Road to Emmaus

"As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them." (Luke 24:15)

It strikes me first as funny that Cleopas and his unnamed friend and fellow follower of Jesus didn't think much of this man that suddenly appeared among them on their way to Emmaus. How he managed to be caught up with them is not exactly explained in Scripture. Yet, they don't seem the least bit surprised or taken aback at his presence.

But it strikes me second as very disturbing because their reaction is a portrait of ourselves and our nonchalance at Jesus' arrival on the scene in our own lives. Like our Biblical brothers, our "eyes are kept from recognizing him," and we don't even realize it is Christ that has appeared.

Yet, as he does in Luke, he does today. He remains patient and engaging. He stays with them until they finally "get it."

And I think it's very important to note that in the process, he asks them to answer questions to which he already knows the answer. The God of the universe, who understands all things from before the foundation of the world humbles himself to simple conversation for the sake of conversation. Why?

Were he to simply walk among us as the know-it-all, he would be distanced from us. But instead, he humbles himself to listen in order to draw us into relationship.

Finally, Jesus' followers were significantly impacted by their meeting with him. But it wasn't until after he was gone that they sensed the depth of the experience and were able to articulate it. Similarly, while the mountain top experiences are vital to our spiritual health and renewal, we are actually most effective in our faith when we come down.

That is when the Spirit comes to us and testifies within us and through us to others the Truth we have known and received in our face to face encounter with Christ.