are deep in a discussion with each other. The discussion seem to be intense, for three different words are used to describe it “conversed” (homiloun) (v. 14), “reasoned” (suzetein) (v 15) which suggests strong debate and “conversation” (antiballete) (v. 17) which has the idea of throwing words back and forth like a ball. In their bewilderment they were tossing ideas back and forth about what they had learned, heard and understood – and what it all meant in the light of the latest development, Jesus’ death.

Jesus asks them what they are discussing and why they are so obviously sad. In asking this question Jesus allowed these disciples to express their deepest hurts, angers and frustrations. Why did Jesus draw near to two obscure disciples? We can take heart today in the fact that Jesus often made His most remarkable revelations to the least remarkable people. Here we see two people who are never heard of before and never seen again after this. Which just points out there are no unimportant people to Jesus.

As Jesus joins these two disciples He knew their hearts and knew their needs. But he still asked them a leading question, and gave them opportunity to pour out their confusion and disappointment. He has not changed. He will still draw near to us and listen as we tell him what troubles us.

Cleopas is amazed and with great irony says, “You’ve got to be the only guy in Jerusalme who doesn’t know what has happened the last few days?”

Jesus responds to Cleopas by saying, “What things.

At that moment these two disciples were living a past tense faith. In the remainder of verse nineteen through twenty-one they list all the things Jesus was. "…About Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priest and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him.”
He was Jesus the Nazarene…
He was a prophet…
He was mighty in deeds…
He was mighty in words…
He was loved by the common people…
He was hated by the religious leadership..
He was crucified…

They summed up their condition very neatly when they said in verse twenty-one, but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”

Notice the use of the past tense, “we had hoped,” which strongly implies that this was not relevant to the present or they would not have so discouraged and distressed. The saddest death of all has to be the death of hope. They had hoped but now the flame of hope was all but extinguished as made clear as Cleopas continues,

And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

Discouragement can cause us too live In the Past And…

3. Third, Discouragement can cause us to question God’s Love and care. (vv. 25-33)

We might have expected Jesus to respond by saying, “I understand.” But in verse twenty-five He says, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”

When He says they were slow to believe “all” that the prophets had spoken, it indicated that the