Luke 24:1-53

When Dr. Luke set out to write his gospel, he explained to his friend Theophilus that he had a specific purpose in mind. In the preface he writes, “I decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:4 niv). When we come to the climax of Luke’s gospel, it is hard for us to imagine how difficult it must have been for the disciples “to know for certain” that Jesus had been raised from dead, given the overwhelming shock and horror of his execution. Even though the women of Galilee had discovered that the tomb was empty and the angels had appeared to them announcing that Jesus was alive, their witness could not overcome the apostles’ despair. Sadly, the apostles dismissed them as being delirious and refused to believe.

In our text today we find that two of the disciples had lost all hope and had taken their leave of the eleven, setting out on the road to their home in Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. “The couple may well have been husband and wife, Cleopas and Mary (John 19:25; ‘Clopas’ there is probably the same person as Cleopas here).”1 Mary was Jesus’ aunt and was among the women who courageously stood with Jesus at the cross. Sometimes life is so painful, we can’t remain in the place of sorrow and so we choose to walk away. I’m reminded of chorus of “Dead Man’s Rope” written by Sting in 2003.

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow

Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow

Walk away in anger, walk away in pain

Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain

So how does God transform death and despair into the certainty of life? How did those first disciples come “to know for certain” that Jesus was raised from the dead? From the Biblical point of view, such knowledge only arises from a personal encounter. In his article on “epiginōskō” E. D. Schmitz observes,

While the Greeks were concerned with detached knowledge and a speculative interest in the metaphysical nature of things, the Old Testament regards knowledge as something which continually arises from personal encounter.2

On a historical level we will see how Jesus’ encounter with the disciples transformed their “sad” and devastated hearts into hearts that “burned” with such love and zeal that they became flaming witnesses to the ends of the earth. On a personal level the story is a model of our transformation. As we begin our journey of faith, the promises of Scripture fan the flame of our expectations and give us high hopes for a bright future. But for many of us, it doesn’t take long before reality “tears our hopes apart,” and “kills the dream we dreamed” (Fantine, Les Miserables).

Like the disciples, we become disillusioned and despondent, unable to recognize Jesus at work in our world. What we need is the Spirit of Jesus to open our eyes and to give us a new lens to unlock the mysteries of life found in Scripture that will set our hearts aflame with the love and light of God’s presence. James encourages us with the promise, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (Jas 4:8). As I’ve been meditating on this story, I asked myself “What were the conditions that made such an encounter possible? What frame of mind and heart do we need to cultivate that allows God to draw near?”

1. “Walking away” to get perspective

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. (Luke 24:13-17 esv)

The first thing to notice is that walking away in sorrow didn’t prevent them from having an encounter with the Lord.