Our eyes were opened. Again.

A call to worship.

Themes

Emmaus Road • Easter • Sight • Bent • The Risen Lord • Hearts set on fire • The Source of Life • Recognizing Jesus

In Emmaus, on the first Easter morning, God opened our eyes again, and we knew — not ourselves — but we knew Him. And God launched us into something entirely new.

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Scripture reading

Luke 24

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This call to worship¹ continues the Easter story.

On that same day, 
two of them were walking to the village Emmaus. 

They were deep in conversation, 
going over all these things 
that had happened. 

In the middle of their talk, 
Jesus came up 
and walked along with them. 

But they were not able 
to recognize who He was. 

He asked, 
“What’s this you’re discussing 
so intently as you walk along?”

One of them responded, 
“Are you the only one 
in Jerusalem 
who hasn’t heard 
what’s happened 
during the last few days?”

He asked, 
“What has happened?”

They said, 
“The things that happened 
to Jesus the Nazarene...”

Then he started at the beginning, 
with the Books of Moses, 
and went on through all the Prophets, 
pointing out everything 
in the Scriptures 
that referred to Him.

They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. 

“Stay and have supper with us. 
It’s nearly evening; 
the day is done.” 

So He went in with them. 
And here is what happened: 
He sat down at the table with them. 
Taking the bread, 
He blessed 
and broke 
and gave it to them. 

At that moment, 
open-eyed, 
wide-eyed, 
they recognized Him. 

And then He disappeared.

And back and forth they talked. 
“Didn’t we feel on fire 
as He conversed with us 
on the road, 
as He opened up the Scriptures for us?”

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Prayer

Father, since our eating in the garden, 
when our eyes were opened,
and we knew ourselves
and we saw our shortcomings
and we covered ourselves in shame
and we bent ourselves away 
from the Tree of Life,
and we felt capable of determining 
what is good 
and what isn't for ourselves... 
since then, we have stumbled 
endlessly and painfully 
through our choices day after day.  

But in Emmaus, Father,
on the first Easter morning,
You opened our eyes again, 
and we knew — not ourselves — 
but we knew Him 
and You launched us 
into something entirely new. 

You bent us back 
and we become new people — 
people aligned with Your good plan. 
No longer with Adam's failed plan — 
the plan where we thought 
we could be like You. 

Thank You, Father. 
We’ve experienced the Risen Lord;
He is no longer in the grave. 
Today we get to hear again 
what your scriptures mean. 
We get to have our hearts set on fire. 
We get to eat again 
from The True Source of Life. 

We get to break bread, 
and see clearly, again. 
We get to encounter something 
of Your character and purpose.
Father, open our eyes 
and awaken our faith this morning. 
Move us from non-recognition, 
from cloudy recognition, 
to fully recognizing Jesus again.   

In the name of Him 
who offered Himself, 
and restored our source of life, 
Amen.

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1. This call to worship was given to the small assembly of Christians who gathered at Pathway Church, Beaverdam, Michigan, on Sunday, April 4, 2021.