Rotation.org Writing Team

EMMAUS

STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Story: Luke 24:13-35
Key/Memory Verse: Luke 24:30-31

PURPOSE

In this workshop the children will hear the story of two disciples meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus. The children will also experience the story through other senses. They will respond by spending some time in meditative prayer.

Objective(s) for Rotation

By the end of the Rotation, the children will be able to:

• locate the story in the Gospel of Luke;
  
• retell the Emmaus Story;
  
• say the memory verse;
  
• understand that Jesus revealed himself in breaking the bread and continues to be revealed in communion.
  

Objectives for Storytelling Workshop

By the end of the Workshop, the children will be able to:

• identify the relationship between prophecies in the Hebrew Scripture and how God fulfilled them in Jesus' birth, life, ministry, and death. and resurrection;
  
• explore our response of evangelism: when our hearts burn within us, we must go and tell; we can do no other!
  

PREPARATION

Read Bible Background.

Materials List

• Artwork (select two or three pieces to show the walking with Jesus and the breaking the bread) such as:
  

* American: Christ on the Road to Emmaus, c. 1725/1730 http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pinfo?Object=50410+0+none
* The Supper at Emmaus, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1648. Louvre, http://www.louvre.fr/anglais/collec/peint/inv1739/peint_f.htm
* Hanna Cheriyan Varghese - Malaysia: Their Eyes Were Opened http://www.asianchristianart.org/profile/HVarghese/pages/hanna13.html
* The Road to Emmaus and Supper at Emmaus, by He Qi, China, http://www.heqiarts.com/gallery/gallery3/pages/16-The-Road-to-Emmaus.htm http://www.heqiarts.com/gallery/gallery3/pages/14-SupperAtEmmaus.html

These and other Emmaus artworks can be found at http://textweek.com/art/Emmaus.htm.

• Bible(s)
  
• Bread (if the bread baking in the machine won't be finished in time to be eaten)
  
• Bread machine and ingredients for making bread
  
• CD of water sounds/music (or some other sort of meditative and reflective music)
  
• CD player
  
• Chairs
  
• Dictionary
  
• Paper
  
• Printer (for artwork)
  
• Script for story
  
• Table
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

Print out the pictures for display, print them on overheads and display them that way, or put them into PowerPoint and project them on a screen or wall.

If possible, start the bread machine early enough so that the bread will be done in time to be eaten in class. If your Sunday morning schedule does not allow for this, start the bread machine early enough so that the scent of baking bread will be enjoyed by all, and purchase (or bake in advance) another loaf of bread.

Decide where you will go walking. This will depend on where your church is and what the weather is like. If you have a large class, you may want to split into two groups for the walk and gather for the bread breaking and Dig activities.

Learn the memory verse and learn the sign language to go with it (instructions included).
Become familiar enough with the story so that you can tell the story while walking with minimal need to refer to your notes. Make sure you practice reading/telling the story with lots of feeling -- there is both great sadness and great joy in the story.

Put prophecy passages on cards for the older children to read or mark them in the Bible. Include passages such as: Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14, Zechariah 9:9, Psalm 118:22, Psalm 41:9, Psalm 16:10, and Psalm 78:2.

Set the room up with table and chairs and bread or set up an extra room (your destination when walking) with the table and chairs and bread.

Coordinate with co-teacher or shepherd which of you will do and tell/read what. (If you normally only have one adult in the room, consider whether or not you will need to recruit someone to help.)

PRESENTATION

Open - Introduction

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with prayer.

Explain the purpose of this workshop: Today you will experience a bit of the walk to Emmaus with some of Jesus' friends after his death.

Scripture/Bible Story

Reading the scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Show the children how to find Luke near the beginning of the New Testament. Explain that the New Testament is the stories and letters that relate to Jesus' life and death and resurrection and the things that take place after that. It is in the back part of the Bible and begins with the four Gospels -- the Good News stories about Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

After all of the children have found the passage, have them close their Bibles and set them aside. Tell them you will be reading the story as they listen and experience it.

Tell the story verse by verse to make sure the children understand the story using the props and sensory experiences as indicated in the following script. If there are unfamiliar words, explain them. (If you aren't sure if a word is familiar, ask the children what the word means. You may be surprised that some things which you think the children understand, they have no idea what it means. Have a dictionary handy and use it if necessary so that the children will know that even adults need help understanding and clarifying some things.)

SCRIPT FOR STORYTELLING THE EMMAUS JOURNEY

Today's story takes place on the third day after Jesus was crucified. Does anyone know what we call that day? [Easter]

[Before you start reading, tell the class you are going on a journey and ask them to stay with you (or their shepherd if you are splitting into smaller groups) and walk quietly and listen. Turn off the lights as you leave the room if this is where you will return to break bread.
Read the following verses as you walk to someplace you can sit and talk -- maybe down the hall or maybe back to the same room -- it depends on your church facility and grounds.]

13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?"

