The ‘Road to Emmaus’ is one of my absolute favorite biblical accounts.

I like it so much, I think you should read it first before you listen to anything I have to say.

So, this man, this Jesus, whom the disciples had assumed was their Rescuer went from dead to dead and missing. Faith shook.

Two of the disciples were traveling the road from the town in which Jesus was laid to rest to the town called Emmaus. I think you’ll start to see why this is one of my favorite accounts.

Luke 24:15 - Jesus comes strolling up alongside His disciples, who do not recognize Him, and asks what they are talking about, even though He knows they are talking about Him.

Luke 24:16 – Jesus uses His invisibility cloak, sort of.

Luke 24:17 – The disciples are sad, missing their friend and teacher. The wave of grief crashes in.

Luke 24:18 – Cleopas tells the God of the Universe that He must be living under a rock.

Luke 24:19 - The disciples tell Jesus all the details they know about His own crucifixion and death.

This man they walked so many roads with they did not recognize. I wonder how often this happens in our own life. We can even be speaking to Him in prayer, yet we have a hard time seeing His presence.

It was not until He broke bread with them that they recognized who He was and is. He revealed Himself to them, and in that moment, they knew. Likewise, Jesus reveals Himself to us in His Word, and sometimes all we can do is recite what we know.

What do we know about Jesus?

He was a prophet mighty in word and deeds, yet also God.

He was condemned to death by religious leaders.

He died and on the third day rose again.

He is our Rescuer.

We can say it has been years since His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, yet we

wait on Him.

He is our Hope.

He’s my favorite.

Some times we just have to say it:

Jesus is my favorite.

This is how ministry happens. His Word, what He has revealed, what we know coming out of our mouths, for our own sakes, and for the sake of those we walk alongside. When we are driving to school, when we are doing our jobs, when we are grocery shopping, when we visit a neighbor - we talk to people about what we know about Jesus and Jesus reveals Himself more and more to us along each of our roads.

Deuteronomy 6 talks about this chatting-and-conversing-on-our-roads kind of process:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

With whom are you called to share what you know on the roads you are walking?

The story goes that the reformer, Martin Luther, was questioned by a shoemaker about what he should do for God now that he had discovered the Gospel of Jesus. Should he go on a pilgrimage? Should he become a monk? Should he go and see the relics? What did God need from him now? Our culture may not be into pilgrimages, but we are pretty into mission trips, Christian t-shirts, and Instagram posts with Bibles and lattes. (If you’re really progressive, Bibles and beer.) Jesus doesn’t need us to do any of that though. Your road does not have to lead to seminary to tell what you know.

Luther’s response was simple. Luther told him to go home and make good shoes. Mission trips are good. Christian t-shirts, also good. But God will use you right where you are on whatever road you find yourself walking.

The Christian life is much simpler than we make it. Simple does not mean easy. Simple means simple. We tell others what we know. Often, we need to also tell ourselves what we know. We won’t have all the answers, for them or for us. We learn about Him, we talk about Him, and Jesus does the job of revealing Himself to people on the road.

And when we break bread with Him, as we meet with Him and talk with Him, Word open, hands out ready to receive, our eyes are opened and we see glimpses of Him, until we see Him face-to-face.

Now, tell me that’s not your favorite.

Next up - The Red Shirt Road

In the Meantime - In the comments, tell us anything about Jesus that makes Him your favorite