Sermon
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Havelock, NCThe Third Sunday of Easter
Luke 24:13-35
The Road to Emmaus. One of those Bible
stories that captures our imagination. It actually happened ON
Easter Sunday – the same day of the resurrection. Precious few of
those accounts are recorded for us. Like in the other accounts,
Jesus appears, alive, but does some mysterious things. They don't
recognize him at first. He's going incognito. And for that matter,
we don't know much about who these 2 Emmaus disciples were, either
(one is named Clopas, and a pastor friend of mine believes the other
was actually St. Peter). I am particularly intrigued by Jesus
interpreting the Old Testament to these men, “in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself”. Oh to be a fly on that wall, well,
buzzing somewhere down the road with them, at least.
But as a Lutheran, I love this text
most because already on day ONE of the resurrection, we have
sacramental theology. Jesus took bread, blessed it, and gave it to
them... and their eyes were opened. Later it tells us, “he was
known to them in the breaking of the bread”. The Lord again
presides at the Lord's Supper, their eyes are open, and they see him.
This is so incredibly profound.
Doesn't it seem that some interesting
things happen to God's people “on the road”? You have this, the
Road to Emmaus. You have Saul's conversion to St. Paul on the road
to Damascus. Phillip met and baptized an Ethiopian Eunuch along a
road. The parable of the Good Samaritan happened on the road. The
woman with the flow of blood was healed on the road, while Jesus was
going to raise Jairus' daughter. And the crowd spread their cloaks
on the road on Palm Sunday.
Perhaps all this action on the road
isn't really about the road, itself, but that God acts in ways and at
times we least expect, even “along the way”.
Who knows what any of Jesus disciples
thought in the bewildering blur of events on that first Easter. They
were certainly talking, rehearsing, “all that had happened”. But
they didn't understand, especially from the Scriptures, that this had
to happen. This was the plan all along. They still couldn't get
their brains wrapped around this: that the Messiah had to suffer and
die, and rise on the third day.
And my friends, my baptized and and
believing Christian friends, I suggest you and I are no different.
What Jesus said to them, he could surely say to us, even to us
pastors:
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that
the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
So often we like to think we have it
all together and we can look at those foolish disciples with the
benefit of hindsight and, let's face it, far greater wisdom and
faith. They were bumbling idiots, but after all, we are LCMS
Lutherans! And Pastor Daub, you even went to seminary! A lot of
good that does you. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken!” The Old Adam in us, the sinful
nature in all of us is foolish and unbelieving. Our new nature in
Christ, of course, sees and believes. But we are, in this life, both
Old and New. We are both sinner and saint. Righteous and scoundrel.
And we struggle, even to believe what the Word of God says about
Jesus the Christ.
Jesus died for you. Jesus rose for
you. Oh it sounds so simple. We all say we believe it. But we
certainly act as if we don't. And how little trouble it takes to
make us doubt the love of God in Jesus Christ. Some suffering in
life comes, and we're convinced he's forgotten us. Some plan of ours
falls to shambles, and we think he's punishing us. Or maybe you
harbor some guilt for some sin that you know he died to forgive, but
even though Christ's blood was shed for it – YOU can't let it go.
No, we are foolish and slow to believe.
We could go even further, and admit we have false beliefs at times,
and we are ignorant of much. Which of us knows the scriptures as we
should? Even lifelong study can't bring us to the depth of
appreciation for God's word we ought to show. “But, pastor, I
learned all that in Confirmation class 50 years ago.”
To all of this, all I can say is,
repent. Repent of your slowness to believe. Repent of your
foolishness and carelessness with God's holy word. Repent of
thinking you know better than what God actually says. Repent of
hanging on to your guilt when Christ has come to set you free.
And Christ does. For even though he
chides his disciples for their foolishness, he doesn't desert them on
the road, nor will he desert us. Even though they are slow to
believe, he is patient and kind, and lovingly teaches them, opening
the Scriptures to them. Just as he gives us pastors and teachers
even today to continue opening his word, and opening our eyes to it.
Thanks be to God for the gifts of his word, and the testimony of that
word to his Son, Jesus Christ!
For Jesus is the fulfillment of the
Scriptures, from Moses – through all the prophets. He is the Lamb
of the passover. He is the pillar of cloud and fire that leads and
protects us through the wilderness. He is the rock from which they
drank, and we drink. He is the captain of the heavenly host, who for
us fights, the valiant one. He is David's son and David's Lord. He
is the wiser king than Solomon, the more prophetic prophet than
Elijah, and the more priestly priest than Aaron or Melchizidek. He
is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. He is the temple of God – the
dwelling of God with man. He is the Son of Man, whose own new life
will bring life to all the valleys of dry bones there ever were or
will be. He is the one of whom the Psalmist writes, “My God, why
have you forsaken me... they have pierced my hands and feet.... dogs
surround me.... they divide my garments among them.... my tongue
sticks to the roof of my mouth”. But he is the Holy One who would
not be abandoned to the grave. Nor will he abandon you.
And yes, he continues to teach us in
his word, even today, who he is and what he has done for us, and what
he still promises to do. But even more. He feeds us. He is made
known to us in the breaking of the bread.
Why did Jesus only flip the switch when
they had broken bread? Why was he only known to them at the table?
Surely, as a sign also to us – to seek him where he promises to be.
For you can go to Jerusalem today and see the places where he
walked, the roads are mostly buried or lost, and I don't think Emmaus
is around any more either. Or you could try to find Jesus in your
heart, but good luck sifting through all the other garbage there to
find him. Or you could even try to find Jesus in your neighbor, but
remember the sheep were surprised, themselves to hear he was present
in the least of these. No, instead, Jesus promises to be found where
he has made himself available and accessible to us. Where he says he
will be. In the bread and wine. This is my body. This is my blood.
For the forgiveness of your sins.
You see, Jesus does nothing by
accident. And the Holy Spirit doesn't inspire the Gospels to record
these events for his own amusement. These things are written that
you may believe, and believing have life in Jesus Christ. We are
meant to see Jesus with these Emmaus disciples. We, too, are meant
to meet him in the breaking of bread. We see him made known to us
there, through the eyes of faith, by the power of the Spirit.
And faith gets it right. For faith is
not of ourselves. Of ourselves, we are foolish and slow. Of
ourselves, we are wandering the roads of life aimlessly. Of
ourselves, we are alone, confused, guilty and struggling. But Jesus
comes along, and in his mysterious ways, teaches and feeds us. And
it is enough. He assures us of his grace and mercy. He sets our
hearts on fire with a yearning for his gifts: a love of his word,
and a deep appreciation for the sacraments. It's not a pious,
feel-good burning of hearts, a but a deep desire born of repentance
and faith – a work of the Spirit.
His disciples would carry the word and
sacraments of Christ down many more roads. They would share the
Gospel in Jerusalem and Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the
Earth. I don't think any of the apostles made it to Singapore,
though tradition holds Thomas preached the gospel in India. And so
the church, as she goes, brings Christ with her. Or maybe it's
Christ, as he goes, brings his body along. Brings his word, brings
his meal.
I have no special expertise in starting
churches, my friends, but that's not what is needed for Jesus to be
made known. He opens eyes and hearts through the preaching of his
word, in the water of baptism, and the breaking of bread. The same
as your faithful pastor does here in Havelock, your missionary to
Singapore will do, by God's grace and with your prayers and support.
May the joy of Easter enliven our
hearts, here and now, and down whatever road we go. And may the
peace of God which passes all understanding guard and keep your
hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, amen.
