Two travellers:
This is a great short story in the gospels and shows the value of the gospels, each picking up part of the multi faceted story and illuminating that part
In Mark 16 this story is reduced to:
12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
Lets walk with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus
Can you imagine what they must have been experiencing total defeat, they had seen Jesus Crucified and killed
They had such hopes that he was the one the Messiah, come to liberate Israel
To free Gods chosen people from the oppressor, from the occupying army and tyranny of Rome, our riots are terrible but compared to a Roman occupation nothing
But
But even after the miracles and the promises to came to this blood and death
Darkness not light
They most likely saw Jesus raise the dead, heard Lazarus speak after days in the tomb, witness the blind receiving sight and the deaf hearing again, Lepers skin restored as smooth as a babies
But
He just hung there, no flash of light no heavenly host to bring him down
No sign, no hope and so they turn and leave the other followers of this fallen Jesus and look to picking up there lives again
Many believe they were walking towards the sunset as Emmaus was to the west of Jerusalem
Talking as they went trying to understand trying to come to terms with what happened and hearts empty of hope
Jesus arrives:
Have you had times in your life when it just seemed to be pointless?
How have you felt this week with the news of riots maybe to close to home, the fear the worry were is the Lord in all this?
Something happens that you cannot understand and your left thinking why, why should I carry on why not just walk into the sunset and never be seen again
Makes you want to give up, let go, what is the point?
Don’t think Christians are immune we are not, perhaps more vulnerable as disaster when it comes as more of a shock, aren’t we chosen why us should not this kind of thing just happen to the un believers, were is Gods favour, Gods blessing in this?
Can get so caught up our selfish needs and disappointments that we miss Jesus when he comes along side us
Perhaps we don’t expect to meet with him, perhaps we are so busy looking to ourselves we fail to notice any one else in our lives, well the message today is look around you notice others as you never know
These two disciples were feeling down and dejected as they trudged back to Emmaus
So despondent that the world had not turned out as they expected and wanted
Then : 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
Jesus is there as well, though they do not recognise him
I find that interesting that the text says “but they were kept from recognizing him”
Was the sun in their eyes or did Jesus look different after his resurrection or was this a spiritual blindness, there heart were not ready to receive the Lord
Jesus is like greetings, no hello look I am risen its me bow down, no he walks with them in their lives in their circumstance's, how encouraging is that?
“What things?” :
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked.
I love Jesus response like, really what happen, he knows of course but does not use the opportunity to crush them with his superior knowledge and understanding but engages in love and compassion
The disciples need Jesus need his hope and light anew in their lives, but their faith is weak almost extinguished and yet the Lord comes.
For me this again just typifies why the bible is God inspired and not man focussed.
I mean could you imagine the man driven version
Big light bursting forth above Jerusalem and a roof shaking voice shouting out Jesus is risen with a shiny Jesus up on high for all to see
No God’s thoughts and ways are different, the pages of the gospels telling of encounters with Jesus after the resurrection speak of the intimacy, the closeness and of a God seeking relationship not domination
So it here Jesus comes along side and listens as the disciples start by telling of how Jesus had been betrayed, tortured and crucified, how could he not know of these things the ask are you a stranger to the land, been living in a hole in the earth I mean…
They told him “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people
They spoke of how the women of the group had visited the tomb on the third day and Jesus was gone, they claimed he had risen from the dead but we know that not possible and Peter and the others agreed
Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
But they did not yet know Jesus
How foolish you are:
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Then Jesus starts to educate them, walks them through the bible old testament verses and showed them were the words pointed to him, spoke if him, spoke of the death and resurrection of the Messiah the Christ, the son of God and the son of Man
Can you even imagine what that must have been like, Jesus talking to you about the scriptures telling of himself and Gods love song for humanity the divine rescue and restoration of mankind, through the blood and sacrifice of Christ Gods son
Amazing would not come close
How the time must have flown
Maybe it seem to stop for suddenly it seems they reach their destination
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
I love this with Jesus him just continuing to walk on, not making a big thing of demanding from them, his cross is light, they have to urge him strongly almost drag him into their house
They asked and he went to stay with them
You see Jesus will not force you to follow him
Its your choice
He will walk on and leave you be if that what you chose
Or he will walk with you in you life as intimate as you will allow
He dearly wants relationship with each of us all of us are on his beloved list
But its our choice, the relationship is their on offer Jesus has made us paid up members, but will not force us to chose him
It’s a matter of faith and choice and belief, most importantly love from us reaching our for his love to us
Psalm 85:9-11
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven
On the cross Love and faithfulness met together and Jesus reaches our in love to us all, salvation is near
When you look at the fear, hut and loathing on our streets in out cities, it is us how have found Jesus that are called to reach out in Love and in faith to see the harvest of righteousness and peace brought forth
Do your hearts burn?
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
The implication here is Jesus performing communion just like the last supper, perhaps he did or just perhaps these two disciples suddenly recognised the hands that broke bread and feed thousands
Saw the hands of Christ with the nail marks
And realised who it was who sat their sharing the meal with them
As the bread of life handed them the bread the saw the Lord, their eyes were opened and they knew the truth of Jesus
The words that Jesus had been speaking of to them concerning himself alive and vivid
.Jesus showing to them the golden thread of gospel grace runs through the whole web of the Old Testament. Christ is the best expositor of Scripture; and even after his resurrection, he led people to know the mystery concerning himself, not by advancing new notions, but by showing how the Scripture was fulfilled, and turning them to the earnest study of it
Then he disappeared from their sight as if to underline he was not as the earthly Jesus had been
32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Have your hearts been on fire, I hope so
How terrible to live a life without fire in your hearts
To live a life of cold certainty
To live a life of grinding predictability
That’s not what God wants
God want us to live our lives to the full , to reach the fullness of his plans for each of us, to live abundantly
With hearts on fire
Hearts on fire for God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit and Gods word
Through our love of Jesus confessing he is Lord raised from the dead
Suddenly look at the difference in the lives of these two
Energised
Reborn faith exploding within, needing to tell to show this Jesus
So desperate that they set out most likely in darkness back to Jerusalem
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Then…..
This is a great story of two people in despair
Brought back to hope by an encounter with Jesus the risen Lord
We live in a nation of despair, pray for the risen Lord Jesus to touch your heart anew today
Hearts set on fire so much that they had to tell, had to share the good news
Immediately, we need to go do likewise to those living in darkness to bring the great light
The truth of an eternal and loving Farther, were earthly parents fail he will not
The words they spoke after Jesus broke bread with them “Do you remember” as Jesus said “Take this in remembrance of me”
Never forget, never grow cold with doubt and fear
Let the Holy Sprit of God into your hearts to lead you into all truth, lets the words be seared onto your heart never to be erased, lets them say “Jesus is Lord”
So fear not if today you walk through despair and hopelessness
So do not fear today what you see and hear on the news, fear for those who do not know Jesus
Do not lose heart if you are on the road to nowhere
Reach out to Jesus and let his love and resurrection touch you through the Grace and Mercy God freely gives
And then love your neighbour and love as Jesus does
Then we will see healing in Nation, our Communities, our families and our hearts
Let us pray
