TEXT: Luke 24:13-35

The wind was still. All was quiet as the two men walked on the road to Emmaus.

“It’s so peaceful today,” said Cleopas. “I’m glad we are away from the crowds in Jerusalem.”

His friend agreed, “Yes, and we can talk now. Everything has been so mixed up. I’m still not sure I understand what’s been happening. But I do know that Jesus died on that cross and . . .”

Hearing footsteps behind them, the two men turned and watched as a Stranger approached. When He caught up with them, they began to talk together. After a moment, He looked at the men’s faces. “You both seem so sad. What is troubling you?”

Cleopas and his friend looked at Him with surprise. “Don’t you know? You must be a stranger in Jerusalem if you haven’t heard of all the things that have been happening there.”

“What things?” the Stranger asked.

“Why, about Jesus of Nazareth!” Cleopas said. “He healed people and taught them with a power that could only come from God. But the chief priests and rulers had Him arrested. Then they crucified Him on a cross.”

“We thought He was the One who would come and free Israel,” explained his friend. “And now it looks like the Romans will still rule.”

“Besides that,” exclaimed Cleopas, “now His body is gone! Some women went to take burial spices to His tomb this morning and found it open – and empty. They said they saw an angel who told them Jesus was alive.”

Then the Stranger began to speak. “Didn’t you understand that this was God’s plan for Jesus, the Savior, to suffer these things?” Then He began to explain what the Scriptures said about the Savior.

Cleopas and his friend listened carefully to the Stranger. They were filled with wonder at what He told them. It seemed like just a short time before the Stranger and the two men arrived at Emmaus. They asked Him to stay and eat with them. At first, it seemed He would travel on, but at last He agreed to join them.

As the Stranger blessed and broke the bread for the evening meal, something wonderful happened. Suddenly the two men knew who He was. He was Jesus! As soon as they recognized Him, Jesus disappeared right before their eyes!

After He was gone, they looked at one another in amazement. “I felt like my heart was burning when He was speaking to us on the road!” exclaimed Cleopas. “He explained the Scriptures so we could really understand them.”

“Let’s hurry back to Jerusalem,” said his friend. “We must tell the others. Come on! Jesus is alive!”

PARENT’S CORNER

This lesson is about Jesus meeting two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. At first they did not recognize Him, but later, after they had sat down to eat together, they realized that He was their Lord.

Use the memory verse as the focus of your time together with your child. Because it compares the Word of God to a lamp, there are many possibilities for visualizing this verse. Have your child count how many lamps (or sources of light) he can find in your house. Talk about why we need light. Use a light to make shadow pictures on the wall. Hide an object in a dark room and let your child look for it with a flashlight.

After spending some time on these activities, read the verse again together. Let your child explain to you why he thinks the Word of God is like a light.