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A sermon is a manner of oral communication and therefore words and sentence structure/order would be added, altered, or deleted at the moment of delivery. + In Nomine Jesu + The Rev. Evan Gaerther Two disciples were walking back from Jerusalem on the first day of the week. Walking back despairing and dejected at what had taken place. The one they had placed their hopes and dreams upon had died on a cross with thieves. On the seven mile walk back to Emmaus it was going to be a sullen walk talking to each other about what they believe had gone wrong, kind of like a Monday Morning quarterback on talk radio talking about the crucifixion. But somewhere along the way a man drew himself near and went with them. It was Jesus but he kept himself from being recognized by them. At this point wouldn’t it have been nice if like other accounts of Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection he would just kind of like go “tada” I’m Jesus. When talking with someone who is depressed I wish sometimes I could go “tada” be all better I’m here, and it would be so. There is a desire on my part for Jesus to take these brothers of faith out of their despair as quickly as possible. Anyone that has had to ever deal suffering wants it to just simply go away as quickly as possible. For those suffering followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus, Paul’s words to the Corinthians apply, when he wrote, "Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace." - 2 Corinthians 4:16 (Msg) Jesus on this road to Emmaus takes a little different path than simply going “Tada, I’m here.” Jesus said to them, “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?” Jesus began walking them through the Scriptures beginning with Moses through to the prophets. Essentially the whole Old Testament was opened for them by Jesus as he revealed the things concerning himself. As they drew near the village and it was late in the day they invited him to stay with them. At the table Jesus took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. Jesus had provided them the bread of life, himself. Their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Jesus vanished from their sight. At this point they recognized that on the road to Emmaus their hearts burned within them. It was not simply the walking alongside Jesus. This was not an occasion like Jesus walking in the crowd and the woman touching his cloak and by her faith was made well. For these two men it was not simply the experience of walking alongside Jesus that gave to them an ignited heart of faith and joy. Any believer must distinguish the pep rally excitement of a wow moment in worship, listening to a great speaker, or talking with a very committed friend and confront that with the experience of a burning heart that is ignited by the power of the Word of God used by the Holy Spirit. We can dangerously place our confidence in that moment of emotion rather than in the Word by which the emotion was enflamed. The danger of finding the source of ones mission and purpose in a state of emotion is that it is fleeting. To become enflamed by emotion results in being left with ashes. Many things today can cause our hearts to burn within us. Excitements abound. Hollywood is great at making a movie that can make me cry or make want to stand up and shout for joy and clap at the end of it. There are entertainments and diversions with tremendous power to appeal to our heartstrings. What enflamed the two travelers on the road to Emmaus was not the emotion of walking with the messiah. There hearts burned within them because Jesus opened the scriptures for them and revealed himself in the breaking of the bread. The power of the Word of God was found in that burning bush for Moses and for those disciples on the road to Emmaus. The joy of Jesus Christ and our Lord that saves is an enflaming of faith that does not burn out. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” A Lutheran pastor was recently talking about the difficult of having an exciting youth program. He said it is dangerous to try to keep the kids coming back through gimmicks because there are churches down the road that always seem able to do the gimmicky games and entertainment better. But if we root our youth programs, Sunday schools, in fact every part of our churches in bringing people to know Jesus, well that will bring a warm glow that will last through time and eternity. It will also surprising to some create programs in a congregation that have durable strength to them. A seven mile walk that had begun in despair resulted in a seven mile return trip to Jerusalem. They searched out and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together. That journey back to Jerusalem was the return of burning joy with desire to find their friends and share this good news of joy. Why doesn’t Jesus just simply reveal himself to those men right away can be found in the foundation of their newfound joy. The foundation of their return to Jerusalem was not simply to say they had seen Jesus but they told what had happened on the road, how Jesus opened the Scriptures. Consider what they had learned as Jesus revealed himself in the scriptures and revealed himself in the breaking of bread that this would change every journey they took. It would change the pace and purpose and direction of their lives. Their life began anew on that day of the resurrection as Jesus revealed himself in the Scriptures. It is no different today. Jesus is ready to reveal himself as we open the Scriptures. To anyone whose journey on the road is filled with despair or doubt, a little slow and dragging, a spirit burdened and weighed down. Jesus is willing to walk with you and not just for a “tada” light filled show from Hollywood. As Paul wrote, "Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace." - 2 Corinthians 4:16 (Msg) God is not one to delight in suffering or unfairness. There are a lot of things that go on in life that cause us confusion as to why God would allow certain things to happen. The men on the road to Emmaus were confused as well. But the more they walked with the man that drew near and joined them on their journey, the more they wanted to spend time with him. The more we learn of Jesus, the more we will see and understand Him to be a God that delights in showing us kindness and revealing his saving work. Jesus can be trusted. Because… Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Soli Deo Gloria -->> Home |