Luke 24:13-35

This story is found only in Luke. It fits with his goal of highlighting normal everyday people interacting with Jesus. It reminds us that this is the Gospel for everyone. 

If Jesus is walking the same direction as the two disciples, there is no way that Jesus could be unaware of everything that had just happened in Jerusalem. The travelers were probably Cleopas and his wife. Luke gives us his name so that this story can be verified with Cleopas. 

The word “redeem” used by the disciples here is the same word used 109 times in the Old Testament referring to Israel being liberated from Egypt and all other nations that oppressed them. Their biggest road block to understanding what was happening was holding out for a military leader who would meet their immediate need not their biggest need which was spiritual. We decide if God is good he will do everything we want him to do. 

Things turned out the opposite and even worse than everything they had hoped sand prayed for. The risen Lord goes after the broken hearted, the disappointed, the confused, and the disenchanted. Jesus is gentle even though they are thinking wrong. He pushes back and confronts their wrong thinking. It is strange that they headed home even though they had heard reports that Jesus might be alive. They are committed to their despair. The weakness of their faith is that they refused to let hope in. If I was on a long walk with Jesus, what would he challenge me on? 

The humility and desire to learn in the disciples is beautiful. For all they know this is a stranger. We struggle in the church with the pride that says, “Are you worth me learning from?” 

The centrality of table fellowship is profound. 

1. It was crazy and maybe offensive for Jesus to take the role of breaking bread at the table. 

2. Jesus is mirroring the first meal. Eve took the fruit ate it and shared it with her husband and their eyes were opened. Sin entered the world through a meal. Jesus inaugurates his Kingdom with a meal and the disciples eyes were opened. 

3. Jesus made himself known in the breaking of the bread.