Road To Emmaus - The Good Samaritan Inn

The Road to Emmaus

The scene: A table in the Inn in Emmaus – with a big sign on the Table saying “The Good Samaritan Inn in Emmaus”

Luke and Cleopas seated around a Table

Cleopas and Luke start talking:

Cleopas: Luke, Where’s he gone – he was standing right there and puff - He just vanished

Luke: That was odd wasn’t it?. We just seemed to bump into him just outside Jerusalem – and got talking. And we didn’t even recognize him

Cleopas Yes, we’d been talking about his death and he asked us what it was all about. You’d have thought we’d recognize him wouldn’t you

Enter Tanya (dressed as modern day waitress) smiling

Tanya: Good evening Gentlemen – I’m Tanya your waitress for this evening – we have on the menu tonight, Rump Steak, Ploughmans, Stilton and Beef Pie, Pork Chops – Cook’s special I really could recommend it (- stops as she sees a look of horror from Cleopas and Luke)

Tanya: Sorry guys , I didn’t realise you are Jews – honest it wasn’t a wind up

By the way where’s your friend gone?

Luke: You know Tanya, you’re not going to believe this.

We met him just outside Jerusalem and started to talk to him.

Cleopas (chimes in): And he didn’t seem to know what’s been going on in Jerusalem this last week

Tanya: And so what HAS been going on in Jerusalem?

Luke: Well you know, Jesus of Nazareth – he was crucified by the Romans. Not that the Romans had anything against him.

It was that crafty of fox Caiaphas, he put them up it it

Tanya: So - someone was crucified. Nothing new about that.

My mother’s second cousin Barabbas was also on death row last week – and I guess he’s been crucified too

Luke: Strange you should mention Barrabbas……

Cleopas (slightly irritated): Luke cut the the chase, Barabbas got off, Tanya.

Any way as we were walking down the road this guy comes and starts talking to us. What are you talking about he said

Luke: We said Haven’t you heard how Jesus was crucified He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.

Cleopas; The Sanhedrin voted the death penalty against him and got the Romans to do their dirty work. We were devastated. We thought he was the Messiah and that he was going to redeem Israel – you know kick the Romans out.

Tanya : Now you mention it – I had heard about Jesus – some sort of miracle worker wasn’t he?

Luke – Yes – that’s right

Any way some of the women who were his disciples came back with the ridiculous story that when they went to the tomb where he’d been laid – you know we Jews can’t leave a body up on the Cross during Passover – they had seen a vision that he was a live

Luke: And a couple of us went and had a look. I looked inside – and the tomb really was empty. It was weird.

Cleopas: Anyway our friend here (or not here anymore!!) starts to explain to us that all through the writings of Moses and the prophets that these things were written about Him before they ever happened.

Luke; And when he said it – didn’t we get a warm glow inside

Tanya: You mean a bit like the “Ready Brek” Advert?

Cleopas (ignoring her): We asked him to join us – and as took the bread, said Grace and broke the bread – we suddenly realised who it was

Tanya : And who was he?

Cleopas: It was Jesus

Tanya’s mouth drops: Are you sure?

Luke and Cleopas: Yes absolutely

Luke; Tanya, sorry we can’t stay – we’ve got to tell out friends. How much do we owe you for the bread and wine

Tanya: That will be £40 boys – we have a minimum cover charge of £20 each during Passover.

Luke and Cleopas leave and when they have left, the narrator says:

How often are we walking along and talking, and have no idea that Jesus is walking along beside us - helping us to understand what is going on?