The Journey to Emmaus.
I. We see in this appearance something very characteristic of our Lord's habits and ways. During His lifetime His disciples and followers were always craving for publicity and display. He was always retiring from too much of that, carrying on His work as quietly as possible. How entirely consonant with His whole habit of life are these appearings after the Resurrection.
II. We may see how easily still, in that risen life, He enters into communication with men, how little difficulty He has in joining any company, or any two or three with whom He wishes to be. Thus He consecrates for us our saddest walks, our hardest roads, our longest journeys.
III. This appearance of Christ is like a message of fraternity and Divine regard, especially to plain, simple, ordinary men to what we may call common men, who wear no distinction and possess no advantage whatever, over their fellows. For who were these two men? No one knows anything about them. In all probability there was not much to know, except that they were disciples, that they loved Him. Who may despair of a visit? Who shall dare say, "The Lord has forgotten me"?
IV. We have an instance here of the attractive power of sorrow to Him. They walked and talked and were sad;and thenHe drew near and went with them. He is now in the painless, passionless, glorious life; and yet with the quickness of an immortal instinct, with the certainty belonging to an established affinity He seeks the society of struggling spirits, He gives His presence to sorrowing souls.
V. This, however, we must observe that it is not to every kind of trouble and sadness that He grants immediate assuagement.
A. Raleigh, The Way to the City,p. 394.
References: Luke 24:13-15. H. W. Beecher, Sermons,1870, p. 324; C. Stanford, From Calvary to Olivet,p. 192.Luke 24:13-22. Preacher's Monthly,vol. i., p. 463.Luke 24:13-32. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. v., p. 165; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iii., p. 232, Luke 24:13-35. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. xii., p. 210; Clergyman's Magazine,vol. ii., p. 214.Luke 24:15. A. A. Ramsay, Christian World Pulpit;vol. vi., p. 284.Luke 24:16. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xx., No. 1180, Ibid., Evening by Evening,p. 305.