The resurrection of Jesus is well verified historically. Importantly, the resurrection is the ultimate validation of Jesus’s authority, restoring spiritual vision and enabling believers to see the world through God’s missional perspective. To build on this, after the resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days, appearing to and speaking with His closest disciples and many of His other followers.

The prophecy and the fulfilment of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection were not hidden from the disciples. Yet, sadly, the two disciples travelling along Emmaus Road not only refused to accept His Word as the Gospel truth, but they also mistook His mission (Lk 24:13-35). Thus, the Emmaus Road is not just a story about blindness and sight, but it is about curable blindness. Spiritual blindness leads many people and churches to mistake Jesus’ mission, just as the two disciples were blind to the Risen Christ (v. 16).

Spiritual blindness prevents people from truly understanding salvation or applying it personally. Those affected may hear the truth, but lack the vision to grasp its meaning, leading to disbelief, pride, and ignorance. This leads individuals and churches to misinterpret Jesus’ mission by distorting His kingdom and authority, focusing on earthly or political power as the disciples did on the road to Emmaus.

Expectation shapes perceptions, as evidenced in the disciples’ story. Their expectation shaped their limited perception of Jesus. So close but very far, hence their unbelief hid the Lord Jesus from their eyes. Specifically, the disciples, in their spiritual blindness, were expecting a political liberator rather than a resurrected spiritual King of kings and Lord of lords.

Similarly, John Newton, in the ‘Amazing Grace,’ captured the problem of spiritual blindness when he wrote, ‘I once was blind, but now I see.’ In this light, resurrection is about God’s grace in Jesus Christ, opening eyes, especially in the church.

The disciples’ spiritual blindness reflects the struggle many people and churches face today. Like the two disciples whose eyes were restrained from seeing their Master, many today are unable to recognise Jesus’ true presence and significance.

What could have restrained the disciples’ eyes (vision)? One possible explanation is the grief and sorrow over the loss of their Master. In the same way, many are in deep sorrow today over the loss of their loved ones; as a result, their sorrow unsettles their judgment, beliefs, and clear vision. There are tears that prevent people from seeing the truth.

Unbelief not only hid Jesus from the disciples’ eyes, but ignorance also restrained them. They failed just as many are failing today to ‘see what is plain enough in Scripture, that the Messiah must suffer, bleed, and die. They had their sacred books and yet were so little acquainted with their real meaning.

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The scales of ignorance, pride, and unbelief still blind many. The cure comes when the Holy Spirit opens our understanding to receive Scripture and see Jesus Christ as He truly is, a precious treasure in God’s word.

Beloved, have your eyes ever been opened to who Jesus is and what He has done for you? Do you know that Jesus walks with you and talks with you? Can you testify to Jesus’ presence in your life? Do you have fellowship with Jesus? Has your experience with Jesus been so real, so moving, so life-changing that it has caused you to tell others about Him? Today, let us not remain passive. Take a step forward: share your testimony, seek deeper fellowship, and invite Jesus’ transformative presence into your daily life. What will you do with Jesus now? Decide to act now and make Him known.

Let us prayerfully affirm and sing together one of the hymns by Charles Wesley:

1 Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2 Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3 Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

5 Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!

Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!

Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!

Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

6 King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!

Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!

Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!

Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia! ‘ – Charles Wesley