The Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35 New Testament PrincipleHope
On the first Easter afternoon, two of Jesus' followers walked sadly from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. They thought their hope had died with Jesus. Jesus Himself came and walked with them, but they didn't recognize Him. He explained how all the Scriptures, from Moses to the prophets, pointed to Him. When He broke bread at their table, they suddenly saw it was Jesus! They ran back to Jerusalem to tell everyone. God's Word gives us hope because it shows us Jesus.
Our hope rests on Jesus, who died and rose just as God's Word promised. When we feel hopeless, we can open the Scriptures and find Him there.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 BSB
The Big Story · Redemption
The whole Old Testament points forward to a Savior who would suffer and then enter His glory. On Easter, God kept every promise in Jesus, and the risen Lord opened His followers' eyes to see it.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: Who's there?
- Theo’s Workshop (build challenge): The seven-mile road
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Walk to Emmaus
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
Jesus is alive! I have hope!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Walk and sit, Color the walk
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
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Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
On the first Easter, two of Jesus' friends walked sadly home to a village called Emmaus. They thought Jesus was gone, and their hope was gone too. Jesus came and walked with them, but they didn't know it was Him! He showed them how God's Word said all this would happen. When He broke bread at supper, they knew it was Jesus. They ran back to tell everyone. Jesus gives us hope!
Memory verse
“Through … the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”
Adapted from Romans 15:4
Start here
Ask, "Have you ever been so sad that you didn't notice what was going on around you?" Let a few kids share. Say, "Today two friends were so sad, they didn't even notice who was walking right next to them!"
Bible story 6 min
It was Sunday, three days after Jesus died on the cross. That morning, some women had found His tomb empty. But no one believed them.
That afternoon, two of Jesus' friends walked from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. One was named Cleopas. They were very sad.
Then Jesus came and walked with them! But God kept them from knowing it was Him. "What are you talking about?" He asked. They stopped. Their faces were sad.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Act it out 10 min
You’ll need: A loaf of bread or a paper bread shape
- Choose Cleopas, his friend and Jesus. Everyone else is the disciples in Jerusalem.
- Act out the skit. Walk slowly around the room for the road.
- Switch so more kids get a turn.
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3rd – 4th grade
On Easter afternoon, two of Jesus' followers walked toward Emmaus, crushed because they thought Jesus' death meant the end of their hope. The risen Jesus walked with them, unrecognized, and showed them from Moses and all the Prophets that the Messiah had to suffer and then enter His glory. When He broke bread, their eyes were opened. They raced back to Jerusalem with the news. The Scriptures point to Jesus, and they give us hope.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Signposts to Jesus, Walk to Emmaus
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at school, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Two disciples left Jerusalem on Easter afternoon with their hope in the past tense. "We had hoped." The risen Jesus joined them unrecognized, rebuked their slowness to believe the prophets, and taught them from Moses and all the Prophets that the Messiah had to suffer and then enter His glory. At the table, He broke bread, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. Luke shows that the whole Old Testament is about Jesus, and Paul says the Scriptures were written so that we might have hope.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Moses, Prophets and Psalms, We had hoped
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, with friends, online and on screens
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Hope
The same principle in other Bible stories.
In the BeginningThe First Sin and God’s PromiseGenesis 3:1-24Sin broke God's good world, but God came looking for His people and promised a Rescuer.Old TestamentHope
Jesus Raises LazarusJohn 11:1-53Jesus' friend Lazarus got sick and died. When Jesus came, He cried with Lazarus's sisters. Then He stood at the tomb and called, "Lazarus, come out!" and Lazarus walked out alive. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, so we have hope even when someone dies.New TestamentHope
The Church BeginsJesus Makes All Things NewRevelation 21:1-7; Revelation 22:1-5, 20; Genesis 2:8-10God showed John a vision of the future. Jesus will make a new heaven and a new earth, with no more tears, sickness or death. God will live with His people forever, and they will see His face.New TestamentHope
Jesus the KingJesus Is Alive!Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18On the third day, the women found Jesus' tomb empty. Angels said, "He is not here; He has risen!" Jesus is alive, and because He lives we have hope.New TestamentHope
Get Up and Walk: Jesus Heals at the Pool of BethesdaJohn 5:1-15In Jerusalem there was a pool called Bethesda, with five covered walkways where many sick people lay. One man had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him and asked, "Do you want to get well?" The man said no one would help him into the water when it was stirred. Jesus didn't take him to the pool. He said, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." At once the man was healed! Our hope isn't in a pool or a helper. Our hope is in Jesus.New TestamentHope
Elijah Hears the Gentle Whisper1 Kings 19:1-21After God sent fire on Mount Carmel, Queen Jezebel threatened Elijah, and he ran away, tired and afraid. He felt so hopeless that he wanted to give up. God sent an angel with food and let him rest. Then on Mount Horeb, God came to him, not in a wind, an earthquake or a fire, but in a gentle whisper. God gave Elijah new hope, new work and a new friend.Old TestamentHope