RECOGNIZING OUR LORD…Third Sunday of Easter

4th May 2014

Easter 2014 just passed…

Consumerist Celebration

Reflective Rejoicing

Back to work? Or back out to serve?Mountain top experience?

To be repeated in December?

Or continuing to serve with renewed faith…. Striving to

grow?

Luke 24:13-35• 24:13 Now on that same day two of them were

going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,

• 24:14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

• 24:15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,

• 24:16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

• 24:17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad.

• 24:18 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?”

Quick contemplation…

The disciples were sad, disappointed

They did not recognise their Lord. Why?

CONTEXT: They did not expect to see Him

Their last impression: He was dead, hung on the cross

They were focused on their issues: Their hope was dead, what next?

For them, it was still Good Friday

Luke 24:13-35• 24:19 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,• 24:20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death

and crucified him.• 24:21 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.• 24:22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early

this morning,• 24:23 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.

24:24 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.”

Quick contemplation…

They knew the facts

They heard the testimony of the women

Yet they focused on His death. Disappointment clouded their faith?

What they hoped for did not seem to be met based on what they saw

Luke 24:13-35• 24:25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you

are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!

• 24:26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”

• 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

• 24:28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.

• 24:29 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.

Quick contemplation…

The stranger reminded them….

Imagine having all the evidence of a risen Lord.

They can remember the words that he spoke, telling them again and again, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." (Luke 9:22)

They know of the stone rolled away, the empty tomb, the angels in dazzling clothes saying..."Remember...Remember, what Jesus told you, 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.'"

They had all the evidence of a risen Lord-his words, the words of the angels, and now they have the risen Lord standing right in front of them...YET they cannot recognize him.

They just stood there, staring at the stranger, looking sad.

LAW

Luke 24:13-35• 24:30 When he was at the table with them, he

took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

• 24:31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

• 24:32 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?”

• 24:33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.

• 24:34 They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!”

• 24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Quick contemplation…They suddenly began to understand.

They recalled the glory of Jesus in his last days.

They remembered how they had begun to gain new insight on the road, when Jesus had recalled for them the great stories of Israel’s past and compared them with himself.

These actions provided a telling insight into the reality they had missed.

They now knew they had experienced the presence of the resurrected Jesus.

This allowed them to discover for themselves that what the women at the tomb had witnessed was true after all.

GOSPEL

Are we also on the road to Emmaus?

Distractions Disappointments

Are we also on the road to Emmaus?

Stresses of life Pre-Occupied with ourselves

JESUS

Did we miss Jesus in our midst?

In pain

No hope

No peace

Tiredness

Frustration

Finances

Health

Lost

In shock

No equality

No justice

Politics

Arguments

Career

Family

Loss

In grief

No transparency

No stillness, just noise

War

Dissension

Fitness

Scandals

Confusion

Abuse and violence

Anger issues

Domestic Issues

Addictions

Controversies

Affairs

LAW

What do we have?

The preaching of His Word

Holy Communion

The WORD and the SACRAMENT

GOSPEL

How then shall we live?Be open to the presence of God

Remember where He is found

Gather to hear His Word

Gather to partake of the Lord’s Supper

Why?Regular re-empowerment for living

Therefore….

[So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”] John 20:21

Engage Him…. And go engage your world…