10 pounds in a 5 pound bag – Emmaus Road
Luke 24:13-35
Do any of you remember the “I love Lucy show” where Lucy and Ethel got jobs in the chocolate factory? They were putting the candies in the boxes and the conveyor belt starts out slow and they comment how easy it is. Then the amount of candy increases. They can’t keep up. Pretty soon Lucy starts eating one so often to keep up. It in not long before she takes her hat and starts hiding the extras in it eventually she and ether are putting chocolate down their tops….basically they can’t keep up with the stream at all. No matter what they do the candy keeps coming and they are fighting a losing battle.
I think that was one of the funniest scenes in TV comedy I have ever seen. They were over whelmed with the constant flow and eventually lost it all.
Here we are the 4th Sunday of Easter and I am sill talking about that first Easter Sunday. We have moved to a story of two disciples that are not in the inner circle of the 12 now 11.
We have Cleopas and unnamed person…I say person because we don’t know from the scripture wither it is two men or a man and a woman.
We don’t think that they are just people that heard the stories abut Jesus because the text makes it clear that they would have recognized him. They are talking over all that has happened as they leave the city of Jerusalem.
Doesn’t that sound so natural and normal? When bad things happen we sit around and talk through what we know…we vent our anger, share our pain.
When we have a loss, we talk about it and it helps us when we share our grief. I
So our story takes place mid-morning, maybe after breakfast. It is late enough that they know the story that the women tell. The empty grave!
But, the idea is just a little too strange.
The information of the past week has been like the conveyor belt on the I love Lucy episode…
at first the information was great, they were probably with the crowd that entered with Jesus on Palm Sunday. They enjoyed the positive things they experiences as they came into the city. The excitement of Passover was always great.
This whole experience was gong so good……
then the line speed up - the arrest and crucifixion…..
OH my this was more that a normal person could take.
The scripture gives us a destination for our travelers. Emmaus 7 miles away from Jerusalem. Some say North West.
Emmaus means “hot baths.” That sounds pretty interesting especially if you are traveling. Maybe it was a tourist spot sort of a health resort.
Why were they headed there? We don’t know from scripture. Perhaps several things….was Emmaus the place only place they could get a room for the Passover. The city had been packed, like when I go to conference and I hotel is at least 10 miles away. I get up early to go in and leave late from downtown.
Perhaps they are headed home. It was time to head home after the Sabbath, vacation was over and on top of that it had been a really strange week.
But my real question why were they leaving. For them, was this journey with Jesus something that just ended? Was the stream of information just too wild and uncertain? Were they leaving to reach a safe place away from the authorities?
The scripture tells us that they were talking about all the things that had happened. They are having a personal conversation, sharing their thoughts on the experience. They are just two friends or perhaps a father and son, or maybe a husband and wife.
Walking along sharing their feelings, fears , emotions and disappointments and Jesus scoots up from behind them…
I am sure they hear the foot steps and he nears them, perhaps they look back and see he is alone and does not look too threatening. The conversation pauses as the size up the situation.
Jesus strikes up the conversation, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?
They just stop right there in the road, they are described as downcast…
They looked like they lost their best friend…and in way we know they have.
His simple question brings the emotion of what they experiences and heard bout to the top. I know you have experienced the feeling when someone ask you bout a recent loss of a loved one.
For a moment the wave of emotion causes them to stop. They struggle to hide the flash of grief and pain.
Maybe Cleopas needs just a moment to make sure his voice does not crack. Maybe that is the polite thing to do when a stranger approaches and wants to talk.
Cleopas then becomes the only disciple of Jesus Christ that is recorded as being rude to Jesus Christ, almost calling him an idiot. "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
It sounds a little like a DUH statement that the kids use. “It sounds like you don’t like your teacher.” The response is “DUH!” Do you want some ice cream…Duh!
Cleopas is saying, Are you new around here or just not notice anything happening around you?
Technically, that is not the best way to talk to the Son of God. But, it is not like they recognized him. We know that they are kept form knowing who the stranger is... Later they will have a DUH moment of their own when they stop fo the night..
So it says “they” told him about Jesus. That sounds like an oxymoron. Telling Jesus about Jesus.
Prophet, powerful teacher of scripture, and miracles , you should have seen some of the miracles….This guy was blessed by God…But….
