“Were our hearts not burning within us when He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NASB)
On the day we now call Resurrection Sunday, my friend and I were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. We were discussing all the events of the preceding days as we traveled the seven miles of dusty roads under the bright sun. We had watched Jesus from a distance, then joined those who traveled with him, and had seen the crowd shout, “Crucify him!” Once his death sentence was announced, we left—there was nothing more we could do.
That morning, we had gathered with other believers to grieve together when two of our women suddenly appeared with an exciting but inconceivable message: the tomb was empty, and Jesus was alive! How could that be? Dead bodies don’t just come back to life. We left the gathering, incredulous at their claims, and began our journey to Emmaus, where we had business.
It’s common to encounter other travelers on the road and even strike up a conversation, so we willingly invited a stranger to walk with us. As we talked, he asked why we looked so astounded and sad. I stopped and answered, “Haven’t you heard? Are you the only person in Jerusalem who doesn’t know about the events of the last few days?” The man seemed unaware, so we told him about Jesus of Nazareth.
“He was a mighty prophet of God who performed miracles and wonders. His words were powerful, and he had great favor with God and the people. But three days ago, the high priest and the rulers of the people sentenced him to death and had him crucified. We had all hoped that he was the one who would redeem and rescue Israel.”
We told him that some of the women believers had seen his tomb empty and claimed he was alive, but none of us had seen him. Now, normally when you meet a stranger and start a conversation, there’s some expectation of politeness. But this man rushed past polite talk and began to reprimand us!
“Why are you so thick-headed? Why do you find it so hard to believe every word the prophets have spoken? Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to experience all these sufferings and afterward to enter into his glory?”
Then he went through the books of Moses and all the prophets and carefully explained the revelation of the Messiah throughout the Scriptures. His knowledge astounded us—what wisdom! What understanding! We began to see how Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled all the law and the prophets. Our hearts burned with hope that this Jesus was the Messiah.
As we approached Emmaus, this stranger wanted to continue on his journey, but we urged him to stay with us since daylight was ending and the road would be dangerous at night. He agreed and stayed.
Then, at supper, the most amazing thing happened. As we gathered at the table, he took bread, broke it, blessed it, and gave it to us. Suddenly, our eyes were opened, and we realized we had been talking with Jesus himself! Then—he vanished!
Stunned, we looked at each other and wondered, “Why didn’t we recognize him? Didn’t our hearts burn with the flames of holy passion while we walked beside him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!”
We left the supper table and hurried through the darkening night back to the other believers in Jerusalem to tell them our story. When we arrived, they were already saying, “It’s really true! the Lord has risen from the dead. He even appeared to Peter!”
Then we shared our story—how the stranger had unveiled the Scriptures to us while our hearts burned within us. It is fitting that all this happened in Emmaus, “the burning place.” From that moment on, our hearts burned with recognition of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the fulfillment of all the laws and prophecies, the Son of God, and our Rabbi.
The fire that was kindled that day exploded at Pentecost, and the gates of hell will not prevail to put it out. Our hearts burned with his presence, his nearness, and his love.
Jesus,
Thank you for the burn you ignite within us when we come to believe you are Lord and Savior. Thank you for. your Holy Spirit that helps us recognize who you are and pulls us into new depths of understanding of your mercy, grace, and love. God, in this moment and place, we ask you to stir up the faith within us. Be the center of our lives, our focus, our source, the one whose Presence fills everything we do and everything we are. Burn away anything within us that is not of you, and help us to believe more completely in all you are. Give us a freshened fire within us so that we live for you, we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN.
Later that same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a journey of about seventeen miles. They were in the midst of a discussion about all the events of the last few days when Jesus walked up and accompanied them in their journey. They were unaware that it was actually Jesus walking alongside them, for God prevented them from recognizing him.
Jesus said to them, “You seem to be in a deep discussion about something. What are you talking about, so sad and gloomy?”
They stopped, and the one named Cleopas answered, “Haven’t you heard? Are you the only one in Jerusalem unaware of the things that have happened over the last few days?”
Jesus asked, “What things?”
“The things about Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a mighty prophet of God who performed miracles and wonders. His words were powerful and he had great favor with God and the people. But three days ago the high priest and the rulers of the people sentenced him to death and had him crucified. We had all hoped that he was the one who would redeem and rescue Israel. Early this morning, some of the women informed us of something amazing. They said they went to the tomb and found it empty. They claimed two angels appeared and told them that Jesus is now alive. Some of us went to see for ourselves and found the tomb exactly as the women had said. But no one has seen him.”
Jesus said to them, “Why are you so thick-headed? Why do you find it so hard to believe every word the prophets have spoken? Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to experience all these sufferings and afterward to enter into his glory?”
And beginning with Moses and all the prophets he carefully unveiled to them the revelation of himself throughout the Scriptures.
As they approached the village, Jesus walked on ahead, telling them he was going on to a distant place. They urged him to remain there with them and pleaded, “Stay with us. It will be dark soon.” So Jesus went with them into the village.
Joining them at the table for supper, he took bread and blessed it and broke it, then gave it to them. All at once their eyes were opened and they realized he was Jesus! Then suddenly, in a flash, Jesus vanished from before their eyes!
Stunned, they looked at each other and said, “Why didn’t we recognize him? Didn’t our hearts burn with the flames of holy passion while we walked beside him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!”
They left at once and hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. When they found the Eleven and the other disciples all together, they overheard them saying, “It’s really true! The Lord has risen from the dead. He even appeared to Peter!” Then the two disciples told the others what had happened to them on the road to Emmaus and how Jesus had unveiled himself in the breaking of bread. (Luke 24:13-35 TPT)