Seeing What We Miss

Seeing What We Miss

In Luke 24:13-27 we hear a conversation between Jesus and two confused disciples.
And in this moment, Jesus doesn’t just explain what happened—He shows them how to understand all of Scripture, with Himself at the center.
And that changes how we should read the entire Bible.

The Road to Emmaus
Here we have the story of a walk to Emmaus (pronounced uh·may·uhs).
After the last few days—Jesus arrested, questioned, crucified, and now reports of an empty tomb—these two disciples have a lot to talk about. Even more they don’t understand.
I can relate. Do you ever get confused reading the Bible?
As they walk, something unexpected happens:

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.”
(Luke 24:15–16, ESV)

Jesus is right there with them—and they don’t even realize it.

A Misunderstanding Diagnosed
The two disciples begin explaining everything that has happened. They have the facts—but not the understanding.
Jesus responds:

“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”
(Luke 24:25, ESV)

When you go to the doctor, something is wrong. After the exam, what do you get?
Not usually a hug—you get a diagnosis.
That’s what Jesus is doing here.
“Foolish” is not an insult—it’s a diagnosis.
They have seen the events:
The crucifixion.
The empty tomb.
But they don’t understand what it means.
It’s like an iceberg. What sinks you isn’t what you can see—it’s what’s beneath the surface.
These disciples see the surface, but they are missing the deeper reality.
And Jesus names the real issue:

“…slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”
(Luke 24:25, ESV)

Not some of it.
All of it.
Because the same Scriptures that speak of glory… also speak of suffering.

The Necessity of the Cross
Jesus continues:

“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
(Luke 24:26, ESV)

That word matters: necessary.
This was not an accident.
This was not a failure.
The suffering of Jesus was always part of God’s plan.
The disciples expected a Messiah who would conquer.
But Scripture revealed a Messiah who would suffer before He reigns.

The Whole Bible Points to Jesus
Then comes one of the most remarkable moments in all of Scripture:

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
(Luke 24:27, ESV)

Jesus walks them through the entire Bible and shows them that it all points to Him.
The Bible is not a collection of disconnected stories.
It is one story.
And that story is about Jesus.
The Old Testament points forward to Him.
The New Testament proclaims Him.
These disciples knew the Scriptures—but they missed the meaning.
And we can do the same.
We can know the stories… and miss the Savior.
The Bible is not ultimately about us—it is about Him.

Reading the Bible the Right Way
So what does Jesus do here?
He doesn’t just correct their circumstances—He corrects how they read Scripture.
He shows them the key:
All of Scripture points to Him.
And that matters for us today.
Because we live in a world where:

• Some reject the Bible entirely
• Others accept it—but selectively

We love the promises.
We love the comfort.
We love the blessings.
But we often skip over:

• Suffering
• Sacrifice
• Surrender
• Taking up our cross

And when we build our faith on partial truth, we end up confused when life doesn’t match our expectations.

Three Ways This Changes How We Read the Bible
1. Let Scripture Show You Christ
Start simple: open your Bible.
But don’t begin with, “What does this say about me?”
Start with:
“What does this show me about Jesus?”
From Moses through the Prophets, all of Scripture points to Him.
Then ask:

1. What does this show me about Jesus?
2. Because that’s true about Him, what does that mean for me?

Even a few verses is enough to start.
Jesus walked with those disciples step by step—and He can do the same with you.
2. Believe All of Scripture—Not Just the Parts You Prefer
We can’t just hold onto the parts we like.
Jesus didn’t say they were slow to believe some of what the prophets spoke.
He said all of it.
That includes:

• Comfort and promise
• But also suffering and surrender

Yes, Scripture has been misused at times—and that matters. But the goal of believing all of Scripture is not to win arguments.
It’s to see Christ—and become more like Him.
So ask honestly:
Where am I tempted to edit the Bible?
When my culture, my feelings, and Christ disagree—who do I trust?
3. Let Scripture Shape Your Expectations
The disciples expected glory without suffering.
We often do the same.
We expect:

• Faith to remove struggle
• Life to get easier
• Following Jesus to fix everything

But Scripture shows something different:
Suffering often comes before glory.
Nothing has gone wrong.
God is shaping us to be like Christ—and leading us toward eternal glory.

Closing
Here is the “meat and potatoes” today:
To understand Scripture rightly, we don’t start with ourselves.
We start with Christ.
When He is at the center, everything begins to make sense.
If we read the Bible without Him at the center, we may know the words—but miss the meaning.
So as you walk your own “Emmaus Road” this week—with your questions, your confusion, and your joys:
Open your Bible.
Invite the risen Christ to walk with you.
Ask Him to show you Himself.
Ask Him to help you trust all that He has spoken.
Ask Him to reshape your expectations—especially in suffering or disappointment.
And believe this:
The same Jesus who opened the Scriptures to two slow-hearted disciples loves to do the same for disciples like us today.