When he [Jesus] was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? (Luke 24:30-32, ESV)
It’s been said that “two things are certain: death and taxes.” I want to add a third— “In golf, we occasionally find ourselves “going the wrong direction.”
“Army golf,” some call it—right-left, right-left! Sometimes, a “two-way miss” turns an entire round into “hitting it all over the planet.”
For some, after a few errant shots, the worst enemy of all appears—goblins that belong in a B-budget horror movie invade our minds and convince us life is over as we know it. No doubt about it, we are flawed people playing a very hard game.
Scripture doesn’t hide “human flaws.” We see the greats, “warts and all.” From David’s adultery to Peter’s impulsive bravado, we meet major characters who are profoundly flawed. In what has become a favorite Easter story, we discover two “foolish and slow of heart” disciples headed in the wrong direction (Luke 24:13-53).
Three days removed from Jesus’ horrific crucifixion, these two are headed in the wrong direction to Emmaus and conversing about their dashed hopes when they encounter a “stranger” on the road.
They are prevented from recognizing their Savior. Jesus engages them, inquiring about their droopy shoulders, sad countenance, and ill-informed conversation.
In an irony of ironies, Cleopas asked Jesus if he was unaware of the recent tragic events that had occurred to the man they believed to be the Messiah. As is well known, they had expected the Messiah to conquer Rome militarily. For them, a Messiah’s death was unthinkable.
Jesus probed further. Cleopas reported the highlights of the awful details surrounding the death of their Hoped-for-Messiah. Unexpectedly, after the report, Jesus responds, “Oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all the prophets had spoken.”
For those who overly sentimentalize Jesus’ love, this reaction probably surprises them. Rather than coddling them, Jesus corrects them for not believing the Old Testament prophets.
From there, he gives them the greatest Bible study the world has ever known. He explains from “Moses, the prophets, and all the Scriptures (Old Testament) the things concerning himself.
As they arrived at their village, Jesus entered their home and shared a meal. As he broke bread, their eyes were opened, and they recognized their traveling companion as the Resurrected Lord. Maybe they saw his nailed pierced hands.
These two disciples explode with excitement, declaring, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
With this new reality, they make a “B-line” back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples the good news. By the time they arrive—surely out of breath—they discover that Jesus has appeared to Simon Peter.
Jesus reappears to them all behind closed doors and again opens the Scriptures to them, explaining that he had to die and rise from the dead and that the gospel of forgiveness will be preached to all the nations.
In this story we are reminded that even those close to the Savior were flawed. One day removed from Easter Sunday, we should also be able to see ourselves. Are we living in the dark about Jesus’ resurrection? Are we sad and depressed as a consequence of our ignorance? Are we headed in the wrong direction for not believing the prophets?
If so, the good news is this: even though we are “in the dark,” “slow of heart,” “sad,” and “headed in the wrong direction,” Jesus finds us, opens our eyes, opens Scripture to us, rescues us, and gives us the most extraordinary purpose in the world—knowing him and making him known.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, open our eyes to see and believe the prophets when they announce the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah.