(Opening of the sermon is the dramatic reading script “The News” by Elaine Aadland for the Lenten/Easter Series, “Watchers on the Hill,” produced by Creative Communications for the Parish © 2003)
Whatever life road you are currently on, Jesus is on that road as well. He is not far away. The two disheartened, discouraged, and disillusioned men who left Jerusalem early that morning are about to encounter the Risen Jesus but some time will pass before they see Him.
Now you might be thinking, “Jim, they see Jesus on the road what do you mean they do not see Him?” You’re right; they see Jesus but only as a traveler on the road with them. They have yet to see Him as they need to see Him (and as the Lord wants them to see Him) for two reasons: First, because they were looking at something else – circumstances - and second God kept them in the dark as we read in Luke 24:16 until the right time to reveal Jesus came.
AW Tozer, a pastor and writer of another generation makes this point in a different way. In a magazine column published several years after his death he wrote, “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ brought about a startling change of direction.
“It is interesting and profitable,” he continues, “to look at the direction of the prepositions in Matthew’s account of the Resurrection morning (chapter 28). First, the women came “to” the tomb (v. 1). They came in love, but they came to mourn. That was their direction before they knew Jesus had been raised from the dead.”
Tozer continues, “Many all around us still face the tomb, knowing only mourning, grief, uncertainty and the fear of death. But on that historic Resurrection day, the faithful women had a dramatic change of direction. The mammoth stone had been rolled away, and they could see the stark emptiness of the tomb. So the record tells us they departed immediately “from” the grave. What a change wrought by the joyful news! The preposition is now “from” instead of “to.” The direction is suddenly away from the tomb and toward eternal life and victory!”
On the life road that you are currently on what, are you looking for? Mary and the others were looking for a dead body, not a live one. They were headed there to dress a body for decomposition and not resurrection. They found no body and they found no death.
But what were the two men on the Emmaus Road looking for? Were they looking for Jesus?
One of the things that they were looking for were answers to the deep and hard questions they had in their hearts and on their lips. As Luke notes in 24:14 “As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened.”
The events of the past two days had been devastating. Prior to Friday, and the crucifixion, their dreams, like the dream of many others, was that Jesus would overthrow the Roman Empire and re-established the Kingdom of David. The result would be a second deliverance on the scale of Moses leading out their ancestors from slavery in Egypt many centuries earlier.
“Jim, how do you know that?” Mark 11:10. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, we read that the crowd proclaimed, “Bless the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!” They saw Jesus as the Messiah who would restore the throne of David to Israel.
Then there is Luke 24:21, a part of our main story this morning, “We thought he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel.” These two men equated Jesus’ mission and ministry as political not spiritual deliverance. Jesus’ execution and death smashed such hopes in their hearts. It was the death of a dream.
One of the hallmarks of our history is that we like to dream. We are taught and encouraged to dream and dream big! We have been taught from since we were young that our nation is a nation of opportunity for all. Dreams are very important to us.
This emphasis on dreaming big is also a part of our Christian vocabulary these days. It is often stated in terms such as “looking for meaning” or “looking for purpose” or “finding my passion in life” or “finding my niche.” Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life is a case in point. (I highly recommend it)
These two men, though, had lost their dream. It had died when Jesus died and though they had heard reports that the tomb was empty there was not faith and belief present in their minds and hearts only further confusion.
Over 25 years ago, Daniel Levinson and some colleagues wrote a book based on the study of some men entitled, Seasons of a Man’s Life. One of the things that I remember about it was the segment in which they wrote of the pain and turmoil that came to some of the men when their life dream either crashed and burned or it was never fully realized at all.
Some of us here understand what the death of a dream is. We have experienced the pain and the anger and even depression of realizing that through our own choices or that of another or the reality of life circumstances, a dream that we have had will never become a reality. So then, we can somewhat understand the emotional state these two men were in.
They also were looking to understand who Jesus was. Luke points out in verse 13 that they “were two of Jesus’ followers.” They were not total strangers. They were familiar with Jesus. However, the events just passed left them confused and perplexed.
We hear it in their reply to Jesus’ question in verse 19, “What things?” Notice the description of Jesus they give Him: “The things that happened to Jesus a man from Nazareth.” They go on to describe Jesus as a prophet and mighty teacher. They did not call Him the Son of God or their Savior, not yet any way.
