Bible Study – Known in the Breaking of the Bread
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
“I have seen the Lord!” exclaimed Mary Magdalene. At first she does not recognize who is standing beside her. When she realizes it is the risen Jesus she wants to grasp him. He holds her off and tells her to go and share what has happened: He has walked through death and has created a path for us to follow, now and on through our own death.
In these 50 days of Easter, celebrating what Jesus has done for us, we are invited to recognize Jesus standing beside us, as he did with Mary. What is he calling us to do? Perhaps we can train our eyes to look in the direction of Jesus, standing beside us is looking. What might he be looking at? Do we dare follow where he is leading? Can we notice and honor the various ways Jesus “appears” to people?
The master teacher walks with the two dejected disciples. He listens. He asks leading questions. He waits for the teachable moment to offer information. And it is in the breaking of the bread that they realize who it is that has come among them.
Opening Prayer: Thank you, God, that Jesus shows up when we least expect him. Amen
Please open your Bibles to Luke 24:13-35 and read or read the scriptures below.
Luke 24:13-35
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Questions: (Answers at the bottom of the page)
- Where are the two men going in verse 13?
- Why do you think the two did not recognize Jesus at first?
- Why do you think Jesus waited so long to answer their worried questions?
- What did the men explain to the man they did not recognize as Jesus? (verse 24)
- Why do you think Jesus was just going to walk on? (Verse 28).
- When do the two realize that their companion is Jesus? (Verse 31)
- What do they do then?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on url)
The Resurrection of Jesus: Luke 24 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb24Lk1Oh5M
Lumo Project Gospel of Luke Chapter 24:13-35 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbaiT8m2M4
Activities:
Journal: Pretend to be one of the people who walked to Emmaus which have NOT yet seen Jesus. Write your story in your journal. (Examples: Who did you think this man was when he joined you? Why do you think you did not recognize Jesus right away? What kinds of things did you tell him? When did you begin to suspect he was someone special? (Verse 32) When were you sure it was Jesus? (Verse 31)
Eye Seeing Chart: Make an EYE CHART, similar to one in an eye doctor’s office. The letters on the first line will be BIG, the letters on the second line will be a little smaller, and the letter on the 3rd line will be a little smaller. The TITLE might be “SEEING JESUS”. Suggestions: JESUS HELPS US TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND OUR LIVES, or JESUS HELPS ME UNDERSTAND MOR CLEARLY WHEN I AM CONFUSED OR JESUS HELPS ME SEE THAT HE LOVES ME AND THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR!
Jesus Jewelry: Use letter beads and a bracelet ribbon or plastic thread, to sting a bracelet that can say, FOLLOW JESUS or I SEE JESUS to wear as a witness for Jesus and to tell others about today’s story.
The Walk to Emmaus – Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/the-walk-to-emmaus-1
The Walk to Emmaus - Crossword Puzzle: https://sermons4kids.com/the-walk-to-emmaus
The Walk to Emmaus – Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/the-walk-to-emmaus-3
Found an empty chair and set next to it. Imagine that Jesus is sitting in the chair and silently tell Jesus anything you want to.
Prayer: Thank you, God, that Jesus is known to us in the breaking of the bread. Amen
Answers to the Questions:
- Where are the two men going in verse 13? (To the town of Emmaus seven miles away.)
- Why do you think the two did not recognize Jesus at first? (Mary Magdalene, Peter and John did not recognize him at first, nor did Thomas. His appearance evidently had changed with the Resurrection.)
- Why do you think Jesus waited so long to answer their worried questions? (Perhaps it is because he is a good teacher who listens to find out what people already know and what they are ready to learn.)
- What did the men explain to the man they did not recognize as Jesus? (verse 24)
- Why do you think Jesus was just going to walk on? (Verse 28. It seems that Jesus waits to be invited in.)
- When do the two realize that their companion is Jesus? (Verse 31)
- What do they do then? (They rush back the seven miles to Jerusalem to tell the 11 disciples that they have seen Jesus.)
