The story in Luke chapter 24 is the inspiration for Emmaus Road Ministries. Read on to understand what we are all about.

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road,
and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32

The Biblical Story

 It is the Sunday afternoon of the resurrection day. Two disciples are hurrying along the road to their home in Emmaus, a village about 12 kilometers from Jerusalem.

As they walk along talking about the events of the past few days Jesus Himself approaches, but they do not know it is Him. As they walk together, Jesus begins to “open the Word of God to them.” He explains the prophecies and scripture as they relate to Him and His death, burial, and resurrection. 

The story ends when they invite Jesus to share the evening meal and, as He blessed the bread, broke it, and handed it to them, their eyes were opened to the revelation of who He was. He then disappears from their sight. Once the disciples got over their shock at the revelation of Jesus they exclaimed,  “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the scriptures to us?”

They immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the disciples there of their encounter. Luke tells us, “And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.”

The entire Emmaus Road experience was not just about getting some Biblical knowledge. It was about spiritual revelation. The wording is the key to understanding the significance of this passage. Jesus “opened the scriptures to them.” Although they obviously had known the scriptures all their lives, they did not understand them. They needed revelation. He revealed Himself in the breaking of bread. Prophetically speaking Jesus was the “Bread of Life,” the “Manna from Heaven. It was His own brokenness on the cross that brought revelation to the world. It was in this symbolic act He chose the reveal Himself. It wasn’t in the expounding of scripture they knew Him, it was in the fellowship of breaking bread.

Then there is this phrase, “Did our hearts not burn within us….?” When was the last time your heart burned when you heard a sermon or studied the Bible? The lack of spiritual passion is evident in much preaching. We need our hearts to burn once again with revelation knowledge. Finally, we see that they testified to, “All that had happened on the road to Emmaus.”

Revelation not Information

The Road to Emmaus was not about Biblical knowledge, it was about Biblical revelation. There is a major difference. I will tell you what I tell every class of students in the first 5 minutes of the first class of every semester. Paul admonishes us not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). Paul contrast two ideas: conformation and transformation. Conformation is simply changing the outward appearance of things. Like clay can be shaped and reshaped by applying external pressure. No matter what the design, the clay is still clay. On the other hand, transformation changes the very nature of things. Jesus’s first miracle was one of transformation. He changed water to wine. Have you ever wondered why this would be His introductory miracle? It is simple. This is the purpose of His ministry – to transform lives. Jesus didn’t pour flavoring into the water, He transformed it into the very best wine. God does not want to conform you to some religious experience, He wants to transform you into the image of Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit. Information produces conformation. Revelation produces transformation. Many religious institutions, including denominations, Bible schools, and ministries are working hard to give Biblical information with the intent of producing religious conformation. It sounds like this, “We will tell you what to believe and we want you to conform to it.” If you do, they will give you a piece of paper saying you agree with them. On the other hand, Biblical revelation will produce spiritual transformation.

Our Commitment to Training

Emmaus Road Institute was founded on the commitment to lead people to experience Jesus for themselves. To walk with Jesus and have Him “open the scriptures,” no matter who is doing the teaching. We want you to experience revelation from God’s Word and be transformed in the process. We want you to fellowship with Jesus, breaking the bread of life and feeding on the hidden manna of heaven. We want you to go out into all the world and tell everyone what happened to you “on the road.” This is our commitment!