Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The text is the Gospel lesson from Luke 24.
Today is the third Sunday after
Easter. By now, the Cadburry chocolates, Reese’s rabbits, and Robin’s eggs are
consumed, and the baskets - along with the joie de vivre from mere two
weeks ago - are stowed until next spring. For most of us, we’ve moved on from
Easter, getting ready for the next big thing – probably graduations for kids,
grandkids and friends. So, when St. Luke returns us to Easter with this
reading, the implication for us 21st century Christians is that the
Resurrection continues. It’s not just a one-and-done event. The power of
resurrection fills our lives and our witness to others.
Let’s do a quick time travel and
go back to Easter afternoon. The morning’s exciting news that had been reported
by the women, Peter, and John was met with something between skepticism and
curiosity for these Emmaus travelers.
There was a lot to digest: Jesus’ betrayal, His arrest and trial, His
crucifixion, and now His reported, but yet unwitnessed (by them) resurrection.
They were talking about it all, trying to make it make sense. “Was He living
or…”
When a Stranger approached and asked the equivalent of today’s “What’s up,” Cleopas gave a quick summary of the weekend, culminating with the hope they had of Jesus’ redeeming Israel. There was still a glimmer of resurrection hope in his words – he referenced the Third Day – and he also mentioned the ladies’ eyewitness testimony of the empty grave. But that was the problem for these two: the grave was empty. There was no body – living or dead. So, it was an open question: Was He living or was He…”
This Stranger engages the pair,
softly chiding them: “You foolish ones and slow of heart.” He’s not
reprimanding as much as teaching them: you had the answers all along! “It was
necessary, wasn’t it, for the Christ to have to do all of this,” He began, and
going through the Scriptures – what we would call the Old Testament – He
connects the dots, interpreting and explaining how it all came to fruition.
God’s plan of salvation, promised before Moses, then throughout all the
prophets, was completed in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The Stranger accepts their
invitation and hospitality to stay the night in their home. When the meal is
served, the Stranger breaks bread and blesses the meal. Where a few nights
earlier, the Last Supper was celebrated in the upper room, that afternoon in
Emmaus, the First Supper is celebrated as He becoming both guest and host, the
beginning of the eternal feast in the Kingdom of God.
Suddenly, these weary and worn
travelers, who had been discussing the death and resurrection of Jesus, realize
that the Stranger is none other than the Resurrected One Himself. And,
instantly, He disappears. A few hours earlier, they were dismissive and confused
of the resurrection reports. Now, they become resurrection eyewitnesses – not
just of an empty tomb, but of the resurrected, whole and holy Jesus.
It does beg the question, why
were they kept from recognizing Jesus? Luke tells us “their eyes were kept from
recognizing him.” Why would that be? Consider what kind of Messiah they were
looking for. “We had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel.” They were
looking for social-political redemption from the dreaded Romans, for a
Messiah-Savior to set Israel free and return it to the free state and power
that it was on under David. Jesus didn’t do that. In fact, He didn’t meet many
expectations. So, how would it be helpful for them to not recognize Jesus?
They needed to understand who and
what Messiah really was. Not a political redeemer, but a redeemer from sin,
death and everlasting condemnation. They needed to see Jesus for who He is and
what He is, not what they wanted Him to be. “And beginning with Moses and the
Prophets, He opened the Scriptures to them…” Boy, wouldn’t you have loved to
have been a fly on the shoulder for that Bible class. Jesus, conducting a
master class in reading and understanding the Law and Prophets spoke of. Could
you imagine how He connects passages, organizes themes, and reveals the heilsgeschichte
(God’s plan of salvation) for mankind?
He may have identified Himself as
the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23, but also the good shepherd promised in Ezekiel
34. He might have connected the great sacrifices of the Temple with Himself as
the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Perhaps he reminded them of the
Passover lambs that had been killed only a few days earlier in remembrance of
the great Exodus narrative and identified Himself as the perfect, once-for-all Lamb
of God. Maybe He helped them see how He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s
suffering servant.
Don’t you wish you were on the Emmaus
Road that Sunday afternoon, listening to the Jesus expound and explore the
Scriptures? Wouldn’t you have loved to have all of those dots connected for
you, how Moses and the Prophets all pointed ahead to the Coming One? What a
Bible class that would be!
I’ve lost track of the times I
have heard people say how they wish they could be with Jesus, that they could
walk and talk with Him, sit with Him at a meal, have Him as a houseguest and
just spend time with Him. Perhaps, because it’s a time of trial and seeing and
hearing Him would strengthen weak faith. Other times, it may be because we just
don’t understand the Bible and wish it were clearer. I admit: there are days I
wish that as well, for both those reasons!, and having a word – just a word –
with Jesus would help make it all clearer. Oh, to have a moment like what took
place on the Emmaus road!
Martin Luther said something
like, “No matter where you were to cut the Scriptures, the blood of Jesus would
spill out.” He didn’t mean it literally, of course. He was referring to how the
Old Testament points ahead to the Messiah to come and the New Testament
proclaims the Christ who came and pledges to come again. In every page of the
Bible you read, Jesus is there. The Word made flesh is alive in the words on
the page. You do have a very present and sure Jesus who comes to you in every
page of the Bible. We know that, but why don’t we always see Him there?
One of the things I find
frustrating when reading the Bible is the names that get dropped into the text,
mentioned, and then disappear. It happens regularly. I have lost track of the
times people have asked about Melchizedek, the mysterious priest who blessed
Abraham, or Jabez, whose prayer sold millions of books thousands of years after
he died, or Onesimus, the slave that inspired Paul’s letter to Philemon. Most
of those names, we’ll never know anything about – at least, not on this side of
eternity.
We find one of those names here:
Clepoas. He suddenly appears without a prelude or postlude, neither footnote
nor bibliographical reference. Literally, all we know is he was one of the two
heading toward Emmaus and that he was a disciple. That’s it.
But, at least he has a name. “That very day, two of them were walking
toward Emmaus…” One was Cleopas, as we said, but what of the other? Who was
Disciple Number Two?
If I were a gambling man (I’m
not, but let’s play the game), I would bet it was Luke. His not naming himself
was a way that the ancients admitted they were part of a story without naming
themselves as part of the story. Inclusion by exclusion, if you will. I suggest
Luke was Cleopas’ unnamed companion who got to visit with the resurrected
Jesus.
Now, that is sheer speculation –
I admit it. Historically, textually, theologically, I can’t prove it in the
slightest. So, since I’m on a limb anyway, let’s try something. I want you to create
in your mind a picture of the two traveling alongside Jesus. Got it? Now, look
closely at the one on the left; that’s Cleopas. Look closely at his face: see
his stern look, deep eyes, dark complexion and beard? Now, imagine his face
slowly begin to lighten as Jesus speaks. Do you see his brow lifting, his frown
turning into a smile, edging into a grin, his eyes brightening, his shoulders
straightening? His spirit is lifting as slowly, his heart begins to understand.
Now, look at the other traveler. Look closely...what does that disciple look
like? Look more closely...who do you see? Look closely…
See yourself in the face of the other, unnamed disciple. Perhaps that is what Luke intended (did you notice in the painting, above, how you see Jesus and Cleopas' face, but not the other? I submit that's what the artist is suggesting as well) – that you, dear 21st century disciple of Jesus, you see yourself walking along the road, journeying through life this side of heaven. And,, do you see who is there with you? Jesus. You journey with Jesus, in your Baptism, from cross and tomb to life. More than that, Jesus journeys with you, from font to resurrection and all steps in between. You know Jesus, not from what you have seen with your eyes but with spirit-given faith. You see Jesus, not as a failed messianic pariah who didn’t meet expectations but as God who took on flesh to dwell among us to take our place. You see Jesus, not as a social hero for the helpless but as the champion who rescues the world. You see Jesus not as one who came out on the losing end of a political but as one who surrendered to sinful men so He could fulfill His Father’s plan of salvation.
You see Jesus, your Savior who
died, whose, and who restored you to the Father.
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