Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35
The children will learn:
- The story ofwhat happened on the road to Emmaus.
- That the two menon the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus when He was walking right beside them.
- That we need to recognize how Jesus is always with us.
Object Lesson
Supplies:
copies of “Hidden Pictures” game
pencils
Go to the link below and choose a couple of the “Hidden Pictures” puzzles to print off. The kids don’t have to have the same puzzle. The object is to find all the objects pictured in the margins that are hidden somewhere in the picture. If you like, they can circle the things they find.
We had to look hard to find some of the objects in the Hidden Pictures game. Sometimes, we need to look closely to see Jesus at work in our own lives! Today, we’re going to learn how Jesus was walking right beside two men, and they didn’t even recognize Him. Sometimes, Jesus is working right in front of our eyes and we don’t see Him clearly. Let’s listen in and hear about a road trip to a village called Emmaus.
Bible Account
Supplies:
biblical costume
The storyteller will burst into the room, short of breath, and filled with excitement!
Oh good! I’m so glad I found you all gathered here! I have the most amazing story to tell you! You’re not going to believe who I just spent the day with! He’s alive! He came back to life! (Approach a child, grab his hands, and speak directly to his face.) Jesus! Jesus rose from the dead! I saw Him with my own eyes! I touched Him with my hands! I heard Him with my own ears!
(Speak to the entire group again.) You see…after Jesus died on the cross, Cleopasand I were walking to the village of Emmaus. We were talking about Jesus—His wonderful miracles and our hope that He was our Savior. Oh, how I hoped that He was the One! We were also talking about how disappointed and sad we were over His death. All of a sudden, almost out of nowhere, a man started walking on the road with us. It was Jesus…only we didn’t know it was Jesus! I know this sounds crazy, but it was almost like He was DISGUISED or that our eyes disguised Him! We did not recognize Him!
This man who approached us could see that we were upset and he asked us what we were talking about.Cleopas asked him if he was the only person in Jerusalem who hadn’t heard about Jesus on the cross! Duh! We couldn’t believe that this man hadn’t heard what everyone else was talking about. This stranger then asked us to tell him about Jesus, soI told him all about Jesus’ power, the great way that He spoke, and the miracles He performed.
(Keeping voice filled with excitement.) This man, who I didn’t know was Jesus, just listened to me and Cleopas. He didn’t interrupt us. He just wanted to know what we knew about Jesus. So I also told him how some women went to visit Jesus’ tomb earlier this morning and couldn’t find His body! I even told Him that the women saw angels at Jesus’ tomb.
Then, this man started to tell us how foolish Cleopas and I were. Right as we were walking to Emmaus, he started to explain the scriptures to us. He told us how Jesus fulfilled all of the promises of God, starting with the story of Moses. He showed us how all of the old writings are about Him. My heart was on fire as He explained the Scriptures to us!
Now, keep in mind, we still didn’t know that we were walking with Jesus. But this man taught us with great authority and wisdom, so we invited Him to stay with us when we arrived in Emmaus. We asked him to eat with us, and when this man sat at our table, (act out the following as you speak) he took bread, (look up) gave thanks, then he broke it and gave it to us. (Speak with great joy!) That is when our eyes were opened and we recognized Him! He didn’t appear to be in a disguise any longer. We could see that it was Him… it was Jesus!
(Speak in amazement and snap your fingers.) And as quick as that, He was gone. He just disappeared from our sight. Listen up! It’s true! Every word I’ve said is true! I was so excited that I immediately ran all 7 miles back to Jerusalem! (panting, out of breath) That’s why I ran to find all of you—to tell you that I have seen Him! Jesus is alive!
Small Group Time –
- Break up into two groups.
- Have snack and water ready and take to your group time.
- One group can stay inside, the other go out to picnic table. Put most distracted group inside
- Ask questions below!
- Take prayer requests using request booklet- Our hands we fold, our heads we bow, so we can talk to God right now!
Questions and Answers
- Where were the two people walking?
(to the village of Emmaus)
- What were the two people talking about on the road to Emmaus?
(everything that had happened to Jesus)
- Who joined the two people walking on the road?
(Jesus)
- Did the men recognize Jesus when he joined them?
(no)
- What did the two men tell Jesus about what the women found at the tomb?
(It was empty and the women saw angels.)
- The two men asked Jesus to stay with them. What did Jesus do at the table?
(broke bread, gave thanks, and gave bread to the men)
- What did the men suddenly realize after Jesus broke the bread?
