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Walk with me and recognize the Lord by the breaking of the bread - Rev. J van der Licht

Sunday morning, October 19, Holy Communion

📖 Bible passage(s)

• Matthew 22:1-14

🔑In short:

• Two disciples walk away from Jerusalem disappointed, but Jesus joins them and listens. On the way, He opens the Scriptures and their hearts are warmed. At the table, in the breaking of the bread, their eyes are opened and they recognize Him. They return with new courage to share what they have received.
• Walk and listen. Jesus begins with questions and walking along. Faith often does not start with a quick answer, but with closeness. Put your disappointment, questions, and sense of loss into words, and discover that He already knows your story.
• Christ opens the Word and breaks the bread.The Scriptures show that suffering and glory belong together. At the table He is the Host: in the breaking of the bread we recognize the Living One. We do not stop at the sign, but receive true fellowship with Him through the Spirit.

💭 In-depth questions

• What does the road to Emmaus teach us about dealing with disappointment and unanswered questions?
• How does the Word open our hearts, and what do you notice of this on your own journey of faith?
• What happens at the table that causes the disciples to recognize Jesus?
• What step of turning around or witness does this meeting ask of you today?

📌 Practical applications

• After the service, write down one sentence that touched you and place it in a visible spot.
• Pray briefly daily this week: “Lord Jesus, open my eyes today.”
• Send one encouraging message to someone who is having a hard time.

📝 Summary

We walk with the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). Two disciples leave Jerusalem filled with disappointment and confusion. Their expectations have been shattered; what they thought they knew about God and salvation seems to have collapsed. It is precisely on that road that Jesus joins them. He does not begin with judgment or quick solutions, but with questions. He lets them speak, gives space to their pain, and listens. That is the first movement of faith: not that we already understand everything, but that He draws near and slows our pace, so that we can breathe and speak.

Next, He opens the Scriptures. He places their story within the great story of God, in which suffering and glory stand side by side. The cross is not a failure, but the way through which God saves; the resurrection is not a side issue, but the heart of the Gospel. As He speaks, their hearts become warm. This is how the Word works today as well: not only information, but formation; not only explanation, but encounter. When the Word opens, loose puzzle pieces of our lives fall into a larger whole. We discover that God does not meet us only at the finish line, but along the way.

At the meal, the decisive event takes place: the Guest becomes the Host. In the breaking of the bread, their eyes are opened and they recognize Him. The signs do not refer to themselves, but to the Living One who gives Himself. In reading together and eating together, the Gospel comes near: Christ Himself shares what He has accomplished. Therefore, we do not get stuck at the visible, but receive true fellowship with Him through the Spirit. Whoever comes to the table with open hands tastes something of that peace: forgiveness becomes personal, hope becomes tangible, and unity is practiced.

That recognition sets them in motion. They immediately turn back to Jerusalem to share what they have seen and heard. Receiving becomes mission: we seek to let what the Word ignited in our hearts and what was confirmed at the table work its way into everyday life. This begins small: a prayer, a listening ear, a simple act of mercy, but it breathes the great hope of the Risen One. Thus we learn to walk in His presence: we bring our questions to Him, we allow our hearts to be opened by the Scriptures, we recognize Him at the table, and we rise with new courage. In His peace we move forward, to let others partake in what we have received.

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