Mark 16:12-13

Luke 24:13-32

On the day of Jesus’ resurrection, two disciples were walking that afternoon from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a village that was two to three hours away by foot.

As they walked, they talked about the things that had happened.  Jesus joined them as they walked, but they didn’t know it was him.  He asked them why they were sad as they walked and talked.  

One of the disciples, Cleopas, asked if he were a stranger in Jerusalem and hadn’t heard of all the things that had happened.  Instead of answering the question, Jesus asked, “What things?”

The two disciples told Jesus (still not knowing that it was Jesus) how Jesus of Nazareth was a “mighty prophet in deed and word” and that the rulers of the Jews had crucified him.

The disciples shared how they had believed that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel and then told the news of that morning, how some of the women went to the sepulchre and found it empty and were told by angels that Jesus was alive.  They shared how some of the men who had been with them also went and found the sepulchre empty.

Then Jesus told them that all this was foretold by prophets about Christ.  He shared with them “beginning at Moses and all the prophets” many things the prophets have spoken about Christ.  

As they arrived at the village of Emmaus, Jesus seemed to be going further on the road so the disciples asked him to stay, saying, “abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.”  So Jesus went in with them.

As they sat to eat, Jesus took bread and blessed it and gave it to them, as he had done at the last supper.  Then the Bible says “their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.”   

Then the disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and opened to us the scriptures?”

What do you think?

• What feelings did these disciples have before Jesus walked with them?
• When Jesus taught them about Christ from the scriptures, they later recognized “did not our heart burn within us” as he talked.  Have you felt like that when hearing about Jesus? 
  • What makes our “heart burn within us” when we hear important truth from God?
  • How can we recognize it and remember it later, as these disciples did?

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