(It was Jesus!)
- Once Jesus was gone, what did the men do?
(ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell the others what had happened)
Science Experiment
Supplies:
true goldenrod paper
ammonia
vinegar
cotton balls
whitetaper candle
Beforehand, use a white taper candle to write “Jesus” in big wide letters across a piece of goldenrod paper and make a simple outline of a man’s face. (Make sure you get good goldenrod paper and not just a gold-colored paper.)
As the three men walked along, from Jerusalem to Emmaus, did the two original men have any idea that Jesus had joined them? They didn’t recognize Him, because Jesus had not allowed them to know who He was. He was keeping hidden. When did the men realize that Jesus had been with them all this time? When He broke the bread, they knew it was Jesus!
Dip a cotton ball in some ammonia and squeeze it out REALLY good. Then, start at the top of the paper and stroke the cotton ball from side to side across the paper. As you work your way down the paper, the paper will turn a reddish color, but the name of Jesus and the face will appear.
Maybe it was the words He said as He broke the bread … maybe they had heard those words at their last supper together. Maybe it was the way He held the bread and the way He tore it apart that made something click in their heads. There was something about Jesus breaking the bread that made them recognize Him.
After the paper has had a few minutes to dry from the ammonia, dip a fresh cotton ball in some vinegar and squeeze out the excess. Wipe it across the paper and watch the letters and face fade.
As soon as the men recognized Jesus when He broke the bread, He disappeared. How do you think they felt at that moment? What do you think they said to one another?
As with all science experiments, make sure you try them beforehand to check your supplies and timing.
Message
Supplies:
white board
dry erase marker
The people walking to Emmaus were sad with their faces looking at the ground, and they didn’t recognize Jesus. All they could think about was Jesus dying on the cross. They felt awful! When something terrible happens, it’s easy to put our heads down and feel awful. We tend to focus on the bad things instead of believing what the Bible says and trusting in God.
But the Word of God—the Bible—says that He will go with us … ALWAYS! That doesn’t mean that God will be with us on Sundays only … or that He only shows up when there’s a party … or that He’ll be with you only when you’re praying. Nope! He’s with you 24/7, Monday through Friday and the weekends, and He doesn’t take off on holidays or go on vacation! He is with you ALWAYS! Through the good, through the bad, through the fun, through the frustration, through the celebrations, through the angry times, through the problems, and every other “throughs” you can think of.
What if we made a list of the good things that God has done for us? I think that would help us see how He has been with us in the past, and it would give us hope that He will be with us in tough times too. Make a list right now, not just of things that you’re thankful for, but how God has helped you and the children through some challenging times. (Examples: God sent my teacher to me with kind words and a nice hug when my grandma died. God helped me put the right words together to apologize to my friend. I watched a daughter gently help her sick mother out of the car.)
Look at all of these times God has been with us! He gives me hope to know that He will be with me, not just the next time, but ALL of the time! Instruct the kids to look up and say, “I will look up with hope!” Then, they will look down and say, “Keep me from doubting You, Lord.” Then, lift your heads again and say, “I willlook up with hope!” Do this several times.
Object Lesson
Supplies:
eye chart
tape
eye patch
lab coat
Beforehand, make a copy of the eye chart at the end of the lesson and tape it to a wall. The leader will put on the lab coat and play the role of an eye doctor … in an extravagant way. (If you have an optometrist in your church, then definitely ask him/her to do this element of the lesson!) Place a chair 15 feet from the chart where the “patient” will sit for the exam. Choose a child to be the patient and cover one eye with an eye patch. Determine which row of symbols the child can recognize. Test the child’s other eye by switching the eye patch. Give several children the exam and make the activity more interesting by adjusting the distance the chair is from the chart for a few “patients.”
My patients recognized the larger pictures easier than the smaller pictures. Susie had to really focus hard to recognize the bottom three rows. The people on the road to Emmaus had Jesus right next to them and they could not see Him clearly. Sometimes,it’s real easy to see God working in our lives, but we’ve got to look or we’ll miss seeing God doing awesome stuff—God sightings!
Prayer
Supplies:
masking tape
Create a “road to Emmaus” out of masking tape down the center of the lesson area or on a large wall. Make the road long and curvy with a dotted centerline so the children will immediately recognize it as a road.
We have learned today that God is working in our lives and is always with us! What an awesome feeling that is! We also talked about God sightings. Every time you take a step on our road, give thanks to God for being so active in your life.
