Tuesday 16 October, 2012

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus acts as if to go further but the two disciples urge Him strongly to stay.  They clearly want to engage Him further and are genuinely concerned for His well being.

Jesus stays and has a meal with them.

It intrigues me that Jesus is revealed in the breaking of bread – they had not recognised him physically, nor in His wisdom in explaining the Scriptures but in the breaking of bread.  Of course this was the last thing He had done with the disciples prior to His crucifixion.

Interestingly they then recognised the sense of the Spirit, at least that is what I think they recognised, as they say their hearts were burning.

Of course with such news they could not keep it to themselves – so even though they had insisted that Jesus should not continue to walk in the dark they now got up and went to Jerusalem to share the news!  Jerusalem was inconvenient as well, it was 11km away.  For most people that’s about a 3-4 hour walk!  I wonder what I would have done and I enjoy walking!

The urgency with which they wanted to share the news that Jesus was indeed risen inspires me to take the Gospel to people.  I love the disciples response.  It would be all too easy to throw off at these disciples as being a bit ‘dull’, but when faced with the facts they get going and straight away.

Father, help me to hear your voice and respond with the kind of urgency and dedication that these two disciples did when they heard your voice!

Written by Ps. Richard Botta