Who do you believe that Jesus Christ is? A prophet or great teacher? A figure of ancient history? Or the Son of God who is also our Savior?
Jesus listened carefully to what they had to say and then, as Luke notes in verses 25 through 27, makes clear what the prophets and other sacred Hebrew writings had said about Him. He calls their lack of belief into question and then proceeds to re-tell probably familiar passages that these men would already know. Or maybe not.
Now it could be suggested that Jesus was angry with them for their lack of faith and belief in Scripture. But, Jesus wants them to know the truth about Him and they would know – experientially in a few short verses.
By the time Jesus is finished with his re-education of these two followers, they are close to home and Jesus is invited to stay and eat. Now the veil is pulled back, what God has hidden is now revealed, and they recognize that what they had heard about Jesus being alive is true! The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to these two weary and heavyhearted souls.
“Didn’t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” we read in Luke 24:32. They finally see Jesus with eyes of faith and spirit and it changes them, as it changes Mary and the others who see the tomb empty, because Jesus is Risen! He is alive! He is not dead! Death cannot defeat Him!
They must now look “forward” and not behind. Tozer says it very well, “Any Christian Church that looks back to the Crucifixion with sorry tears and not forward to the blessed life of the risen Christ has no more than a pitying religion.”
He continues, “True spiritual power resides not in the ancient cross but in the victory of the mighty, resurrected Lord of glory who pronounced after death; “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Mt 28:18).
The Man who died on the cross died in weakness. But He arose in power. If we deny the truth and glory of His Resurrection and the fact that He is sealed at the right hand of God, we lose the significance of Christianity!”
Jeff Strite tells the story of Rose Crawford who had been blind for 50 years. Then she had an operation for her blindness in an Ontario hospital.
She said, “I just can’t believe it,” as the doctor lifted the bandages from her eyes. She wept - when for the 1st time in her life she saw a dazzling and beautiful world of form and color greeted her eyes and she could now see.”
“The amazing thing about her story, however,” Strite continues, “was that 20 years of her blindness was unnecessary. She didn’t know that surgical techniques had been developed, and that an operation could have restored her vision at the age of 30.”
The Dr. said, “She just figured there was nothing that could be done for her condition. Much of her life could have been different.”
The same holds true for us in matters of heart and soul. The human race has been blinded by hate, violence, disrespect, disillusionment, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, pride, disobedience, and a whole host of things that keep us from seeing Jesus on our life path.
The reality of what happened on this Sunday we now call Easter is similar to what happened to Rose. The empty tomb, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, can heal our spiritual sight from blindness and darkness. Jesus Christ has, and still wants to help us see Him on our life path. Are you open to that possibility? Are you ready to see life better and more clearly than ever before?
The two men had a choice, just as each of us has a choice, of how to respond to Jesus’ self-revelation. The choice was between belief and disbelief.
They could have decided that what they saw was just an emotional response during their grief process and dismiss both their experience and what they had been told by the others about the empty tomb. They could have chosen to disbelieve what they had seen, heard, and experienced.
Or, they could do what they did. They believed and that belief motivated them to return to Jerusalem. Most likely, they walked all night on very little sleep to get back to Jerusalem and tell their story.
Either choice would change their lives. They made the right choice and people have been making that right choice for centuries. It has made a difference in their lives…for the better!
Today we remember and give thanks to God for the empty tomb. But, we need now to look away from the tomb and away from the cross and look at Jesus. What were the two men on the Emmaus Road looking for? Were they looking for Jesus?
No, they were not looking for Jesus. They were looking for relief and answers to their pain, confusion, questions, and doubts.
However, Jesus was looking for them. He found them and He revealed Himself to them in such a manner as to deal with their pain, confusion, questions, and doubts and give them faith, life, and hope.
We are just like these two men. We have doubt, pain, confusion, and questions. Jesus is looking for us, too.
The life and hope that is made possible by what we celebrate this morning is yours for the asking. The Holy Spirit is present here this morning to help you see Jesus, experience the forgiveness and new life that was made possible by what we have remembered, and celebrate this weekend.
Jesus is looking for you. Do you see Him? He’s right….there. Amen.
(Tozer’s article appears at www.alliancelife.org)
Jeff Strite’s illustration is from www.sermoncentral.com)