Pray out loud over each child as they take a turn walking down the road.Jesus, thank you for being so active in Madison’s life. Open her eyes to you, just like you opened the eyes of the two men on the road to Emmaus. Help her recognize you more. Amen.
Blessing
May you keep your eyes open for God sightings!
Skit
Supplies:
bandage wrap for actor’s leg
table
chair
telephone
plate of food
The actor is sitting at a table explaining to the children the difficult situation he is in. The actor has his injured leg propped up on the table, and it is wrapped up with bandages. A telephone is on the table beside the injured actor, along with a Bible that is opened to James 1:17. The actor’s voice is sad and his face is downcast.
Hello guys. I’m totally bummed out here today. I was playing flag football with my friends, and I jumped up to get a pass from the quarterback. It was an awesome play, except I came down wrong on my ankle. My buddies took me to the doctor and I’m sitting here waiting for a call back from his office telling me the bad results. Boy, does this stink! The worst part is that I was just at church yesterday and my Sunday school teacher was telling me that God is always with me, and that He is always at work in my life. Well, if that’s true…why am I stuck here with my probably broken ankle up in the air in all of this pain? Where’s God in this situation?
(Doorbell rings. Sarcastically speaks.) Oh great. Perfect timing…not! Now I gotta try to hobble to the door without hurting myself any worse. (Actor hobbles over and opens a pretend door. On the other side of the door is a plate full of food.) What? There’s no one here. (Looks down and sees the plate of food. Still sounding very negative.) Food? Who brought me food? Well, I am hungry, even if my ankle is killing me. (Actor picks up the plate and hobbles back to the table and starts to eat. Speaking to the children again.) Like I was saying…I am disappointed in God. At church, my teacher tells me that God is working in my life and I feel like He’s not even noticing me here with my bummed ankle!
(Telephone rings.) Oh! Give me some rest, would ya? First the doorbell and now the telephone! (Answers phone.) Hello? Oh, hello doctor. Give me the bad news. (Actor listens to the doctor.) So it’s not broken and I don’t have to have surgery? (Listens some more.) Oh man! But I still have to stay off of it for four days? That’s terrible news! (Actor hangs up the telephone and grumbles to the children again.) See what I mean? Where is God in my situation? I have to stay off of my ankle for four whole days!
(The telephone rings again.) Not again! Who’s trying to bother me now? Hello? Oh…hey Jimmy. Yeah, it does hurt pretty badly. I’m stuck here for four days without moving. (Listens to Jimmy.) Sure, I’ll take some of your movies to watch while I’m waiting for my ankle to heal. See ya in a little bit, Jimmy. (Hangs up phone and looks up at the ceiling in frustration.) God! Where are You? (Actor notices Bible on the table and pulls it near him.) Let’s see what Youhave to say for Yourself. (The Bible is open to James 1:17 and the verse is highlighted.) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. Good gift! What good gifts am I seeing? (The actor freezes and the discussion begins.)
Our guy here reminds me of the two men walking on the road to Emmaus. This guy is so busy grumbling with his face down that he doesn’t even notice the “good things” God is doing in his life. He is so focused on the bad stuff that he missed recognizing how God was helping him!
- What God sightings did you see in this guy’s situation? (plate of food, ankle was not broken and he didn’t need surgery, friend bringing movies, and God spoke to him through His Word)
Craft
Supplies:
white paper
white crayon or white taper candle
bowl
water
food coloring
bread loaf
tablecloth
Beforehand, write the word Jesus in large letters on the white paper using a white crayon (or you can use a white taper candle). Make a page for each child. Slice a loaf of hard crusted bread—a baguette of French bread is a great size and hardness. Cover any work tables with a plastic tablecloth.
Give each child a paper and a slice of bread. In a bowl, mix a small amount of water with a couple drops of food coloring. Let the children paint their page using the bread as their paintbrush! (The less water in the bowl, the harder the bread will remain as they paint. If there is a deep amount of water, the kids will dip, dunk, and hold it in there until the bread disintegrates!) As they paint the letters will begin to appear.
Be sure to test the craft ahead of time. Some crayons have more wax and work really well. Others don’t show up at all.
The two people walking to Emmaus couldn’t see Jesus was right there in front of them. You had the letters for Jesus right in front of you on your paper, but couldn’t see them! It wasn’t until Jesus broke the bread, that they recognized Him. The bread helped us to see Jesus on our papers too!