Calvary Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Debra May Cerra

April 6, 2008

1 Peter 1:17-23 (NRSV)

If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. ¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹ Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. ²² Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. ²³ You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

Luke 24:13-35 (NRSV)

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" ¹⁹He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." ²⁵Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. ²⁸As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹But 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. ³⁰When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. ³²They 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?" ³³That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

“The Walk”

            There was once a king who declared that the first day of the fifth month would be a special day to honor his greatest citizen. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists had been chosen as contenders for this great honor. One by one they were brought before the king.

            The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honor because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.

            The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honor because she had given faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.

The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.

The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honored as the greatest citizen in the kingdom. What chance could she possible have when compared to the other three who had accomplished so much? Yet there was a look of love on her face, understanding in her eyes, and a quiet confidence in her manner.

The king was intrigued but somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came: “You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge. Well, she was their teacher!”[1]

            The king could not see the value in this humble lady. She had no fortune and no title, yet she had unselfishly given her life to produce great people. She had extended sacrificial love in a Christ-like manner to all of her students.

            Many times we miss the value of those around us. Thinking back to our Gospel reading, we are like Cleopas and his brother who missed the significance of the stranger on the road to Emmaus. We would be surprised if we knew just how often we miss the presence of Christ in our midst.

            Our Gospel reading this morning is a story about two disciples of Jesus. As they traveled to Emmaus, they were deep in conversation about all the details of the previous three days. In the middle of their discussion, Jesus came up and walked with them but they didn’t recognize him.

            Jesus asked them, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" But the men just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them said, ‘Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?’ Jesus asked them, ‘What has happened?’ They said, ‘The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus.’”[2] (17-24)

            Though these men could recount the story of the empty tomb as they heard it from the women and the other disciples, it was not enough for them to understand and believe. “We had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel,” the men had shared. These sorrow-filled words carried an assortment of emotions – despair, regret, bewilderment, and hopelessness. These were sentiments of men whose dreams were dead and buried.

            Many times significant events – loss of job, death of someone, our own feelings of inadequacy - take us to similar places. When our lives seem out of control, our thoughts become filled with an assortment of emotions. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we may sense that the hopes and dreams that we had are dead and buried.

            But that’s not the message Jesus brought to these two men. It took the risen Christ to give understanding to the meaning of Easter. The disciples lived through the events of Holy Week. They knew what had happened. But it was Jesus – taking time to interpret the scriptures – who empowered the events of His death and resurrection. Jesus, the critical interpreter, taught the disciples and teaches us how to discern God’s intentions. He showed the importance of going back to the words of the prophets to get the full picture of the impact of God’s plan.[3]

As Jesus walked on the road with the men, He did not leave them alone in their desolation. He had compassion on them and brought understanding to them through the scriptures. Though they still did not recognize Jesus, there must have been something about Him that intrigued them or pricked their senses for they invited Him to dine with them. “’Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done.’ So Jesus went in with them.”[4] (29)

It was in the breaking of bread that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus. With our understanding of the Lord’s Supper, we want to interpret this part of the story as a time when Jesus shared communion with the two disciples. But he did not. This was at an ordinary meal in an ordinary house. It was an ordinary loaf of bread that Jesus divided. Some interpretations of this encounter “beautifully suggest that perhaps the men were present at the feeding of the five thousand, and, as he broke the bread in their cottage home, they recognized his hands again.”[5] Whatever the case, it is at table with the Lord that they recognize Jesus.

            Many times we miss the value of those around us. Remember the king and his inability to see the value of that humble teacher. How often do we miss the presence of Jesus in our midst? When are those times when we miss the value of an encounter with Christ? Could it be that we should look for Jesus Christ at every juncture and in every aspect of our lives?

Maybe the message for us today is not just what happened on the walk to Emmaus. Maybe it’s about our walk with Christ. Yes, we do meet Jesus at the communion table – at the joyful feast which he has prepared. But just maybe we are to look for him at our dinner table too. You see, Jesus Christ is not only the host in His Church. Jesus wants to walk with us. He wants to show us His love; to teach us His ways. He wants us to recognize him in those around us and even in ourselves. Jesus Christ wants to be the guest in our homes and in our lives. Amen and amen.