Ordinary People with Extraordinary Experiences

Luke 24:13-36

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”  ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted 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.

Two ordinary men walking down the road were about to have an extraordinary experience.  As they were walking a man appeared to them wondering what they were so intently talking about.  As the events are told, these men, followers of Christ reveal what little they really knew about the Christ.  They said He was a prophet and that He was powerful in word and deed before God and people.  They only had a hope that He was the One that had come to save them.  They were downcast because in their eyes their hope had just be crucified and now they need to decide what they are going to do next.

I don’t know anything about these men except that they must have been followers of Christ.  They weren’t among those closest to Jesus but I would imagine they listened to His words on more than one occasion.  They believed He was a great man but their eyes were not opened to who He really was.  He explained to them all about the scriptures that spoke of the Messiah and yet they still did not realize that He was right there beside them.  It was not until they broke bread that they realized it was Him and then He disappeared.

Have you ever wanted to kick yourself because of a missed opportunity?  I would imagine this is how these men must have felt after they realized they had the opportunity to bow down and worship the King of kings and yet they had not realized who He was among them.  After He left they realized how their hearts had been burning yet they were not listening to their hearts as He talked to them and explained the scriptures to them. 

Once these men realized who they had spoken to they quickly made the seven mile trip back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples.  Remember, they walked seven miles, ate, and then returned seven miles to get back to the disciples.  They had some news that they could not wait to share with the others.   

These were ordinary men that Jesus appeared to.  These were men that had sat under His instruction and really believed He was a good man, a prophet, and had hope that He was their King.  Yet, they did not yet realize that He was the Son of God that came to save.

My question to you today is this, “Do you believe?”  Have you sat and listened to the Word being proclaimed yet didn’t recognize the Christ?  Have you experienced His mighty hand and been witness to His greatness yet when troubles come you become downcast and begin to grumble and complain about your circumstances?   We are all ordinary people and we most likely have been downcast from time to time but when we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us and we can have extraordinary experiences through Christ.  Recognize Him for who He is, don’t be like these men who found that they had been in the presence of God and had not even realized it until He was gone.

Seek Him and know that He is God.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila