My cousin, Mark, is about 15 years younger than I am. With me living in Upstate NY and him living in New Mexico, we hadn’t see each other much and I missed most of his growing up. One Sunday morning, my parents made a surprise visit from their home in New Jersey and entered church with a young man I didn’t recognize who had been visiting them. When I asked who it was, I was embarrassed to find out it was my cousin who happened to be my own godchild. I didn’t recognize him because I never expected to see him in that context.
So also I have often said hello to people at the grocery store, only to be met with blank stares. “It’s Pastor Jim,” I would add. Then they, in shock and embarrassment, would say, “Oh, Pastor, I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.” By that, they meant that they were used to seeing me in collar and robes in church and not out shopping in flannel shirt and jeans.
I share those stories as an introduction to the text for today, Luke 24: 13-16, 28-35
Now on that same day when Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene, two disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 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. 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; and he vanished from their sight. 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?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Today’s scripture story is found only in the Gospel of Luke. It is an often overlooked part of the Easter narrative for that reason. But since my baptism occurred at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I have always taken a particular interest in this event on the very day of the resurrection of Jesus. Two disciples are walking on their way from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, about 7 miles west. Together they were trying to make sense of everything that had taken place over the last three days. Jesus, their rabbi, had been arrested, crucified and buried in a tomb. Their hopes that Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel were now destroyed. But just that morning, several women had reported the tomb of Jesus empty and now they were totally amazed and confused, thrilled and scared, wondering what this all meant. They are met on the way by an apparent stranger who listens to their story and then proceeds to unfold all of the scriptural evidence of why it was necessary for the one they knew as Jesus to suffer and die and rise again on the third day.
Disciples of Jesus and they don’t know to whom they are speaking! How could that be? Well, there was just no way they would have ever expected Jesus to be walking and talking with them. He had died a gruesome death! His body was missing! Why would Jesus be going to Emmaus? In this context, Jesus was the last person they expected to see that day.
It had happened before, earlier that Easter morning, when Mary Magdalene believe she was speaking at the empty tomb with the caretaker of the garden. Jesus was again the last person she expected to see. Do you remember how Mary came to know that it was indeed Jesus? Yes, he called Mary by name. Remember how Jesus had said in John’s Gospel (10: 1-3), “Amen, Amen, I say to you, … whoever enters by the door of the sheepfold is the true shepherd … the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
How do you recognize Jesus in your travels? How is the presence of Jesus made real in your life? I am reminded of a favorite camp song that we would often use as a creedal statement in our closing worship service.
Chorus: Have you seen Jesus, my Lord? He’s here in plain view. Take a look, open your eyes, He’ll show it to you.
Verse 1: Have you ever stood at the ocean with the white foam at your feet; Felt the endless thundering motion? Then I say, you’ve seen Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 2: Have you ever stood at the sunset with the sky mellowing red; Seen the clouds suspended like feathers? Then I say, you’ve seen Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 3: Have you ever stood at the cross with the man hanging in pain; Seen the look of love in His eyes? Then I say, you’ve seen Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 4: Have you ever stood in the family with the Lord there in your midst; Seen the face of Christ in your partner? Then I say, you’ve seen Jesus, my Lord.
Chorus: Have you seen Jesus, my Lord? He’s here in plain view. Take a look, open your eyes, He’ll show it to you.
Now that song may express many meaningful ways to experience the presence of Jesus: pounding ocean waves, beautiful sunsets, a Christus Victor crucifix, a fellow worshiper; but the Emmaus disciples had something even more powerful and even more definitive and sure. They invite Jesus to dine with them as the sun grew dim. At table, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, and gave it to them. Those sound like the very words we use for the sacrament of Holy Communion. They are words that fit the eucharistic formula. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus! And they said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road, as he opened to us the scriptures!”
We believe that Word and Sacrament are the Means of Grace God gives us to be able to experience the presence of Jesus. Word and Sacrament form the very definition of our worship. Many churches today are finding new and creative ways to be able to share the Word of God: live-streaming worship, zoom meetings, pre-recorded productions on platforms like FaceBook and YouTube. But all too many are stuck in the thought of no longer being able to share communion in the ways of the past. And so they impose a “fast” from the meal of God’s grace at a time when we need to see Jesus more than ever. I am so grateful that we, at Good Samaritan, have pastors and a congregation that believe that the meal of Holy Communion can be shared in new ways as well. The virtual community is still our community. Because, along with the Emmaus disciples, I need, and I hope you need also, Word and Sacrament, the staples of our worship, to open our eyes to the promised presence of Jesus. So that, as we journey down the road of life, we recognize Jesus to be walking beside us all the way, in our fear and confusion, and in our joy and thanksgiving.
I would like to close with a song used in worship last Sunday at Grace Lutheran Church in Naugatuck, CT. This song by Paul Baloche features the singing of Erik Krueger and Deborah Diamante. And Debbie just happens to be my daughter.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You, I want to see You
To see you high and lifted up, Shining in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love As we sing holy, holy, holy
I want to see You
May your hearts burn as you hear God’s Word and may your eyes be opened every time Jesus breaks the bread in new and wonderful ways. Amen.
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