When Jesus Walks With Discouraged Disciples: Learning to Read the Bible With Hope

Posted on Jan 5, 2026 in Sermon Thoughts |

Learning to Read the Bible With Hope, Humility, and Expectation

Cleopas and another disciple were walking away from Jerusalem after the worst week of their lives. These were not characters frozen in stained glass. They were devastated disciples. Their hopes were crushed. Their theology was gasping for air. As far as they were concerned, hope had vanished, so they headed home.

They had watched Jesus of Nazareth die. This was the one they hoped was God’s anointed Messiah, the redeemer of Israel. They had imagined freedom from Roman oppression, restoration for God’s people, and the arrival of God’s kingdom. Instead, their dreams were shattered and scattered like debris in the road behind them.

To make matters worse, Jesus’ tomb was empty. Either His body had been stolen and desecrated, or the women were telling the truth and Jesus was alive. Neither option made much sense. As they walked, they replayed the last three days, debating the meaning of it all, when a stranger joined them on the road.

He asked what they were discussing.

Cleopas was stunned that this man seemed unaware of the events that had dominated Jerusalem. So he explained. Jesus was a prophet from Nazareth. Their leaders had sentenced Him to death and crucified Him. They had hoped He was the Messiah. And now, three days later, angels, empty tombs, and rumors of resurrection had only deepened their confusion.

That is when the stranger said something bold. He rebuked them.

Luke 24:25–26
“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’”

Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained how the Scriptures pointed to the Messiah.

Hours later, the three arrived in Emmaus. The stranger intended to continue on, but the disciples urged him to stay. As they reclined at the table, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. In that moment, their eyes were opened. This was no stranger. This was the risen Jesus.

And then He vanished.

Immediately, they turned back toward Jerusalem, walking through the darkness with hearts burning and mouths full of good news. Jesus was alive. They had seen Him. They had seen Him in the Scriptures.

God Speaks to Real People in Real History

Scripture is not a novel. It is not a collection of moral tales floating above history. Cleopas and his friend were real people who lived in the first century under Roman occupation. They felt political pressure, religious corruption, and deep personal disappointment.

Luke 24:21
“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

That sentence carries weight. These men longed for deliverance, and they were crushed by sorrow and confusion. They were not faithless robots. They had emotions, expectations, and fears, and those expectations shaped how they read the Bible.

Jesus did not mock their hope for deliverance. He corrected it. He expanded it. God’s Word was written to real people with real expectations, facing real danger and real suffering. No matter what is weighing on your heart, you will find someone in Scripture who felt something strikingly similar, because God speaks to real people in a real world.

Remove the historicity from Scripture and Christianity collapses into inspirational fiction. But if Jesus truly entered history, truly suffered, truly died, and truly rose, then He truly reigns, and He demands a response.

Jesus does not invite you to believe a myth.

He entered the world as a real baby. He grew into a real carpenter with calloused hands. He walked dusty roads, touched broken people, wept real tears, felt real thorns pressed into His brow, and gasped for real air on the cross. And when death could not hold Him, He won a real victory.

That reality means your suffering, fear, grief, and doubt are not beyond His reach. Christianity is not escapism. We are real people with real problems, and Jesus Christ, the real Savior, offers real hope.

Confused Disciples and Open Scriptures

These disciples were confused and discouraged, and Jesus responded by opening the Scriptures. He showed them Himself in God’s Word, and their hearts burned with joy.

That is how we should come to the Bible.

Expect to see Christ. Expect to be corrected. Expect to be comforted. Submit yourself to Him so that your heart can be warmed as He walks beside you.

Some of you are intimidated by the Bible. Some are discouraged by past attempts to read it. Some feel dull, as though Scripture no longer stirs affection for God. Those are exactly the kinds of disciples Jesus met on the road. He walks with the confused and discouraged, and He still warms hearts through His Word.

Practical Pointers for Reading the Bible Well

Let me offer some practical help.

First, look for meaning by paying attention to words and structure.

Meaning is often found in repeated words, ideas, and dialogue. When you read a narrative, focus on what people say and what the narrator emphasizes. Conversations matter. Key statements matter. In poetry and the New Testament letters, repetition often signals importance. Ask yourself, “What keeps showing up?”

Second, distinguish meaning from application.

Meaning answers the question, “What did this text mean to its original audience?” Application answers, “How should I respond?” Application often flows from verbs, commands, and calls to action. In Luke 24, the disciples encounter Jesus and then go tell others. That response is exemplary. At the same time, not every action in Scripture should be copied. Some behaviors are warnings rather than models. Wisdom means learning the difference.

Third, read with gospel power in view.

Obedience flows from grace, not guilt. You read the Bible as someone who has been freed from the power of sin by a Savior who died for you, rose for you, and now walks with you. You are not reading alone. Philippians 1:6 is still true.

Fourth, read slowly and repeatedly.

Depth often comes through familiarity. Do not rush for coverage at the expense of comprehension. It is better to know one book well than many books vaguely. Ask good questions. Re-read difficult sections. Let clarity build over time.

Fifth, read prayerfully and expectantly.

Ask God to help you see what is there, not what you want to find. Ask Him to shape your desires, correct your assumptions, and grow your love for Christ. Scripture is not a puzzle to conquer but a means by which God speaks.

Encouragement for the Long Haul

You do not have to understand the whole Bible in a year. Reading the Bible in a year is a wonderful goal, but it is not the only faithful option. Some should push themselves to try. Others should force themselves to slow down.

Here is an alternative. Consider knowing the Bible in seven years.

Read one book at a time, all the way through, then start over and read it again. Read Genesis multiple times until you begin to see its structure, themes, and forward-looking hope. Then move on to Exodus. Over time, the Bible becomes familiar territory rather than foreign ground.

Nate Pickowicz has outlined this approach in a short, encouraging book called How to Eat Your Bible. It is simple, realistic, and helpful, and it offers a clear plan for growing in biblical understanding over time.

A Pastoral Call for 2026

As we step into 2026, let me offer a loving challenge.

Commit yourself to loving God by giving yourself to His Word. Read it. Sit under it. Obey it. Do not approach Scripture merely to feel informed or inspired. Come ready to be shaped, corrected, comforted, and changed.

Jesus walks with His people through His Word. He meets discouraged disciples on ordinary roads. And as He opens the Scriptures, He still causes hearts to burn.

Make this the year you give yourself to hearing God speak and responding with joyful obedience.

2026.01.04 / How To Know Your Bible / Pastor Daniel Steeves