Luke 24:13-35

William F. Schnell

June 28, 2009

When my wife, Nancy, was going into her Junior year of high school, a redrawing of school district lines led to her being transferred to my school while I was a Senior. In other words, we spent one year of high school together. My best pal, who is coming up for a visit this Tuesday, sat next to her in the high school choir. One friend we had in common had a mother who was a friend to both of our mothers. She knew a couple of my cousins who attended the same school, and I knew a couple of hers. But we did not know each other.

It would be 11 years before we would meet for the first time. For a long time we kept thinking that there would be some common high school memory where we would realize, "Oh that was you." But no such memory has occurred to us after 26 years of marriage. Certainly there was a time when she caught my eye, which was always peeled for pretty girls. Certainly there was a time when my obnoxious adolescent antics outside the lunchroom annoyed her as she passed by. Certainly, with the scores of people we knew in common, there was some small way we knew of each other in that time and place we shared. If so, we sure aren’t aware of it now.

I wonder how aware we are of God’s presence in our midst. Do we recognize him in the people we encounter? One biblical writer counsels: Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2)—have entertained God’s messengers without knowing it. Do we recognize God’s hand at work in the trials we must face? Again, as it is written, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Our text describes an encounter between two fellows and a stranger they do not, at first, recognize as the risen Christ. It is the first Easter morning, but the resurrecting power of God has not yet been made known to them, and so they are naturally discouraged about the tragic death of their Lord in the faith. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast (Verses 14-17).

Their downcast faces expose their lack of faith in what Jesus had tried to tell them many times before—that he would be crucified and then raised from the dead. Now that he had been crucified, they might have joyfully anticipated his resurrection. However their lack of faith blinded them to his resurrection and so they did not recognize him. To them he is a stranger, but he proves to be a wise, insightful and scripturally astute stranger who explains what they have experienced in the light of God’s Holy Word.

He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Verses 25-27). The two men remember that this is exactly what Jesus had tried to tell them while he was still alive and it causes them to be so drawn to the stranger that, when he tries to part company with them, they strongly urge him to stay with them. The stranger acquiesces.

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, and he disappeared from their sight (Verses 30-31). Whether it was a recollection of the Last Supper or the miracle of the multiplication of loaves or simply the dining habits of Jesus, they recognized the stranger for who he was—Jesus Christ their crucified and clearly risen Lord.

Change of plans. Instead of completing their trip to the town of Emmaus, 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." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread (Verses 33-35). Their response to having recognized Jesus is to testify—to witness—about it so that others may recognize him too, which is exactly what happened according to the next verse. While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you" (24:36).

The title of our meditation for today is, "God Sightings." It is a phrase I first heard from returning Workcampers when they gave public testimonies and witnesses to encounters with God during their mission work on behalf of the needy. In other words, as they worked to meet the needs of others, God revealed himself in the people they met and the experiences they had immersing themselves into some environments that were different from back home.

If the testimonies of the two in our text were able to open the eyes of others to the Lord’s presence in their midst, maybe the testimonies of those who have recently made "God Sightings" at Workcamp can open our eyes to the Lord’s presence in our midst. Maybe all it will require is putting our faith into action like they have. Jesus said, Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers (and sisters) of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40). Could it be that we recognize Jesus in the least when we reach out to meet their needs as we are given opportunity?

We are going to hear a couple of testimonies from our Workcampers right now. I have no idea what they are going to say but I suspect that, in one way or other, it will have something to do with "God Sightings" they have made during the past week. Introducing our Workcampers will be their leader, Jimmy Eavenson, who for several years has joyfully labored to build our Workcamp program. This year we are sending two groups out comprised of volunteers from The Church in Aurora, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, and the Gahanna Community Congregational Church (the church into which I happened to be born and reared).