The name Emmaus Road comes from the
24th chapter of Luke. On the day that Jesus rose from the dead 2 men were
walking home from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Luke records what happened to them
saying, "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." So here these two guys are, walking home after
having spent the week in Jerusalem and having seen Jesus receive worship from
the crowds, clear the temple of the money changers, and ultimately be put to
death by Pontius Pilate. So on their way home, they begin talking about
the tragedy of Jesus' murder.
Then, "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. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel."
So we see that these men thought that Jesus was "a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God" and how they had hopped that Jesus would be the one to "redeem Israel." So now, their hope is crushed. The one that they had hoped would be their savior was put to death. Jesus then responded to them saying, “'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
So Jesus walks
with them, spending the entire seven miles teaching them everything that the
prophets had written about himself. The interesting thing is that these
men were very educated in the Scriptures but they had never seen that what the
prophets were really writing about was Jesus. Considering that the average
person walks about 3 miles per hour, Jesus spent over two hours teaching them
about the Old Testament Scriptures and how what was written, was about
him. This is the heartbeat of Emmaus Road Church. Our desire is to
teach and expound on the Scriptures in such a way that those who hear
will see Jesus as he truly is, and when they see him, that they would look to
him as Savior, Redeemer, Friend, Lord, God, Price of Peace, and Sovereign
King.
Luke finishes the story of the walk to Emmaus by writing, "So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, 'Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'"
There were many people walking back to Emmaus that day, but only two were partakers of the glory of Jesus Christ. Likewise, there are many on this road of life, but not all will get to know Jesus, to see him, know him and learn from him. This is our prayer. That as we look into the Scriptures, that we would see Jesus in all things, and that our hearts would burn within us. Come join us on the walk. May our hearts burn!
