In 2010 Vision Video released a 32-minute DVD called Road to Emmaus. This should not be confused with one called The Road to Emmaus, which I would not recommend. In just 32 minutes, the presentation created by Vision Video reveals God’s plans from the very beginning of creation to save mankind from the results of his sin. Bruce Marchiano portrays Jesus well. It also stars Simon Provan and Guy Holling as followers of Jesus. The story is built on the passage in Luke 24:13-49. The Bible names one of the followers, Cleopas, but not the other. ​The opening of the presentation shows a montage of scenes from Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion. Then it shifts to the Sunday afternoon following the crucifixion. Two troubled friends who were followers of Jesus are walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

​A “stranger” approaches and asks what they are talking about. The men tell the stranger about the ministry of Jesus that they had witnessed and how different Jesus was from other teachers. They tell Him about the crucifixion and how confused they are about what had happened. They had thought that Jesus was going to rescue the Jews from Roman rule, like Moses rescued the Jews from Egyptian rule.

The Bible says that the stranger chided the two disciples for their failure to believe what the prophets had predicted about Jesus Christ. Luke 24:27 records that the stranger began with “Moses and all the Prophets” and explained what the Scriptures had prophesied about Jesus. (I believe that “Moses and all the Prophets” means the “Books of Law” written by Moses—which are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—and the books written by the prophets, which are referred to as “The Prophets.”) I felt that the scriptwriters did an excellent job of imagining what the stranger explained from Scriptures. In the script, He begins to explain God’s plan from the days of creation. He explains how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb that God used to save Israel from the plague of death in Egypt. He explains how everyone is a sinner and that the only way to meet God’s standard of perfection is through Jesus taking the punishment for their sin. He explains that one day everyone will recognize Jesus Christ as the King of Kings.

Just as in the account in the book of Luke, in the video the stranger takes their invitation to come to their home and stay with them. He sits down to eat with them. The scriptwriter imagines that He speaks to them about eternal life and Heaven while they are at the table. Suddenly, as in the Bible, the two realize that the stranger is Jesus, but He disappears. (One opinion I read stated that possibly when He broke the bread they saw the nail scars on His hands. Luke 24:16 [NIV] tells us that they had been “kept from recognizing him.”) I wonder if Jesus knew that, if they hadn’t been kept from recognizing Him, their excitement over seeing Him alive would have kept them from really listening to the important truths He wanted them to understand about the ways He fulfilled Old Testament Scriptures.

The two followers of Jesus are so excited after recognizing Jesus. They walk down the road and talk about the truths they finally understand. They can’t wait to go and visit the disciples and tell them they have seen Jesus. After they arrive where the disciples are gathered (in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem), there is more excitement. Jesus arrives where they are gathered.

I was very impressed by the way this presentation was put together. It explains so much important truth in such a short time and in such an entertaining and Biblically accurate way. I think it would be great to watch as a part of the Easter celebration. It would be very beneficial for unbelievers to watch, as well as believers. It’s a great way to share the Gospel in a short, interesting way. Currently (at Easter 2021) you can buy the DVD or rent or buy the online presentation. The DVD could be a gift to anyone who has a DVD player. Remember that there is another one that is similar, and be sure to get the one produced by Vision Video. Below I will share a trailer to give you a sample of the presentation.