(This is a script for a video I am going to record, but I hope you enjoy reading it. )

Hi Kids ( and grownups) ! I’m glad you’re here today to learn about God with me. First I have a question for you! Have you ever been very excited about something that you had to wait for for a long time and you were expecting it to happen a certain way, but it didn’t go that way and you felt sad? Maybe you were excited about your birthday and were expecting to have a big party and get a certain present that you just KNEW that your mom was going to give you. Then your birthday came and you went to your mom and asked ‘When is my party?” but mom said, no, I never said we were having a party this year. So you said, oh when do I get my present ? You got me what I wanted, right? But then she told you that no, she did not buy that gift that you were hoping for. Wow! I bet that would be very disappointing! You would be very sad. But what if your mom was actually going to give you something even better? That is kinda like what happened to the two men in our story today. They were expecting one thing, but they didn’t get it. But what they got was even better!

Our story comes from the book of Luke, chapter 24. The Bible tells us that on the third day after Jesus was crucified, the day that Jesus came alive and left the tomb, there were two men walking together who felt very sad. The women had told them that Jesus was alive, but they did not understand how that could be true since they knew he had been crucified. They didn’t believe it. They were walking down the road from Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus when another man joined them. This man was Jesus! :O But they did not know it was Jesus. God prevented them from knowing. The man asked them what they were talking about and they were surprised and said, are you the only one who doesn’t know that Jesus was crucified? Now some women say he is risen again. Jesus told them they were foolish because they should have know what the prophets said, that Jesus would die and come alive again! As they walked he told them all about what Moses and the prophets had taught about him. When they got to the town the men asked Jesus to stay with them. Jesus said he would. As they sat down to eat together, Jesus thanked God for the food, then he took the bread and broke it and gave them each a piece. Suddenly, they knew! This man was Jesus! He had been with them all the time! And at that very moment Jesus disappeared from their sight. But now the men weren’t sad anymore! They were happy and excited because Jesus was alive again! They hurried back to Jerusalem, which was 7 miles away, because they had to tell their friends the good news! :)This was way better than Jesus being a prophet. Now they understood that Jesus was the Messiah, and he had the power to overcome death! He was alive. God was with them! They had thought Jesus was going to be a King , like a regular human King, and that they would no longer be under the control of the Romans, but this was much better. Jesus could forgive their sins and give them eternal life with him. They rejoiced with their friends that Jesus is Risen!

🙂 Today we learned that Jesus cares about us and wants us to know him. He wants us to know that he is alive and that he conquered death so that we can have eternal life with him. He knows when we are having trouble understanding the Bible and he is kind to us by sending his holy spirit to help us understand . When we truly seek Him, he will not turn us away because he loves us. Will you spend time getting to know Jesus better? How can you do that? You can pray and read your Bible and talk about God with your parents when you have questions. Jesus wants to spend time with you every day.

Isn’t that wonderful? 🙂

I hope you enjoyed learning about the story of the men who were sad but aren’t sad anymore.

Let’s say a prayer together before we say goodbye.

Dear Lord thank you for showing yourself to us, for loving us, and for dying for us. We are happy that you are alive! Amen.
Bye now! 🙂

Here is the scripture passage that this study was based on.

The Resurrection

Luke 24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵ And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ⁸ And they remembered his words, ⁹ and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹ but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹² But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹ but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Notes: When I first read this passage, I found it confusing and odd. What did it mean? Why did Jesus hide himself? Why did he take time to go over the scriptures with them? I had to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help. I also did some research online. What I found is that after he was resurrected, there was not a sudden celebration. Even though the women believed he had risen, his disciples and other followers still thought that he was gone for good. This was even after he had TOLD them specifically that he was going to be killed and that he would come back. And he referred to Moses and the prophecies about him. But they still did not REALLY understand. Even Peter was surprised! Jesus knew this and he took special care to show himself to various people, including these men who were on the road to Emmaus. He knew their hearts and that they had expected him to save them from Rome, not save them from death. They are really no different from any skeptic or non-believer. They needed Jesus to reveal himself to them and open their eyes, just like we do. He says that if we KNOCK the door will be opened, if we SEEK Him, we will find him. He will not turn us away. Even though we don’t understand it all, he is there waiting to show us the way. Jesus is a LOVING SAVIOR! He died and rose again and defeated Satan so that we can have eternal life with him. We who believe do not have to fear death. Will you seek him today?