St. Luke 24:13-35
St. Peter wrote to the churches his first epistle. When Peter wrote to the churches, some time had passed since Jesus had been crucified. Peter had been an apostle of the church and had done much teaching before he wrote the letter. He had taught on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, which makes his words in chapter one all the more striking: “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear”(1 Peter 1:17). One may wonder why the church that preaches the resurrection would have such a notion that Christian journeying should be one of fear. Of course, there is more to it all than that. The Scriptures also talk about joy, humility, quietness, love, and service. One of the less noticeable aspects of the gospels is that they show us pictures of ourselves through the disciples and the people around Jesus. While the gospels glorify Jesus, they also demonstrate for us what happens with people when God enters their world and their lives. Sometimes we see the way things are supposed to be. Other times we see the opposite. In the case of the Emmaus disciples, St. Luke writes an account that is unique to his gospel. Two disciples walking to Emmaus. It was the day that Jesus had risen, yet they were sad. This is not what we would think to be a good example of the church of the resurrection. They should be glad. They should rejoice. They had been told that Jesus had risen. These Emmaus disciples show us a picture of ourselves. We journey in this world, having been shown the path to everlasting life through Jesus Christ. We have ben baptized and are clothed with Christ. We hear the preaching that Jesus is risen, but we question. Can it be? Is it possible? Could it be true that God took on flesh, died and rose on the third day? Part of the sinful baggage that we carry is that we doubt. We grow weary on the journey. We risk losing hope. Sin threatens to tear us from Jesus. This is why St. Peter says in his epistle to pass the time of your journey here in fear. The disciples would rather have had Jesus stay with them, but Jesus told them in his last sermon in St. John’s gospel that he had to go away for their sake. What we see in the account of the road to Emmaus is the way of the church. We see demonstrated the life that Christ wants for the church after his ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We cannot help but wonder as to why Jesus hides his true appearance from them as they journey on the road. If we look at the church and its life today we can guess as to the reason. As they journey to Emmaus, Jesus joins them, but they think him to be a stranger. Jesus asks a few questions and then begins to turn the table as he preaches from the Old Testament about the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of the Messiah. What a sermon it must have been. To understand why Jesus hides his appearance from them, we need to search around the scriptures to understand the doctrine of the word. Jesus is the word made flesh. When the gospel is preached, Jesus abides with us. He comes to us cloaked in the preaching of the gospel and makes His abode in us. Perhaps Jesus is hinting that where the word of God is preached, there he is among them. How often it is that when God’s word is preached, though, we grow tired and restless. When the gospel is read and we hear of Jesus, our hearts fail to see him. Though we hear the proclamation that Jesus is risen, we still grow weary and dull when the gospel sounds in and amongst us. We have been given such a precious gift, yet we cannot seem to fully comprehend or appreciate what it means for us as we journey today. It is for all sins, even sins such as these that Jesus died. Jesus came to suffer and die so that we may have him with us through the word and sacraments. His death pours his grace and mercy into the gospel and the sacraments. We are given a picture, here, of Christ’s love for his church. When the Emmaus disciples arrive with this supposed “stranger” they ask him to come in with them and rest. In striking imagery, we are told that Jesus does something else for them. In a interesting twist, the words that are used are the same words that are used for the Lord’s Supper: “He took bread and giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them”. Just as Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper in the upper room before his arrest, it is as though he is reminding them of this. “Do this in remembrance of me.” The amazing thing is that their eyes were opened at the point where he broke bread and they saw Jesus. They even told the eleven disciples that Jesus was “known to them in the breaking of bread.” This hints to the real presence in the sacrament. Perhaps Jesus is trying to tell the church something about her journey in this world. Perhaps Jesus is trying to tell us that in the preaching and in the sacrament he comes to us. Perhaps he is reminding us that he is not far away. Perhaps Jesus is saying that we should frequent the Divine Service until he returns. Jesus took two sad, confused, and worried men and gave them the gospel--He gave them himself. Jesus came to them in the midst of preaching when they weren’t expecting it to remind them of himself. He revealed himself to them in the sacrament and reminded them of what they were to do. In the same way, then, we find the church’s life to be synonymous with the road to Emmaus. The church journeys and finds Jesus in preaching and in the sacrament. His love is evident in these things. Jesus takes our sins, our sorrows and worries, and gives Himself to us. Peter reminds us in his first epistle that the word of the Lord endures forever. Jesus is our victor. His victory is our victory, and when we look at the cup we see Jesus. Our eyes are opened unto him in the bread. We eat and drink and we receive Jesus; His love; His forgiveness. He journeys with us, ever abiding and leading us. When the road we walk seems dark and without direction, it is Jesus who forgives us and helps us. He journeys with us through the word even when we do not detect him. He cares for and nurtures his church along the road, as the psalmist aptly says concerning Christ and the church: “For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness”(Psalm 18:28). Amen. -- Rev. Chad Kendall Trinity Lutheran Church Lowell, Indiana www.trinitylowell.org http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=243282012833
