When Jesus Walks Beside Your Questions
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, walk with me through my confusion and doubt. Meet me in the places where my understanding falls short and reveal Yourself in ways my heart can recognize even when my mind struggles to believe.
"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem... As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him." Luke 24:13-32 (NIV)
The road to Emmaus was a seven-mile journey, about a two-hour walk. This wasn't a brief encounter but an extended conversation. The two disciples (one named Cleopas, the other unnamed, perhaps Luke's way of inviting us into the story) were processing grief, confusion, and shattered expectations when Jesus joined them.
REFLECT:
Imagine the disappointment these two disciples felt. They had believed Jesus was the Messiah who would redeem Israel. They had watched Him heal the sick, teach with authority, and stand up to religious leaders. Then they watched Him die. Their hopes died with Him. Now, three days later, they were walking away from Jerusalem, literally and figuratively walking away from what they'd believed.
What strikes me most about this story is that Jesus didn't reveal Himself immediately. He walked beside them in their disappointment. He listened to their confusion. He asked questions. "What things?" He prompted, giving them space to voice their grief. Then He did something beautiful: "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." Jesus connected the crimson thread for them, showing them how everything pointed to Him, how suffering and glory were always part of the plan.
Later, when Jesus broke bread with them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. Pastor Carter's message emphasized that moment in the upper room when Jesus broke bread and said, "This is my body broken for you." Now, on the road to Emmaus, that same breaking of bread became the moment of revelation. The resurrection isn't just about Jesus coming back to life, it's about Jesus opening our eyes to see Him in the story we've been living all along. Those two disciples had spent hours with Jesus without recognizing Him, but once their eyes were opened, they said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road?" The fire was there all along; they just needed eyes to see it.
APPLY:
The disciples' hearts were burning while Jesus explained the Scriptures to them. When was the last time your heart burned while reading God's Word? This week, set aside time to read through one of the resurrection accounts (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, or John 20-21) slowly, asking Jesus to open your eyes the way He did for those disciples. Don't rush. Read a few verses at a time, then pause and ask, "What are You showing me here?" Journal what stands out. Let Scripture do what it did on that Emmaus road, set your heart on fire.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Jesus, thank You for walking beside me even when I don't recognize You. Open my eyes to see where You've been present in my confusion, my questions, and my disappointments. Set my heart burning with the truth of who You are and what You've done.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.
CONTINUED READING:
Baptism as Your Next Step
These disciples were walking away from Jerusalem when Jesus met them. They were heading in the wrong direction, yet Jesus pursued them anyway. Maybe you feel like you've been walking away from God, or that you've failed too many times to come back. The beauty of the resurrection is that Jesus pursues us even when we're walking away. Baptism is your moment to turn around, to stop walking away and start walking with Him. pastor. He's been walking beside you all along, waiting for you to recognize Him. If you're ready to make that turn, you can connect with us at pathwayhurch.com/contact or speak with your campus