Easter 3

April 30, 2017 in Sermon by Scott Landrum

Luke 24:13-35
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 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. 

“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,” Luke writes. That meal happened after a seven mile walk on the road to Emmaus. Now seven miles sounds like a pretty good hike and it is but the distance was the least of Cleopas and the other disciple’s problem. Their hope had been destroyed. As far as they knew, Jesus was dead and buried. Yes, some women said he had been resurrected but surely they must have been seeing things. Yes, Jesus had said he had to suffer all these things and would be resurrected but what sense did that make? Yes, Jesus claimed that he was the one that Moses and the prophets said was coming to save the world but death on a cross seems a funny way to be the savior. Seems that for every word from God these two had, they added a “yes but.” They were the epitome of what it means to be a sinner. We have a word from God and we look right past it wanting something else. What we are looking for depends on the person. Of course some want money and things believing that “stuff” will fix it all. Less crass, some want happiness and peace thinking that the lack of problems will surely make life worth living. On and on this business of putting our hope in just about everything but God’s word goes. I don’t need to tell you that when we look for God and the hope he gives in all the wrong places, it makes for a very long journey. When we seek God in things, in the absence of pain and problems, in perfect kids or perfect spouses or perfect lives or perfect places we are guaranteed to be just like those disciples staring down at the ground wonder why all this had happened. And you will never get an answer to that question from God at least this side of the grave. That’s why Jesus said to those disciples and to us “Oh how foolish you are, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!” Ok, nobody wants to be foolish and hard hearted. Where is it that we see God? Well, if we’ve heard anything from this passage God shows up where we don’t expect him and in ways we don’t recognize. I think it’s kind of like when you know somebody from a particular place but meet them in another place you don’t recognize them. That’s how it is with God. I mean who recognizes the baked God as one’s hope for salvation? But that’s where those two disciples recognized him. When you “do this in remembrance of me,” that is preach the forgiveness of sins in the Lord’s Supper, Christ is there just as he said. And so it is for us when bread and wine is and the promise of forgiveness is given to you. When the water of that font has the promise to be “with you always” preached into, Christ is there just as he said. When the words of absolution are spoken to you by Christ’s authority, Jesus is there. My point is God is found in the places he promises to be and that is in word and sacrament. It is in there that his undeniable promise is given for you and your hope is in that promise. Peter puts it this way, “Through him you have come to trust in God.” That’s why we pray, “your kingdom come your will be done on earth and in heaven.” In that prayer we give up hope in everything but God doing it his way and in his time. Though we walk those hard, dusty roads we trust that God is in control and whatever happens is ok whether we recognize God in it or not simply because he promised to walk them with us by being for us. Amen.