Bible Texts: 1 Peter 1: Luke 24: 13-35

Transcription

1 What Hinders Us From Recognizing Christ? Sermon for First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Decatur, Georgia Season of Eastertide, Sunday, April 15, 2007 James L. Brewer-Calvert, Pastor Bible Texts: 1 Peter 1: Luke 24: A Call to Holy Living 17 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. 24 For All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. The Walk to Emmaus 13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, What are you discussing with each other while you walk along? They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then 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? 19 He 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, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and 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. 24 Some 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. 25 Then he said to them, Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory? 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But 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. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They 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? 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon! 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 1

2 The late Saul Alinsky was teaching a group of community organizers that in order to effectively communicate, they had to stay within the experience of their listeners. He was teaching, but all the faces in the room had a vacant, dull stare. They had either no clue or no interest in what he was saying. Finally he said, Everybody stand up and follow me around the block. I am going to try to give away this $20 bill. Stay 30 feet behind me and watch what happens. Once outside he approached a man and offered him the twenty. The man said, What do you think I am, a fool? and hurried off. Alinsky approached a woman and she just about slapped him. I am not that kind of woman! she exclaimed. All the way around the block he offered people money, and no one accepted it. When they got back in the classroom people s eyes were lit up. I see! they said. We have to connect where people are, in their own context. Alinsky learned from the best communicators, Moses and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Consider the story of the Walk to Emmaus. In Luke 24, after the crucifixion two disciples were heading out of town as fast as their legs would carry them when they met the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus Listen again as Luke sets the scene: Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (vs ) Get out of town! They didn t know Jesus? These are two of his closest friends. It had only been three days since they had dinner with him, since they went with Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane singing psalms, praying, and then in horror watching his arrest. Now, on Sunday afternoon, on the first day of the week, on their way to Emmaus, as they walk away from the tragedy in Jerusalem 2

3 a stranger joins the two disciples. yet they don t know him. The Bible says, Their eyes were kept from recognizing him. What hinders them, what keeps them from recognizing God? Why didn t they see him? Maybe it is because they weren t looking for him. Jesus of Nazareth was dead. This is a major problem. If you think, if you feel, if you believe God is dead, you will not look for God nor expect to meet the messiah anywhere. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Jesus, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? He 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, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But 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. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and 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. Some 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. (vs ) Cleopas and his friend were so sad, so afraid, so disappointed. We had thought he would save us; we hoped he would be the messiah. Their hope and their despair intertwine. They have courage yet it is overcome by their fear. Jesus Christ meets them right where they are. Jesus meets them on the road, as they walk to Emmaus. He stays within their experience, their cultural context, their language and lives. More importantly Jesus meets them in their doubt and fear. They know about Moses, so Jesus begins with Moses and talks in their context. 3

4 Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. (v. 27) This had to happen! The crucifixion had to happen before the resurrection. He illuminates for them what they have known all along God is alive. God is at work in the world. God was at work in human history, and God continues to live and love all people. This history is the proof, and so is what they have witnessed in their own lives. Their hearts begin to burn. As he speaks to them, their fears subside and tears are wiped away. Resurrection power did not end on Easter dawn when the tomb was rolled away. Resurrection power took hold of Cleopas and his friend on the way to Emmaus. This is the beginning of their knowing him. This is the beginning of the resurrection of their lives. As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus walked ahead as if he were going on. But 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. (vs ) Don t go away, they said to the stranger. We need you to stay in our lives a bit longer Their response to the Word being illuminated is an invitation, an act of hospitality. The Holy Spirit is at work in them even though they may not know it or know how. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. (vs ) Jesus vanishes because they no longer need his physical presence. They will know and remember forever that God is not dead! God is alive and well. God is nigh. So, instead of spending the night in a safe place, in a sacred space, they choose to walk back to Jerusalem in the dark! They walk seven miles back into the danger zone, back to the city they had fled for fear of their very lives. Now they go back to share the good news with others. Now they go back to take a stand for what is right and true. 4

5 They are sustained by the unpacking of the Word of God, by the mighty presence of Christ in their lives, walking beside them, and by the Bread of Life and the Cup of the New Covenant. Cleopas and his friend are filled with a courage and hope they didn t know they had earlier. They know that God is not dead; God is alive. Nothing and no one will ever be able to separate them from the live of God. Do you believe that Christ is risen? Look at the person on your right. Now look at the person to your left. You are not alone; Christ is here, alive, in us, ready to walk with us into danger and into the light. We are called to see Christ in one another, to be Christ for one another, to share and be the Good News, and to walk into the unknown, into the dark, into danger, to journey into the blessed gift of life with courage and conviction. All power be to the Creator, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen! 5