3rd Sunday After Easter - Gospel & Message
- Trinity Lutheran
- Apr 24, 2020
- 6 min read
3rd Sunday After Easter - Along The Road to Emmaus
Holy Gospel Luke 24:13-35
13Now on that same day [when Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene,] two [disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
17And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18Then 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?” 19He 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, 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21But 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. 22Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and 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. 24Some 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.” 25Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But 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. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They 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?” 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Image Credit:
By Duccio di Buoninsegna - The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3799693
Message
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Our gospel lesson this morning focuses upon two disciples of Jesus. These two disciples of Jesus were walking home to Emmaus from Jerusalem on the evening of the first Easter. They were walking slowly, heads hung low, hearts heavy with grief, the dreams for their future had been hung on a cross. They were headed back home to the dull, work-a-day world that Jesus had called them from when He asked them to join his ministry. They were heading home, talking, thinking, recalling the past, thinking about the glory, the majesty, the joy, the excitement of being with Jesus for those years. They were recalling each moment, living in the fond memories of yesterday, for the reality of today was much too difficult, much too painful, much too harsh for them to bear.
As the stranger approached and walked with the two disciples headed for Emmaus, they were caught up in the excitement, the joy, the majesty of yesterday, as they told him of the facts concerning Jesus. But when they came to the report of the women that Jesus had risen as he had promised, this, the reality of today was something they could not accept.
These two disciples had also forgotten who they were, disciples of Jesus, followers of the one who claimed to be the Messiah, listeners of the one who said after three days he would rise again. They had been so caught up in their grief, the sorrow, the pain, of Good Friday, that they forgot who they were. They forgot what Jesus had promised, and had abandoned all the hopes, the dreams, the promises of Jesus as they walked home, living in the past, thinking about the glory of yesterday and not applying that to the reality of today.
They were walking away from the mission to which Jesus had called them, the task he had selected for them, the worthiness he had given them by accepting them as they were. Even though Jesus had helped them become God’s children in the fullest sense, they did not remember who they were.
After they had emptied their hearts and completed their tale of woe, this stranger took the scriptures which they knew… took the very same scripture Jesus had taught them and explained all about the Messiah. The Messiah who would suffer would also conquer and be raised, so that the glory of the Father might be revealed through him. When they approached the inn, they begged the stranger to stay and eat and continue to talk with them.
As they sat down at the table, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to these disciples. Then they knew who He was, through the breaking of bread, through the giving of his body, and the pouring of his blood. Jesus revealed himself to these followers. They remembered who they were, and raced back to tell the others.
We do not know who these disciples were. They probably were not of the 12, but from among the other men and women who followed Jesus. They were heading home from Jerusalem. They were probably there when Jesus died on the cross, and just now found the courage to head home.
They left the community. That is important. They did not stick around with the other men and women, but they left. Do they remind you of someone, Thomas?........Just as Thomas left and missed Jesus, these men left and missed what the disciples, the 12 had learned, that Jesus had indeed risen……..I think that one thing we can learn from last week’s lesson and this lesson is that it is important to stay in the community of Christ.
How do we stay in the community of Christ if we can’t be together? The church has been preaching for years and years that we are all connected. God put us on the planet to live together. Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” (John 15:5) Right now we are told we need to stay home. If we are sick and we go out, it can affect others. But likewise is true if we do something kind for others it will affect them. Love can be contagious too. If you call to check on a family member or a friend you are being connected to them. If you take food or receive food from someone you are connected to them. Some people are connecting with each other via facetime, zoom or other internet means and they are connected. Helping a neighbor bring in their trash cans or shopping for them keeps us connected and affects them in a positive way. Those kinds of positive things can spread like wildfire too.
In a time like this, and always, remember that the risen Lord walks among us and with us. And remember who you are- a disciple of Christ, a member of the body of Christ the church.
Amen
Dear Friends in Christ,
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who have been mailing in your offering during this time of staying home from church. I am encouraged by the amount of people who realize ministry still happens even when we can not be together in our building. I have been asked by some folks if they can give a monetary donation for the blessing box. The answer is… absolutely! When you send in your offering if you would like to add a monetary donation for the blessing box please just enclose a note stating there is a donation for the blessing box. We have been filling it regularly and it is being utilized by the community.
I look forward to when we can return to our church building and be together again.
See you in Church,
Pastor Tricia
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