Our reading today comes from the Gospel of Luke 24:13-32 (The Message) 13-16That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. 17-18He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?" 19-24He said, "What has happened?" They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus." 25-27Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him. 28-31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. 32Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?"
Things could not have gone worse for these two “believers” walking down the dusty road to the village of Emmaus. They talked about the crucified Jesus. Their world had fallen apart. They were dejected and downcast. Their words come slowly, trudging in cadence with the dirge-like pace of their feet. “What just happened? I thought he was the ONE – THE One! And now he is gone!” “What do we do now?” “It’s Judas fault! He was betrayed by one of his closest disciples! The banker of the group! ” “You know what my grandmother always said, the banker always wins!” Just then a stranger comes up and walks along side them. He asks, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" They stop and turn. A lone traveler makes his way around them as they stand in silence. Finally one of them asks, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?" He said, "What has happened?" They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene.” ” And then they tell the stranger what has happened. (Luke 24:13-24)
Isn’t it interesting that when the going gets tough the weak get walking! Here we find a fascinating scene – two sincere disciples walking away – quickly getting out of town when up walks Jesus the Christ, God, in disguise, who listens patiently, his wounded hands buried deeply in his robe. He must have been a bit annoyed. He had just gone to Hades and back to give heaven to earth, and these two were walking away and talking about lost hope. They said, “And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel.” We had hoped … “Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt the despair of hope in the past tense? Most of us, at some time in life, experience hope gone bad -- hope turned hopeless. -- I HAD HOPED that the doctor would have better news
-- I HAD HOPED that we would win the tournament. -- I HAD HOPED to get a good job after graduation. -- I HAD HOPED that she would marry me. -- I HAD HOPED to get an A in that class. -- I HAD HOPED! Hope in the past tense. Hope turned hopeless. Words painted gray with disappointment. What we wanted didn’t come. What came, we didn’t want. The result? Shattered hope. The foundation of our world trembles. And we like the disciples trudge up the road to Emmaus dragging our feet in the dust, wondering what we did to deserve such a plight. “What kind of God would let me down like this?”
We too often feel this sadness as we journey through life – dejected, despondent. Our tear-filled are our eyes are so limited in our perspective that God could be walking right next to us and we wouldn’t know it. Part of the problem with our two heavy-hearted friends on the road to Emmaus was not a lack of faith, but a lack of vision. Their prayers were limited to what they could imagine—an earthly kingdom. Have you ever heard the Garth Brooks song, Unanswered Prayers? Part of the song goes: “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs, that just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”
We are not much different than burdened travelers, are we? We walk on the hot and dusty road – getting away from trouble as quick as we can. We pray, begging God to do what we think is right; treating God like a kindly fairy godfather. We want to remain safe- as children – with a God who acts as our all-powerful, protective parent. We piously ask for God’s will and then have the audacity to pout if everything doesn’t go our way. God is certainly capable of rescuing us, but God will not rescue us, because rescue would stop our journey. The journey is long and full.It contains peacefulness, joy and pain, conflict and paradox- all of which we must eventually learn to balance. It makes me wonder if God’s most merciful act is refusal to answer some of our prayers. Maybe God wants us to understand that the difficult path through serious conflict is one of the necessary and predictable steps of all transformation. This is how change works. This is how strong foundations are build. We must clear out the old. There are always extreme struggles as the old beliefs fight back and then crumble to make room for the new ones arising. On life’s journey it would serve us well to remember that this is not the end, even though it feels like it. Inner and outer conflicts are to be expected. So are the uncertainties that always arise with conflict. Let us try to remember when deep change occurs, this is what the beginning of something new looks and feels like. Hold on. Hold on. Later we will be able to remember this moment and see how unexpectedly Jesus showed up on the same road we were on. Jesus calls us to expect the unexpected and watch for it within our normal life.
We are not so different from the first century Christians. There is not one among us who hasn’t longed for a quick solution or a flash of insight or some heavenly intercession that would solve our besetting problem or cure a crisis. The road to Emmaus story teaches us about our ability to renew our vitality and stay open to the presence of the divine in our lives. It calls us to examine ourselves closely when we are tempted to walk away. It challenges us to come back together, break bread and share our stories with others. It calls each of us to have eyes wide open to the miraculous throughout the day. It calls us to stay put and look around with wonder and curiosity and a positive attitude – to anticipate the unexpected ways that things can work out. We will need to suspend our judgment and condemnation. We may even need to meet people from different paths of worship or faith with love and compassion. It is both test and testament of our compassion and our commitment to our journey with Jesus the Christ when we are able to greet all people with the same degree of love and honor and respect with which we would meet our Lord himself. This is the lesson of the road to Emmaus.[i]
The Emmaus road calls us to a journey of hope. Do we have the audacity to hope? Hope is not what we expect; it is what we would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I’m-dreaming ending. It’s Abraham adjusting his bifocals so he can see not his grandson, but his son. It’s Moses standing in the promised land not with Aaron or Miriam at his side, but with Elijah and the transfigured Christ. It’s Zechariah left speechless at the sight of his wife Elizabeth, gray-headed and pregnant. And it is the two Emmaus-bound pilgrims reaching out to take a piece of bread only to see that the hands from which it is offered are pierced. Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction. [ii]
The Road to Emmaus gives us a pretty good example to follow. Even though the disciples did not realize that they were doing it, they confessed to Jesus their disappointed hope. As a result, he helped them to understand the scriptures related to what they thought were their dashed hopes. We also need to take our problems to Jesus, and then go to the Scriptures and ask the Lord to teach us the truth about our disappointments. You see, the resurrection ensures that Jesus is the Messiah who saves us. Jesus' resurrection ensures that he teaches truth. This truth, however, is far more than a set of facts. This is truth we can trust in the face of our disappointments and disillusionments … and yes, even in the face of death. The gospel changes everything. During the seven miles on the road to Emmaus, Jesus turned two kingdom role players from bitter, cynical, runners who followed a failed prophet, to worshipers of a risen champion over death with a new mission. This may be the end of the story of the Gospel of Luke, but the beginning of our story of hope.
Let us pray: Holy God, the world is often filled with disappointment and discouragement. In the midst of chaos and change we are tempted to run away. Jesus please help us to recognize that you are walking next to us. Help us to fully understand Your truth as we seek to live faithfully and fearlessly. Please clear our confusion and disbelief; strengthen us for our life’s journey that it may be filled with hope and faith. In the name and power of Jesus the Christ, we pray. Amen.
[i] Alexander J. Shaia with Michelle Gaugy The Hidden Power of the Gospels: Four Questions, Four Paths, One Journey, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY. 2010 (p39-40).
ii Max Lucado God Came Near: Chronicles of the Christ Thomas Nelson, 1985, 2004.
