The Road To Emmaus; An LDS Easter Program for Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

The Road To Emmaus; An LDS Easter Program for Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

I wrote this Easter Program a year or two ago and am excited to share it here.  With our leaders inviting us to celebrate Easter more intently, I thought it might be helpful.  The musical numbers are only suggestions. Any number of inspiring hymns may be used instead.  Enjoy!

Speaking parts:

Narrator (Sits near a microphone set up somewhere front right or front left)

Speaker 1 (Speaks the words of Christ)

Speaker 2 (Speaks the words of a disciple on the road to Emmaus)

Speaker 3 (Speaks the words of another disciple on the road to Emmaus)

Narrator (Background music playing):

Upon the first day of the week following Jesus’ death, two of His disciples went to a village called Emmaus. (Speaker 2 and 3 walk to the podium) And as they walked, they talked together of all the things which occurred since Jesus died.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. (Speaker 1 joins Speaker 1 and 2 at the podium, standing between them)

But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Speaker 1: What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Speaker 2 (With Surprise):

Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

Speaker 1:

What things?

Speaker 3 (With Sadness):

Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. Today is the third day since these things were done.

Speaker 2: Yea, but certain women also of our company which were early at the sepulcher; found not his body.

Speaker 2 (Shaking his head with doubt):

They came, saying, that they had seen a vision of angels, which said that Jesus was risen!

Speaker 1 (In gentle rebuke):

O thou foolish of heart and slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

Narrator (As speakers 1,2, and 3 all walk from the podium, silently “conversing,” and take a seat):

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Musical Number Suggestion: “He Sent His Son"

(Speakers 1,2, and 3 return to podium)

Speaker 1: Hearken, and hear the words of the prophet, even the words of Isaiah. Yea, hear the words of the prophet, ye men of Galilee.

"Who hath ​​​believed​ our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed...? (Waiting for them to finish):

Speaker 2 (Speaks up):

​​​​​Yea, I do remember his words, "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him."

Speaker 3 (Remembering the rest of the scripture):

​​​​​“He is ​​​despised​ and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

(Speakers 1,2, and 3 all walk from the podium, silently “conversing,” and take a seat)

Musical Number Suggestion: “Jesus Once of Humble birth"

(Speakers 1,2, and 3 return to the podium)

Speaker 2 (Turning to Speaker 1):

Yea, truly these things do speak of our Lord.

Speaker 3: He was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

(With sorrow) And the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

Speaker 2:

But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:

Speaker 1:

Remember well what it says in the law, "For the ​​​life​ of the ​​​flesh​ ​is​ in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it ​is​ the ​​​blood​ ​that​ maketh an ​​​atonement​ for the soul."

Speaker 2 (Remembering excitedly)

Yea! And we'll doth the prophet say, “I have given my back to the Smithers and my cheek to them that plucked off the hair.”

Speaker 1: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and rise again?

(Speakers 1,2, and 3 all walk from the podium, silently “conversing,” and take a seat)

Musical Number Suggestion: “Behold The Great Redeemer Die”

Narrator:

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

Musical Number Suggestion: Abide With Me

Narrator:

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

Musical Number Suggestion: “Reverently and meekly Now”

(Speakers 1,2, and 3 all walk to the podium)

Narrator: And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight (Speaker 1 walks from podium and sits down).

Speaker 2 (In reverent awe):

Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?

Speaker 3:

Yea, and while he opened to us the scriptures!

(Speakers 2 and 3 walk from the podium, and take a seat)

Musical Number Suggestion: “I know That My Redeemer Lives” or " He is Risen"

Narrator: And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Speaker 1 walks to the podium)

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them.

Speaker 1: Peace be unto you.

Narrator: And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Speaker 1 (To audience): Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. Amen.

Musical Number Suggestion: “Glory to God on High”