Luke 24:13-35
Verse 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Even though the Mary’s had told the followers of Jesus that they had seen the Lord, alive and well, there were those among the group that were struggling to believe that it could be true. Today we see one such twosome.
While often depicted as a set of two men it is more likely that this was a husband and wife. We know that the man’s name is Cleopas and we know from John 19:25 that Cleopas’ wife was among the onlookers at the crucifixion. It is unlikely that he would have headed home without his wife and that he was going home with another man. So with that in mind we follow them on their journey home.
As they are walking along they are talking about the events from the last few days. They would have gone to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration and been looking forward to seeing Jesus but they are in complete disbelief at what they have witnessed. If this was Cleopas and his wife, she could have been retelling what she had seen as she stood near Jesus’ mother and John in the darkness at the foot of the cross. She would have been close enough to hear Him struggling to breathe and heard the various things He had said when hanging there. She would have heard the mocking and heard the crying of the other women, maybe even shedding tears herself. This is why it would have been so hard for her to believe what the women had said this morning after a sad Sabbath.
But as they are talking there comes a man to join them who seems to know nothing of what has happened. They can’t believe that anyone could have missed what had happened but are willing to fill in the details as they had witnessed them to this stranger. But instead of being thanked for the info the man tells them that they are foolish and have missed the whole story and then He proceeds to fill them in on all the prophecies about the Messiah. He would have pointed out the various times when the prophets would have said that He must suffer and die. But they still miss that it is Him, in the flesh.
They invite Him to stay the night and only after He has broken the bread and blessed it – something that the master of the feast would perform – do they realize that He is Jesus, alive. He was risen!
Making It Personal
How open are you to learning the truth of who Jesus is when the word is preached? Do you seek to know the truth about Jesus? What have you recently learned about Jesus?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you eagerly try to learn about Jesus and His ways? How do you try to learn about Jesus and His ways? What have you learned recently?
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You for Your willingness to teach us the truth of Yourself. Help us to want more knowledge of You and Your ways so that we can live to please You. In Jesus' name, amen.