Luke 24
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it,and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
After Jesus had been crucified and buried, these disciples missed out on the greatest matter that ever happened in history. They missed the significance of history’s greatest event, that would never be repeated again. Why did they miss it? Because they looked at their own problems. They had expected Jesus to be king on earth and rule and when He was arrested and killed it did not fit their expectations and so they left their fellow disciples and went home. Their hopes and expectations had been crushed. They never thought that this could’ve happened. Their minds were so overwhelmed that they didn’t even recognize Jesus when He walked and talked with them! It was too much for them.
They lost their focus and deserted those who worshiped God in truth and went their own way.
We too are in danger of missing out on the Lord Jesus if we focus on our own problems, bitterness and disappointments, feeling we have been wronged and so focusing on that.
They would’ve been helped had they stayed with the disciples for the angels appeared to the women to tell them of the resurrection. Peter and John ran to the grave and found it even as the women had said and the grave clothes in such a way that the only explanation was that He had indeed risen from the dead. Peter and John saw the grave clothes lying intact and the head covering folded by itself and they believed. Jesus Himself also appeared to them. They could’ve rejoiced with the disciples, but instead they were alone on their own way.
Jesus had arisen but they were preoccupied with their own loneliness and disappointment.
Don’t be preoccupied with your own disappointments but look to Jesus. Through that you will be strengthened and receive the very encouragement that you need.
Have you met up with confusing things where everything seems wrong and dark?
It was the same with them for they isolated themselves instead of staying with the body of believers.
Their eyes were only opened as they looked to Jesus when He broke the bread. As they looked away from their own problems, He opened their minds to understand the scriptures.
The great thing is that at the moment their eyes were opened and Jesus vanished from their sight, that they got up and ran to Jerusalem to the other disciples! They went back to the place where they should’ve been, to the fellowship of believers. Then the disciples had sweet fellowship together. Previously they were full of vindictiveness and bitterness for they blamed the pharisees for the things done to their Lord.
Let this be a lesson for each one of us, not to go in a path away from our Lord, but that we be where He wants us to be. May this word be precious to you that your eyes be focused on Jesus. He only can help you in your troubles.
Their cold hearts were made warm by the words of the Lord.