It was time to return home to Emmaus. The walk would take them less than a day. It was about ten miles from Jerusalem, so the trek would give them time to talk about the events of the last few days. Their sandals filled with dust and dirt as they traveled the ancient Roman road across some beautiful country. They would walk through the Judean foothills, see some lush olive trees and maybe stop to admire the landscape as they ate some of the fruit of those same trees. When you take a hike like this, you need to soak in all that surrounds you. You also must take your time.

It wasn’t long before a stranger joined them. He seemed oblivious to what the men were talking about. He’d been there in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. He certainly must’ve heard about the crucifixion of Jesus. It seemed everyone was talking about it even three days after it occurred. The stranger asked questions. The two were taken back. They had just lost a friend to a horrible death. They watched from afar as that friend was nailed to a cross. They watched that friend suffer cruel and savage treatment by the Roman soldiers and the leaders of their own faith. On that Friday, they saw His body transported to the grave of a rich man. They observed the solders roll a stone across the opening to ensure that no one would steal the dead man and continue to spread untrue stories about His resurrection. The were in a state of shock over the grief they were bearing.

Now, as they walked home, dejected, depressed, lost and alone they were talking to someone who didn’t seem to have a clue what happened. At least that was going through their minds as they traveled. The were quiet for a while, not wanting to show their grief. Their state of bereavement also clouded their vision. They didn’t recognize the man walking right beside them.

There was something about the stranger. He seemed to have great knowledge of the ancient prophesies. He was well versed in the commandments that Moses delivered to the Jews. He asked a lot of questions, but He had a lot of answers to offer. He seemed so knowledgeable in the scriptures. He quoted words that began to open their eyes. He possessed a radiance – a glow of sorts – an understanding that far surpassed theirs. The stopped at the Ilan Stream, which winds through the hilly places. They recalled Jesus talking about Living Water, as they cupped their hands and drank from the stream. The water they drank refreshed them for a moment, but it couldn’t quench the thirst for their Messiah.

When they ate together that day, the two men’s eyes were immediately opened. They realized that they were traveling with the risen Savior. Suddenly, Jesus disappeared as quickly as He had first appeared to them. The remaining two were filled with instant excitement. They ran back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples what they had witnessed on that road. The unbelievable had been made known to them, by their Messiah. He truly was the Son of God.

Knowing what we know about our resurrected Jesus, our eyes should be wide open too. Our voices should also be filled with joy over the result of His time on earth. So much so, that we want everyone else to experience the same gratitude. Spread the word. HE IS RISEN!