‘THE ROAD TO EMMAUS’
8.00 am and 10.00 am – St. George’s Anglican Church, Ivanhoe East
Third Sunday of Easter, 30th April, 2017
READING: Luke 24:13-35Ä
In the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
INTRODUCTION.
Can you imagine today’s Gospel story as the last scene in a dramatic movie – almost the postscript? The music spelling out for us that this is the end! The heart stopping high point has come and gone, and, in the centre of the screen, two dejected and forlorn figures walk wearily towards the setting sun – THE END is about to come onto the screen!`
THE GOSPEL.
We could have witnessed all the dramatic events which had preceded this particular scene. And as the sun sets and disappears from sight, so the hopes of these two people of a Saviour, a Messiah, a Deliverer – disappear from their hearts. The picture on the front of the Bulletin helps us visualize the scene before us.
Thoughtful, despondent, limp with grief, they appear to be in a daze. The tragic events over the climactic last scenes have jam packed their emotions to point of exhaustion.
Like the pictures we see regularly on our television screens depicting the absolute despair, outrage and horror, at the so often needless sudden death and tragedies which seem to occur almost every day in our world, the two figures on centre screen, have walked away from the numbing events of those last few days of a week they will forever remember.
They too, like some of us, have also traveled through that road of outrage, despair, shock and horror, as the man from Galilee – whose life events they had followed and been part of in some way, was brutally beaten, stripped of every human dignity, hated, despised and spat upon, and in a state of utter exhaustion – made to carry a heavy cross which had held Him in the last moments of life on the road to His death. And all this to an innocent man!
Can we try to enter into their feelings, as, reeling with shock, they traveled that Sunday afternoon away from the scene of tragedy towards a refuge, a place to gather themselves together – a place to try to put things in to some sort of perspective – a place to try to find some answers to the endless questions which continually roll through their minds like a broken record seemingly repeating the same unanswerable questions over and over again!
All these events we have been part of since Jesus’ birth was celebrated, and we have focused on Him man at centre stage, in a drama that has been recalled all over the world for more than 2,000 years.
And so the scene is still before us, two men walking along a dusty road towards the setting sun. We expect the “credits” to appear soon and we prepare ourselves to leave. Hearts as heavy as the feet of the two people plodding before us.
And then, just as if we had blinked, there are now not two, but three people in the scene before us. When and how He – the central figure came – we do not know.
For some reason, the two walking towards the sunset don’t seem to know Him. He asks them what they’ve been discussing. So downcast and full of emotion at the events of the last few days (just like when some of us have experienced tragedy and can’t believe that the world can still keep going when the bottom has dropped out of ours) so these two are amazed that this man doesn’t seem to know anything of what has happened in Jerusalem in recent days.
They describe the Person around whom their melancholy lies, as a “prophet, powerful in deed before God and all the people.” (Lk 24:19)
Their disappointment shows in their words, “we had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24)
They said that some of the women in their group had astounded them because they had gone to the tomb that very morning, and had not found His body there but had seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive, this had been checked out by some disciples who had confirmed their story.
The One in their midst, spoke to them and explained succinctly God’s plan about the Messiah from the Old Testament prophets. `
JOURNEY’S END!
The two had now reached their journey’s end – in more ways than one!
We see the third “central” Person indicate that He is travelling further and we observe the two enthusiastically encouraging Him to stay with them. The sun has almost set, the time for travelling in those days, virtually over.
The next scene sees them sitting at a table preparing to eat a meal. The third Person, the central figure, takes the bread, gives thanks and breaks the bread and gives it to them.
A new day dawns in their lives! As with the great Apostle Paul and millions of Christians down through the centuries, suddenly they could see clearly who this Man really is?
As the words describe this dawning moment in the hymn, ‘ Amazing Grace” with the words – ‘I once was blind but now I see!’ so the two who had trudged dejectedly to Emmaus were suddenly brought from the darkness of unknowing to the brilliant light of understanding who this man before them really is, i.e., He is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
A divine moment of truth with the Son not setting – but rising to heart stopping heights in their hearts. They had never, ever heard such “good news“!!!
Despondency and despair give way to sublime joy! In our mind’s eye we had seen them enter their refuge – broken with grief – they are now energized into new resurrection hope-filled life!
When, only moments ago they had to retire for the day, they are now exuberant with new life – seeing clearly, now that the fog has gone, that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God!
But now, when we look again, we find that there are not now three but two people, in the scene before us…once again, only two!
These two cannot keep this heart stopping news to themselves. Whereas they had entered the house with heavy hearts and feet, they now prepare to about turn, and journey back the 7 miles to Jerusalem – not now with heavy hearts and feet but with hearts which are bursting with joy, and their entire beings soaring high as on eagles wings!
It’s always the way with good news, isn’t it? It simply has to be shared.
No doubt if this happened today they could have sent an SMS text message on their mobile phone, or telephoned ahead, or sent a fax or an e mail, and then driven across to Jerusalem.
But, back to Jerusalem they walked, the light of the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the resurrected Son of God illuminating their path.
They rejoin the other disciples but cannot first give voice to their good news before they hear from the others: “The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon!” Another first hand resurrection appearance seen personally by one of the disciples!
And then, only then, are they able to explode with their excited message, to verify again, yet another resurrection appearance of our Lord, one of eleven recorded resurrection appearances in the Scriptures. To hear about events is one thing, but to experience them is another.
This is the moment of conviction. This is the wow! moment! This is the monumental life changing experience, which transforms them from dejected, despondent despairing people – to zealous, joyful, exuberant people of faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who become the founding members of the church.
Their lives, as with the lives of the other disciples, revealed that this was no figment of their imagination, no interlude into a world of fantasy.
Their fearful existence has been transformed into a faithful existence.
CONCLUSION.
And so perhaps we can fast forward the movie on the screen to the present day, with ourselves on centre stage – not alone, but with “Another” – God’s Son, Jesus, walking beside us on our life’s journey for He has promised: ”I will never leave you or forsake you, I will be with you always to the end of time.” .
He opens our eyes to see Him as God’s Son, the resurrected, risen, Lord. He transforms our lives as we respond in faith to Him. He is with us every moment of life whatever we may encounter, including during our times of dejectedness, our pain, our grief. He comes to us in ways that reveal His presence. He is with us at all times in life and especially when our need is greatest,
He comes in unexpected ways and at unexpected moments. He will most certainly come to us in but a very few moments, in the breaking of bread and in the blessed cup.
We, too, sometimes have hearts burn within us at His Presence and His touch and our lives are filled anew with hope, hope in Him, God’s Son.
He reveals His presence to us, and that moment is frozen in time as a transforming, life changing moment – and we are new people henceforth, because the Son of God has walked into the sunset and beyond with us, along our pathway of life!
Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, we thank you that when we reflect on Your Presence with the two travellers on the road to Emmaus, that this is a message to each of us personally of Your Presence with each of us on our particular journey of life. Help us to trust You as we traverse the many terrains of life. S Strengthen us for our Christian walk as we take You into ourselves through Holy Communion and take You with us into the world You love. Open our eyes to always see Your Presence with us and to know that we are never alone for You come with us wherever we may be.
We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Amen!