+ 3rd Sunday of Easter – May 4th, 2014 +
Redeemer
Lutheran, HB
Series A: Acts
2:36-41; 1 Peter 1:17-25; Luke 24:13-35
In the Name of
the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Feed them and they will come”: that seems to describe Jesus’ ministry
pretty well.
Just think of all the Gospel accounts which revolve around Jesus and
food. Jesus eating with His disciples;
with tax collectors, prostitutes, and outcasts – the more the merrier. Jesus
even eats with Pharisees. From Zaccheus’
house to the feeding of the 5,000; from Holy Thursday to Emmaus, Jesus loves
breaking bread with sinners. And it’s
all the better for us.
The Church continues in her Lord’s tradition of Divine culinary
excellence: “Peter, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord.” “Feed my sheep. Feed My people with My Word and at My Table
and never stop; for I will never run out.”
It’s as true today as it was on that Emmaus road. Where’s Jesus? Right
where he promised to be. Jesus is known in His Word and at His table. In the
Scriptures and the Breaking of the Bread. In His promises and in His Holy
Sacraments.
But the Emmaus disciples didn’t understand this…not yet. That’s where we meet these downcast
disciples. A long 7 mile walk of shame
back home. And as they walked that
lonely road, they talked about all that had happened. The arrest, the
trial, the crucifixion, the burial, that strange report from the women of the
empty tomb, the angels, the news from Peter and John. But no sight of
Jesus.
They had hoped He was the
One. The Savior and Redeemer of Israel. And
now, they thought Him dead. The third day had come. But they were troubled,
afraid to believe. Alone. Disappointed. Disillusioned. Bewildered.
Confused.
But they weren’t alone on that Emmaus road. There was a stranger. It was Jesus, but
their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. Jesus concealed His identity. Jesus is still the Teacher. So, He listens in to hear what they say. And what they say to Jesus about Jesus
betrays the fact that they do not yet take Him at His word. “He said He
would die and in three days rise.” They’ve been counting. They knew
it was the third day, and getting late.
In spite of everything they had seen and heard and read – the miracles,
the trial, the crucifixion, the news from the women, even Jesus’ own teaching
which predicted his death with graphic precision – they still did not believe.
“O foolish ones, and slow of
heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”
Jesus rebukes them. Their
foolishness reveals their faithlessness.
It wasn’t their eyes, but their
hearts that were blind. Hearts weighed down by sin, alienated from God
are slow to believe.
We’re no different. Our hearts don’t naturally believe God’s
promises. We’re slow to believe His Word, and foolish too. We alienate
ourselves from God, we turn away from His word and turn inward to ourselves and
our own words, which is always dangerous. We do it all the time at home
when we doubt and think God has abandoned us. We do it at church and we act as
if God’s Word doesn’t do what he says it will and that his word and sacraments
aren’t enough to sustain us. Repent. God’s living Word and his Son’s body and
blood are all we need.
Repent of living as if God and
your neighbor did not matter and as if you mattered most. Come clean of your own unfaithfulness and be
washed, be cleansed, be forgiven by the Holy Spirit.
Just as he did to the Emmaus
disciples, Jesus sends His Holy Spirit upon us in order that the dry
ground of our hearts would be pierced and plowed by His creative, two-edged
sword.
“Beginning with Moses and the
Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
He taught them how to interpret the Scriptures. Jesus is speaking of
the Old Testament. Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension
is foretold by Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets – it’s all there. Every jot and tittle points to Him; is
fulfilled in Him. He is the key, the
center, and the hub, of the Old Testament. God’s Word is no how-to book or
owner’s manual. The Scriptures reveal the crucified and risen Jesus; this
is the living voice of God. You hear the Word, you hear Jesus.
Still, after opening their minds to the Scriptures, they didn’t
recognize the one who was teaching them.
Only as this Stranger reclined at the table with them, as He took bread,
blessed it, broke it and gave it to them – only then did they recognize Jesus.
Jesus’ words echo across space and time, from the upper room and to this very
room, here, today: “This is my body.” “This is my blood.” “For you.”
No sooner had they recognized Him; their mouths close on the bread,
their eyes are finally wide open – and their hearts are quickened. Jesus is gone! Where did He go? They didn’t have to ask. They knew not only by sight but now by
faith. “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road
and opened up the Scriptures?” This
isn’t some kind of liver-quiver, or touchy-feely burning in the bosom; but a
sure and confident trust built on a more sure and trustworthy Savior.
The Emmaus disciples knew exactly where to find Jesus – in the
Scriptures and in the Breaking of the Bread. It’s no different for us. Jesus is known in His Word and at His Table.
You want an Emmaus road experience too?
Great! We all should long for such an event. And you have it. Come to
Bible study. Read, mark, learn, and
inwardly digest this wholesome Word; you can’t eat enough of this Bread of
God’s Word. Come and hear. Sing.
Receive. Rejoice in Christ’s gifts in Divine Service. For Jesus lived the life you cannot live. He died the death you cannot die, the death
that defeats death itself – all for you.
For all the days and hours you live for yourself, Jesus lived every day,
every hour to rescue you from sin death and hell forever. And if that wasn’t enough, He comes and feeds
you with his crucified and risen body.
You want to see Jesus? It’s
simple. Go where He’s promised to be for us. Go where He locates Himself – in
the Supper, the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar, in His body and blood
given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Jesus is here; He says so Himself. Jesus
still loves dining with sinners. He
lives to feed you with His crucified and risen body and blood. He lives to
serve you with forgiveness at his table. He lives to save you with his
sacrifice given you in this sacrament.
That’s what Easter is all about. That’s why there’s unending joy.
Eating and feasting with Jesus. But this is no human joy or temporary peace.
For as good as the joy a warmed hearts is –it is far better to know who that
joy and passion comes from; and far better still to know that even on days you don’t
feel joy or burning clarity of God’s Word – or even when you’re disillusioned,
dejected, bewildered or alone – Jesus Crucified and Risen is still walking
beside you on the road, speaking His Word to you; revealing Himself for you in
the Breaking of the Bread.
Here in this place, week after week, in these Scriptures, at this
altar, in your ears, in this font – the Emmaus miracle happens every Sunday.
Come, let us walk the Emmaus road to the altar as our Lord reveals himself to
us in his word and at his table.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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