The chief priest and rulers got rid of him…had him killed on trumped up charges…
We hoped he was the one… We hoped he was the messiah….We hoped he would lead Israel to freedom.
-- Here we have two disciples that experience the cross either through direct witness to through the sharing by witnesses.
That had hoped….
Had Hoped
-- For them the party was over.
The dream of a redeemer was gone. The amazing works and enlightened teaching had gone down the drain.
Man, it looked so good, it felt right, but life must go on. We need to get home and check on the family. Make sure the garden is ok.
--- They were believers that have lost the vision. They were walking along spreading the “bad news”
The news a false hope, oppression, and more of the same. The news that the great teacher was dead and with him the loss of hope in the kingdom of God.
They go on the share that it had been three days…that was pure confirmation. According to the rabbis the spirit remains with the body for there days hoping for life and then departs. Yep it’s over.
Then this morning, some of the women went to the tomb and found that his body was gone…They talked about angels and some of the men took off to see for them selves….He was gone.
It was more than we could handle. We just packed up our things and headed off.
If it was not bad enough…with the abuse and crucifixion.
The news just kept coming and it really was overwhelming. How could anyone make since of it.
Emotionally, they could not contain it any more. When it rains it pours and I have to think that they are completely drained and exhausted. And they were walking a long like walking wounded. Moving, but with no obvious appearance of purpose.
I am not sure if they would have expected what happened next. Instead of compassion for their loss, the stranger basically looks them in the face and say get a hold of your self or Grow Up.
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Sometimes, I wish I had an opportunity to be a disciple, I know I would not measure up so I quickly dismiss that thought.
Then other times I read stories that make me think what dummies these guys were. They never seem to understand anything. DUH – he is the messiagh – Duh he had to do these things … Then I recognize again that I am at least as bad and probably worse. I have enough DUH moments here when weh have hidsight.
I need the stories of Jesus explained over and over.
I need to be reminded what he said.
I need the encouragement to keep me moving along the path and sometimes I need my attention to be gotten so that I will snap out of my way of thinking
My lack of vision my perceived problems and focused back on the “Good news,” instead of the BAD NEWS that the world reminds us of at every moment.
Jesus reaches these two people. For a few hours he explains the scriptures and connects them to the events of the past three years and more specifically to the past week.
For them this stranger, changes their complete outlook.
Their heads are held straighter, their pace faster, and maybe they even have a smile on their face. This stranger has not just made the trip go by faster but he had completely changed their mood.
The get to Emmaus and say, buddy you have just got to stay with us tonight.
Look it is almost dark, let us make you a good meal as send you on your way in the morning rested and well fed.
The man agrees…
I don’t think that these people wanted him to leave because; he was just so refreshing to be around. He knows stuff that makes sense. He took a really crummy set of circumstances and explained how God was working in what looked like complete failure and chaos.
Folks, here is the application for us today.
In our walk through this world we must allow Jesus to be a part of our journey.
We can not take the circumstances of life focus our attention on the wrong things.
We can’t let what looks like complete failure and chaos lead us think the party is over. We have to be open to Jesus helping us to put the puzzle of this life together to see his picture.
Most of us here have been on the road for a long time and all too often we act like we are on a funeral march. We move without purpose or direction because, we have doubts in he promises. We have fear of the future. We don’t like who we have become.
No matter how far off the path you are, no matter how many wrong turns you make, Jesus wants to join you on the road where you are and explain it all to you.
He wants to liven your step; he wants to relieve you of the burdens of fear and doubts. He wants you to invite him into your home for a time of rest and peace.
He wants to take you away from the conveyor belt of this life and let you sample a different life.
I hope you will allow him to join your conversation and that you listen to what he has to say.
All Glory be to God
COMMUNION SONG
Commuion
That leads us to our service of Holy Communion.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 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?"
Sha-zam, It was Jesus all along.
Holy communion is one of the ways that Jesus can meet us on the road. It is called a means of grace. The reenactment of the last evening together in the upper room is a celebration of the celebration of Christ.
The same celebration we enjoy today, we recognize the sacrifice, to save us, but what we celebrate is the resurrection presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.
It is a mystery as to what happens. But the idea is that as we participate in this holy meal we are united with each other as the physical body of Christ and it is even more. We are united in the presence of Christ. He lives I Us and our lives are to be for him.
Pray with me.
