On Communion and Recognition

 

Yesterday, I was talking to a good friend about the experience of finding something new each time we go through Scripture.  I try to do a reading plan each year that takes me through the text, and this morning (in Luke 24), I read of Jesus joining a couple of men as they were walking to Aims, a village about 7 miles from Jerusalem. Only Luke shares this story. It was the Sunday night after Jesus’ resurrection was discovered on Easter morning.  About 18 months ago, Judi and I got to walk on a preserved/restored section of the actual Emmaus road in Israel.  

Luke describes the conversation, which I assume we know about because it had been repeated repeatedly in 1st century gatherings.  The two men were discussing the resurrection and its implications when Jesus began walking with them. They didn’t recognize Him. I’ll type it again, because that is my revelation–they didn’t recognize Him. Verse 16 says, “but they were kept from recognizing him.” It is possible that God prevented them from recognizing Jesus. It is possible that they were exhausted, distracted and distraught (and it was getting dark) and they just didn’t put the pieces together. It is possible that as they walked, they were looking more at the road and where they were going than to study the face of a stranger. Luke assumes that they should have recognized Jesus–he mentions one of them by name and in proximity links them with the resurrection events. 

But they didn’t recognize Him. Not even after “...beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (v.27). Not even after they got off the road and into their house. But watch this in v.30-31:

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 

When they sat at the table. When Jesus repeated the actions in the Upper Room from the past Thursday. With communion is recognition. The truths He shared on the road about the significance of His coming did not bring recognition. Maybe we might call that head knowledge. The personal relationship opened their eyes. We might call that heart knowledge. 

Even after the resurrection, Jesus “stood among them” (Luke 24:36) and “then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (v.46). 

There are times when we are exhausted, distracted, and distraught. There are times when the darkness seems to be creeping toward us. I wrestle with the thought that glory comes through suffering. I confess that sometimes I try to figure things out on my own rather than to sit with Jesus over the wine and bread of communion. It shouldn’t surprise us all that much. He did tell us we would share in His suffering, and that communion would remind of His sacrifice. He did tell the disciples to take communion to remember Him. He did tell us that communion was one way to proclaim His grace. 

I had to sit on this for a minute. I love to study the Word. I will fill my head with stuff to ponder and preach. I make outlines and lists, collect stories and background. But like the disciples on the Aims road, I am “slow of heart” if I don’t sit with Jesus in order to understand all that the Scripture says about him. But I will recognize Jesus in my presence when I stop and commune with Him. I will then know Him, not just know about Him.