Read Luke 24:13–35
Questions from the Scripture text: How many of whom were traveling where (Luke 24:13)? What were they doing on the way (Luke 24:14)? Who drew near (Luke 24:15)? What did He do? What was done to them, with what result (Luke 24:16)? What did Jesus ask (Luke 24:17)? What did He note about them? Who answered (Luke 24:18)? What does he ask? With what question does Jesus respond (Luke 24:19)? What did they call Jesus? What did they say had been done to Him by whom (Luke 24:20)? But what had they hoped (Luke 24:21)? And why do they think this hope has disappointed? To whom does he refer in Luke 24:22? What does he say they had done? By saying what (Luke 24:23)? And had others done (Luke 24:24)? What does Jesus say about them for this (Luke 24:25)? What does He ask (Luke 24:26)? Where does He begin in Luke 24:27? And through how many of the Spirit-inspired books of the Old Testament does He take them? What does He specifically explain? To where do they draw near (Luke 24:28)? What does He indicate? But how do they respond in Luke 24:29? What are they doing in Luke 24:30? What does He do? What happens to their eyes (Luke 24:31)? What doe they know? And what happens to Him? What do they ask one another (Luke 24:32)? What do they do when (Luke 24:33)? Where do they go? Whom do they find? Whom else? What do the disciples in Jerusalem tell them (Luke 24:34)? And what do Cleopas and his friend tell them (Luke 24:35a)? What detail really stuck out to them (verse 35b)?
Sometimes the Scriptures catch our attention by a surprising response. These disciples seem distressed and disappointed. The initial discussion is pretty animated with the “conversing and reasoning” in Luke 24:15. Then their explanation is dejected in Luke 24:19-24 with the “But we were hoping” of Luke 24:21. To distressed and disappointed disciples, we might have expected some sympathy, but Jesus’s response is, “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe!” (Luke 24:25). Surprising.
But often, when what we desire is sympathy, what we need is rebuke. While they were incredulous that Jesus didn’t seem to understand them, their real problem was that they had not understood His Word.
And if we haven’t seen that the Bible is about Christ—Christ crucified and Christ glorified—then we haven’t understood His Word either. That’s what the whole Bible is about: “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets […] all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).
“If only I could see Jesus.”
Well, Jesus was there. But what they needed was to hear Jesus (His teaching from all the Scriptures) and for Jesus to make Himself known to them in the breaking of the bread. How often we feel like we want a particular experience of Christ, but what we really need is to attend upon His ordinary means! He is the One Whom makes Himself known to us, and He has chosen the means by which to do so. When we are distressed and disappointed, what we need is to believe all that Christ has spoken in His Word and by that Word, together with His sacrament, to know Him.
May His Spirit grant that our hearts would burn within us while He talks to us (Luke 24:32) and that we would know Him in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:35).
Over what have you been distressed and disappointed? What do you need in the midst of that?
Sample prayer: Lord, You filled Your Word with truth about Yourself, Your crucifixion, and Your glory. Forgive us for being foolish and slow of heart to believe. Grant that Your Spirit would make our hearts burn within us at Your Word and make us to know You in the breaking of the bread. For we ask it in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH172 “Speak, O Lord”
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