On the Road with Jesus
Gettysburg Presbyterian Church
Luke 24:13-35
May 1, 2011
Every now and then someone will come and inform me that they have received a message from God. Perhaps it is something they should do or message of hope or healing. I have to confess that such revelations make me a little uneasy, because they often seem to encourage people to do what they wanted to do anyway! But I try and stay open to them. After all, if we believe Jesus is alive, risen from the dead, why couldn’t he break into our lives and speak to us?
Our Scripture lesson today concerns one of those unexpected encounters with Jesus. Although we celebrated Easter seven days ago, this story takes place on Easter day, so you’ll need to rewind your inner TIVO and get back to that day! You’ll recall that on Easter morning the disciples were still in the depths of sorrow and confusion. But there were rumors that the women had seen Jesus early that Sunday morning. We pick up the story a little later on Easter day in Luke 24:13-35. As the story is read, listen for what this encounter with Jesus may tell us about our own encounters with the Lord.
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?" 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."
25 Then he(Jesus) 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?"
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.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened, 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?"
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.
Let’s look at the story to see what we can learn about our own encounters with Jesus. The first thing that strikes me about the encounter between Jesus and these two disciples is the strange fact that they didn’t recognize him. Oddly, this happened several times when people first met Jesus after his resurrection. There have been lots of attempts to explain this. Perhaps some people who saw him die just couldn’t conceive of the possibility that it was actually Jesus who was talking with them. Or, perhaps Jesus looked different after all the abuse that he had been through, or maybe his resurrected body was just different in some way from his previous one. Some commentators even suggest that the sun was in the eyes of those two disciples as they walked west toward to Emmaus! However, I think the best explanation appears right there in the text, “...but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:16)
For God’s own reasons, encounters with Jesus in the days following his resurrection were usually a little elusive. And they are today! We long for certainty in our encounters with God, but even in the Bible, such certainty wasn’t always present. Of course that doesn’t mean the encounters aren’t real, but they may leave us wanting a little more certainty.
At any rate, these two disciples carry on a wonderful conversation with the incognito Savior of the world, who asks them questions and listens to them! They express astonishment that he hasn’t heard about Jesus of Nazareth, whom they identify as a great prophet. With deep sadness, they speak about his execution and their confusion over the disappearance of Jesus’ body and rumors that he is alive. I imagine Jesus must have smiled, at least inwardly, at hearing them talk over these things in his presence! But for a while, Jesus just listened to them.
And then he mildly rebuked them, “O, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:25,26) I’m sure they were a little taken aback! This reminds us that sometimes our encounters with Jesus are uncomfortable! He reminds us that we should be seeing things that we’re missing. That we should be doing things that we’re not. That we shouldn’t be doing some things that we are. He challenges our assumptions and beliefs and values. Ultimately, these uncomfortable encounters are helpful to us, for Jesus is just being honest with us, and honesty is where life-change often begins.
And the conversation doesn’t stop there. Jesus doesn’t rebuke and run. He teaches them. Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. (Luke 24:27) Jesus apparently gave them a short course in the systematic theology of the Messiah as they walked toward Emmaus.
For years researchers were aware of strange lines made by the indigenous Nazca people on the plains of Peru. Some of these lines covered several square miles. People assumed they were the remnants of ancient irrigation ditches. Then Dr. Paul Kosok of Long Island University flew over the area and discovered their true meaning. From the air it became clear that these seemingly random ditches formed enormous drawings of monkeys, birds, insects, and other animals. How the ancient people were able to make these drawings remains a mystery, but it is clear that their meaning can only be perceived from an aerial perspective. In the same way, the disciples knew the particular stories and teachings of the Old Testament, but they lacked sufficient perspective to see the whole picture. That’s what Jesus provided for them. Later they would testify that their hearts burned within them as Jesus taught the Scripture to them.
Jesus teaches us through the Scriptures, too. Sometimes that instruction comes as we study God’s Word for ourselves, which is why it is so important for us to regularly read the Bible. We can also study God’s Word in a Sunday School class or small group. And the Word is also proclaimed in worship. I am always humbled when someone says to me, “God was speaking to me during your sermon this morning,” but I am aware that God often chooses to speak to us through his Word, the Bible.
The next part of the story has led to some debate. 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) Some scholars argue that this was just an ordinary meal. Breaking bread and giving thanks were common ways to begin a Jewish meal. These disciples had seen Jesus do this very thing many times before and this may account for their eyes being opened. Or, perhaps they first noticed the nail marks in his hands when he broke the bread.
Others believe that this is a kind of re-enactment of the Last Supper. The verbs Luke uses here parallel Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper just a few days before. Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it. What do you think? I think that Luke intends for us to see the sacramental dimension of this meal. In fact, the two disciples draw attention to it later, when they tell the other disciples that Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. God chose to use the teaching of the Scripture followed by the breaking of the bread to reveal Jesus’ identity to them. That is often the way our encounters with Jesus happen today. That’s why we often do both of these things in worship! Although God controls when and how our encounters with Jesus take place, God often works through the Scripture and the sacraments to touch our hearts. That’s why participating in public worship is so important for followers of Jesus.
Let me point out just two more things in this story. First, after their encounter with Jesus, they rush to tell others about it. They return immediately to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that their master, Jesus, is alive! Elsewhere, Jesus made it clear that we should also tell others the good news that he is alive. How are you doing with that? It seems odd to me that we are perfectly comfortable sharing other kinds of good news with our friends- a new restaurant we have discovered, a diet that works, something on You-tube, or a movie we’ve seen- but we have trouble sharing the best news of all. Ask Jesus to give you opportunities, wisdom, and courage to share the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ with others, or at least invite others to a place where they can hear the gospel.
Finally, notice the power of fellowship. When they returned to Jerusalem, the other disciples were gathered together and were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:34,35) Several disciples had encounters with Jesus. So they gathered to share their experiences together and encourage and strengthen each other. I believe that one of the reasons many Christians lack spiritual power today is that they fail to take advantage of one of God’s greatest gifts to his followers- Christian fellowship. Now I’m not talking about the kind of surface fellowship that we experience at Fellowship time or at church dinners, although I think there is an important place for that kind of fellowship in the life of the church.
I’m talking about a kind of fellowship in which we talk together deeply about our own experiences with the Lord, study the Scriptures together, support one another in prayer and other ways, and mutually strengthen our faith. My small group provides that kind of support and challenge for me. The Christian life was never intended to be lived alone. Yet, some of us insist on living it that way and then wonder why we lack vitality in our spiritual lives.
A number of years ago an elderly seminary professor named Hans was beloved by his students. He and his wife Enid were deeply in love. They took long walks together most everyday, holding hands, and sat close together in church. When Enid died, Hans was overwhelmed with grief, eating little and withdrawing from others. Three concerned friends approached him.
“Let’s pray together that God will lift this depression from you,” they invited. “I am no longer able to pray,” he replied. “In fact, I am not certain I believe in God anymore.” His friends responded, “Then we will believe for you. We will make confession for you. We will pray for you.” And his three friends met daily to do just that.
Many months later, Hans gathered once more with his friends. He smiled and said, “It is no longer necessary for you to pray for me. Today, I would like us to pray together. My faith in God has been restored.” Often, we experience the grace of God through the support and fellowship of other Christians.
I believe that Jesus continues to reveal himself to people today. These encounters come at God’s initiative and timing. They often come through the Scripture or the Lord’s Supper, through music or the words of a friend, through ministry with the poor and needy, or as we meditate quietly. They are often elusive, but they can challenge and rebuke us, as well as comfort and strengthen us. Pray that God will reveal himself to you as you journey through life with Jesus.
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