Scripture Passage
Luke 24:13-35
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 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?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Sermon Script
According to our Christian calendar, today is the third Sunday of Easter.
Easter doesn’t end with Easter Sunday. There are six more Sundays that follow from Easter. They lead up to Pentecost Sunday –the day that the Holy Spirit Jesus promised came down upon all people.
So, we are currently in a season of reflecting on the good news of Easter. We reflected on it last week as well. There are so many ways to think about Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for us.
In the Gospels, you will find stories of Jesus appearing to certain people after the resurrection. The risen Christ appeared to the women; To the eleven disciples; And as we saw today, to two other people – one of them being a man named Cleopas.
These were not random, spontaneous appearances. They were special and extraordinary. Those who saw the risen Christ were transformed.
So, it made me wonder…
WHY DID THE RISEN CHRIST APPEAR TO THEM?
Did he do it to ‘prove’ that he was really alive? I don’t think so. He had no obligation to prove that he was alive to anyone.
In fact, he told Thomas, who refused to believe that Jesus was alive unless he saw him with his own eyes and touched his wounds:
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
Then why? He appeared to them in order to ENCOURAGE them.
What were they all like before they saw the risen Christ? The women were worried (about Jesus’ body being missing); The disciples were fearful (about being arrested by the Jews); As for Cleopas and his friend – they were sad and discouraged. Luke tells us that their faces were downcast.
This one particular expression tells us everything:
But we had hoped that he [Jesus] was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. (Luke 24:21)
Cleopas and his friend had expected something good to happen. That Jesus, the powerful prophet, would redeem Israel and be victorious.
But none of what they thought happened. Their hopes and expectations were crushed. They experienced profound disappointment.
We all have expectations about our life. How it will unfold and what it will look like.
We try to have a positive view about our future. Even though we still have our worries, our hopeful expectations make us feel good about what’s coming.
Yet, there are times when what we had hoped doesn’t happen. When our life does not unfold the way we expect. When unexpected disappointments come our way.
How do they affect us? We get confused and sad. We feel discouraged about our future.
I see that many of us live feeling this way. Our spirits are down and burdened. We walk through life with our faces downcast. We live inside our story that we think won’t end well.
When we are discouraged, the risen Christ comes to encourage us. I don’t mean in a superficial way.
He comes to wake us up. He comes to strengthen us with his real presence.
When we are encouraged, we feel empowered and alive. That was what he did for Cleopas and his friend.
What is interesting about today’s story is how Jesus encourages them.
Cleopas and his friend don’t recognize him at first. He is right beside them, walking and talking! Who he is becomes clearer to them, little by little, over time. It is connected to what he does with them.
Jesus begins by unpacking the Scripture for them. Here, Scripture doesn’t mean the Bible we have today. It refers to the Old Testament.
This was what Jesus did:
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
Jesus made connections between God’s word and their life. What does that mean? He helped them make sense of what was happening in their life.
We experience that whenever we delve into God’s word. From Bible studies or listening to sermons.
God’s word helps us to understand what we are going through. It gives us a new perspective on the same situation. Through the insight that God’s word gives us, we see that the story of our life is far from being over.
That is how the presence of the risen Christ becomes real to us. He comes to us through his word.
In that sense, God’s word is more than just a written word. It has the power to awaken our hearts.
Cleopas and his friend reflected on this experience later on:
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?” (Luke 24:32)
But in today’s story, it isn’t until Jesus breaks bread with Cleopas and his friend that they finally see him for who he is.
It all begins with their simple invitation to come and stay with them for the evening. This is what Luke tells us:
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… (Luke 24:30, 31)
Breaking bread usually means sharing a meal together. It implies togetherness and intimacy.
At our Friday gathering, we had our pizza dinner outside. Even though it was a smaller group, it felt cozy and nice.
Yesterday, I heard from a student pastor that he always cooks meals for his small group. He sees that food has a way of bringing people close together. He enjoys sharing his gift in that way.
But in the context of the Gospels, breaking bread has a deeper meaning. It points to Jesus giving himself for the sake of those he loves.
What Jesus did for his disciples before his death, he also did for Cleopas and his friend after the resurrection. Through this thoughtful and symbolic gesture, they finally saw the risen Christ sitting right there with them. His love opened their eyes for good.
The risen Christ still comes to us in the breaking of bread. That is why we celebrate communion every month.
It is an important part of our life together as God’s people. Through the breaking and taking of bread (and wine), the presence of Christ nourishes and strengthens us for our journey ahead. It reminds us that we are intimately connected to him.
When Cleopas and his friend were encouraged by the presence of the risen Christ, they were no longer downcast. They were filled with energy and excitement. They couldn’t wait to share their newfound joy with others.
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” (Luke 24:33, 34)
This is what life after Easter looks like. No longer bound to our disappointments of the past. But empowered and excited about our future with the risen Christ. We live into our new existence!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
You are a new creation. The old has gone. Do not live your life as an old creation.
I pray you may experience the encouraging presence of the risen Christ in your life. He will come and reveal himself to you in unexpected ways.
He will walk with you, speak to you, and eat with you. He is doing that already, and you may not know it.
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