The Road To Emmaus

Sunday 27th April 2025

Even though Easter was a whole week ago, this story takes place on the same day – Easter Sunday. Everything was so confused. The disciples had thought Jesus had come as the Messiah to be the ruler of Israel again but then he was crucified which seemed like a complete failure of his mission. Some of the women had reported that the tomb was empty, which was fantastical, and women weren’t to be believed anyway. But then Peter reported the same thing…no one knew quite what to make of the situation. Was there any hope? Had something miraculous just occurred? Or was it all simply wishful thinking by a group of deluded followers?

Sunday Kids Work Video

Storytelling Video

Things You May Need

  • long pieces of paper (ideally lining paper)

  • marker pens

Questions & Thoughts

Share out some refreshments and enjoy eating and drinking together. Start to talk about the Bible story using these questions:

  • Which part of this story do you like best?

  • What is the most important thing about this story?

  • Why do you think the disciples didn’t recognise Jesus?

  • Do you think they were beginning to suspect who he was when he was telling them about the scriptures?

  • What do you think Jesus was thinking and feeling all the way through this chat?

  • Why did they recognise him when he broke the bread?

  • How do you think the two felt as they ran all the way back to Jerusalem?

  • What do you think they said to the others when they got back to Jerusalem?

Chat & Create

Roll out a long piece of paper (if your family is large, you could use two or more lengths of paper). Space yourselves out along the paper and draw around one of their feet onto the paper. Make sure the first person draws around their right foot, the second their left, etc. to create the footprints of someone walking. You can decorate your footprints too, if you like (and you have time).

As you work, carry on talking about the story and how the two disciples might have felt. What would you have done in the same situation?

Once you have finished, you could reenact the story, with two people walking along your footprints and one more person joining them as Jesus.

Worship

These are the worship songs being played in our kids groups this morning, if you wish to listen to the same

Under 5s

  • I trust in Him

  • Jesus I Love You

  • Jesus is Alive (Freeze Dance)

Over 5s

  • To Be Like You

  • Through You, I Can Do Anything

Encounter

Look once again at your footprints and ask yourselves if you have any more thoughts about the story. After a few ideas have been thrown around (or if no one has any at all!), try to find your own footprints and to cut it from the length of paper (though you don’t have to cut around the footprint itself).

Then, reflect on everything you have heard discovered today and write or draw anything your want to remember on and around the footprint.

Come together again and speak if you have anything to share. Finally, say a short prayer thanking God for Jesus and that he is alive.

Growing in Faith

We were still thinking about the Easter story this week, exploring the passage where Jesus meets two of his followers on the road to the village of Emmaus (Luke 24:13–49).

For all Children

Relieve the story using the video your child(ren) watched during the session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3QkZsKLU2o. You could also read it from the Bible (Luke 24:13–49) or a Bible storybook. Think about what you would have done if you were Cleopas and his friend.

  • Keep exploring the Bible passage by using this creative way of retelling the story: https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/search/label/Emmaus.

  • Find a long sheet of paper (such as the back of a long piece of wallpaper) and draw around your feet, to create a long set of footsteps. Decorate the footsteps and as you do, chat about what you would have done if you were Cleopas and his friends. Discuss how you can talk with Jesus as you walk. Use your set of footsteps every day or so to walk along and chat with Jesus.

  • If you can, go for a walk somewhere. As you walk, remind your child(ren) about this story; think about all the things you know about Jesus and chat about them. You might already be walking somewhere – to school or the shops – in which case, chat about the story and Jesus as you go about your day. If you would normally drive everywhere, make a special effort to go for a walk.

  • If you created a prayer journal recently, don’t forget to keep going! You can add in some of the things that your child(ren) and you would like to say about the Easter story – this could be praise and thanks for the life-changing events of Easter!

Other resources