Two disciples walking down the road,
talking about the events of the last few days in Jerusalem. Mysteriously,
another person joined them and asked, “What is this you’re so intently
discussing?”
They couldn’t believe there was anyone
who hadn’t heard about the crucifixion of their friend, Jesus. So, they told
what they’d witnessed and what their friends had found when they went to the
grave where the body had been placed.
In their hearts they knew that Jesus
was the Messiah, the Christ, the One all Israel had been waiting for. Then,
their dreams were dashed to the ground, broken like a wine goblet tossed into a
stone hearth. They were grieving for their friend because they’d hoped beyond
all hope that he would be the One who would save them from the oppression of
the Romans.
This one who was walking with them
began to teach them the lessons from their own Hebrew Bible, stories from Moses
clear up through the Prophets. With all that they still didn’t recognize the
One they were grieving.
When they arrived at their home they
invited Jesus to come in and eat with them, still not recognizing Him for who
he was. So, he sat down with them and just like he’d done at the Passover meal
a few days ago he took the bread, blessed and broke and gave it to them. When
they took the bread a light came on! This is exactly what they’d witnessed in
the upper room with the others! This was Jesus! They knew for the first time
that he was truly alive!
They ran back to Jerusalem to tell the
Eleven what had happened. Can you imagine how excited, how out of breath they
must have been when they opened the door and told everyone what had
happened…and then they found out that Jesus had also appeared to Peter! That
corroborated what they knew. Jesus was alive!
Today we will celebrate the Sacraments
of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and we will remember. Jesus is with us and we
may very well feel our hearts burning with his love and peace.
Then, what’s next? Will we have the
same excitement to share this good news with others? Will this good news open any other doors for
people who wouldn’t ordinarily come to worship with us?
As we eat this bread and drink the juice
and remember Jesus may we, every time we eat and drink this coming week
remember…and be filled with God’s love and grace and peace. May every meal we
share with family and friends and strangers be a time for us to celebrate the
joy of being in the presence of the risen Lord Jesus.
Thanks be to God for his grace and
peace. Amen.