[If your walk is longer than the above scripture passage, stop reading at the end of verse 16 and talk about what sorts of things they may have been talking about (crucifixion, women alleging Jesus is still alive), how the walkers might have felt, and possible reasons why they did not recognize Jesus. After you read verse 17, sit down to listen to the next reading. Or stand, as indicated in the scripture if you are with older children who seem REALLY focused on the experience.]

They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" 19 He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him."

[Ask the children, "Do you think these two travelers believed that the women saw angels and that Jesus is alive?"]

25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"

[Walk to the extra space or back to the classroom with the table and chairs and bread and bread smell. Again, keep the children grouped together or split into two groups and listening as you continue to read/tell the following scripture.]

27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them.

[Sit down at tables and chairs. Lights still off.]

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

[Teacher takes bread, holds it up as if blessing it, breaks off small pieces, and pass some to everyone. If possible, one teacher should read while the other one does the actions.]

31 Then their eyes were opened,

[Turn on lights!]

and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"

[Have everyone drop their bread (if not done eating) and ‘run' (walk fast) back to the original classroom (or down the hall and back if you only have the one room).]

33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

[Tell everyone you pass in the hallway "The Lord is risen indeed!" and all shout it together one you have returned to your classroom.]

Dig - Main Content

After this retelling of the story with the sensory objects, answer any questions the children have.

Discuss: As Jesus walked with the two disciples, "beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures." (Luke 24:27) What do you think this means?

Let's take a look at some of the scriptures Jesus may have talked about. Read:

Micah 5:2
Isaiah 7:14
Zechariah 9:9
Psalm 118:22
Psalm 41:9
Psalm 16:10
Psalm 78:2

Discuss each one and how it was fulfilled.

Reflect - Closure

Say, "We are not likely to meet Jesus in person on the Road to Emmaus someday. But one way we can meet Jesus is to meditate and reflect and pray. Today we will try meditating with music (or other soothing noise) in the background. Listen, and when I stop the music, you can tell me about what you heard and thought. Sit comfortably. It's okay to close your eyes, as long as you stay quiet and keep your hands to yourself."

"Think about the time we spent talking and listening. Look at the pictures from the story. Think about how Jesus taught his friends. Smell the bread. Think about how the broken bread reminds us of how Jesus died for us, just as he told his friends to break bread and remember him. Taste the bread and think about what Jesus' love tastes like."

[Let them eat bread, listen, look, smell, and meditate for 3-5 minutes.]

"Tell me now, what did you hear? What did you feel? What do you think?" [Allow time for all who wish to respond to do so. Accept all responses.]

"Remember how excited the travelers were when they realized they broke bread with Jesus? Remember how they ran all the way back to Jerusalem! Who can you tell about your experience meeting Jesus today? What will you tell them?"

Review the memory verse

Teach the children the memory verse using American Sign Language:

"When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight." Luke 24:30-31 (NRSV)

HE The pronouns he, she, and it are indicated in signs by pointing to the side or pointing directly to the person or object being referred to.

TABLE The arms are resting on top of a table.

TOOK (TAKE) The hand reaches out and grabs something as it moves across the front of the body.

BREAD* Place the left hand before the body, fingers pointing right; draw the little finger side of the right hand down the back of the left hand several times, as if slicing a loaf of bread.*

BLESSED The hands mimic the action of blessing someone.

BROKE (BREAK) The hands mimic the act of breaking a stick.

GAVE (GIVE) The hands move forward to represent giving something away.

EYES The eyes are indicated.

OPENED The hands move apart to show that something is opening.

RECOGNIZED The sign NOTICE is made with an R handshape. (NOTICE: The forefinger points to the eye and then to the palm to indicate that something has been spotted (noticed).)

VANISHED The forefinger represents something or someone. When it moves away from between the fingers of the other hand it is conveying the concept of disappearing.

Most of these signs are from the American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm. You can see the signs demonstrated there.

The sign for 'bread' was not there and is from Talk to the Deaf by Lottie Riekehof.

Closing prayer

Dear God, help us to find you in the quiet places in our hearts, even when our lives are noisy. Help us to set aside time to know you and love your son and follow your Spirit's guidance as we witness to all around us your saving Grace in Jesus. Amen.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

If your church has a labyrinth, adapt the lesson and use it for the walking or for the meditation or both.

Journaling: The discussion following the meditation can be replaced by journaling. Older children can write about their response to the meditation time (what did they hear/feel/think?). Younger children can write/dictate words to answer: What can you say about this story after your meditation experience? What words pop into your head?

You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas are included in the lesson plan. Be ready with the younger children especially to move on to something different if they seem restless.

Adaptations - Older Children

Print the prophecy passages out or mark them in Bibles so the children can read them to the class.

SOURCES

American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

Riekehof, Lottie L. Talk to the Deaf. Springfield, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1963.

Springler, Suzie. DCE, Parkway Presbyterian Church, Metairie, Louisiana. She provided many ideas for praying with scents and savors and talking with children about prayer and quiet time.

Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1991. Messianic Prophecies and Fulfillments chart.

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. All rights reserved.

CONTRIBUTOR: Amy Crane