Eyes Opened on the Road to Emmaus

The resurrection of Jesus conquered death and transformed lives. One of my favorite Bible passages is in Luke 24:13-35 and occurs immediately after Jesus' resurrection. It describes two disciples, discouraged and disoriented after the crucifixion, walking along a dusty road to Emmaus. As they are talking, they encounter the risen Christ.

At first, they didn't recognize him. But Jesus helped build their faith by explaining and revealing the truth of the Messiah as written by the prophets in the Scriptures. Did you catch that? Jesus revealed the truth to the blinded eyes of the disciples by examining the Bible. This is how we can know the truth today in a deception-filled world.

In the evening, Jesus agreed to stay with them, and during supper, he took bread, blessed it, and broke it. It was only at the moment of the breaking of the bread that their eyes were opened, and they realized they were with the risen Christ. I love the following verse when they say to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened the Scriptures?" (Luke 24:32).

After this time with the risen Christ, the disciples went into action. Jesus transformed their grief into a mission, and he's still doing that with us today. He's opening eyes, setting captives free, and reminding us to go and share the good news with others.

The resurrection transforms our eternity, understanding, direction, and purpose. We gain knowledge by studying the Scriptures. This is why I teach verse-by-verse through the Bible and include prophecy updates at the beginning of most of our services. It is essential to examine current events in the light of Biblical truth. This is exactly what Jesus modeled to us on the road to Emmaus!

This Sunday, we continue our series on Spiritual Warfare with Modern Satanism—Part 2: Why Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll Matter. In contrast to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways darkness influences our culture, we will explore how Jesus' resurrection sets us free from deception. We are called to walk in truth, purity, and purpose.