk about. They were probably trying to reason it all out as to Jesus rising from the tomb. They may have been confused still and were just discussing the things that happened since last Friday.

Luke 24: 15 - 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

Have you ever been walking and suspect that someone is following you?

Year before last Caran and I went to Corpus Christi for a few days on vacation. We like to get up early and walk along the beach while it’s quiet. On one particular morning we were walking along the beach and we noticed what appeared to be a homeless man. As we walked past him I noticed out of the corner of my eye that he got up and was walking in our direction. We crossed the street to get on the sidewalk and he crossed the street and got on the sidewalk. I noticed as we walked that he was getting closer and closer coming up behind us.

Finally, I had enough. He was about 5 steps behind us so I just abruptly stopped and turned facing him and asked, “Can I help you with something?” He explained that he needed some money to get a cup of coffee and a bit of breakfast. He had weaved a cross out of palm leaves. And was wondering if I would pay him for one even just enough to get just a cup of coffee. So I gave him $5 and told him that I have a wall of crosses in my office and only because it was a cross that he was weaving would I purchase one. He thanked me and politely walked on.

Maybe that’s the way the disciples felt. They were walking along, minding their own business and all of a sudden this guy is walking along with them.

Luke 24:16 - 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

Have you ever wondered why they were kept from recognizing him? Why would Jesus want to keep his identity from these believers? Perhaps it was to be a teaching experience. He wanted to teach the scriptures and not have them distracted by the amazing fact that he was alive.

Luke 24:17-24 - 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.”18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”

Now I don’t know if you caught it or not. Did you notice what Jesus asked? V.19

“WHAT THINGS?” In these two words, “What Things?” are found one of the most profound lessons of forgiveness. By the tone in these two men’s voices, it was obvious they were disappointed. Jesus questioned them as to what they were talking about. Astonished, they responded that He evidently was a stranger in the area and hadn’t heard of any of the things that had gone on in the last few days. Christ asked, “What things?” Yet, He had seen and suffered it all…they were bitter and heavy things. But when faced with the issue, His response was a forgetting and forgiving spirit. Jesus had just suffered the most profound and cruel punishment that words can describe. Yet He asks, “What things” as if He had forgotten and forgiven it all. The fact is, He had.