Church Sermon - April 10, 2005

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Epistle Lesson; 1 Peter 1:17-21
The First Lesson; Acts 2:14-47
Sermon Text; Luke 24:13-35

We all like heart-warming stories, don’t we? For example, there is the story told of a young boy, whose name was David. He had a pet dog. It was a big, black, Scottish dog. The dog’s name was Teddy. The two of them were almost inseparable, (only of course, when David was in school). Everyday, as David got off of the school bus, there Teddy would be waiting for him, so that they could be reunited for their afternoons together. Whenever David went to bed at night, Teddy was sure to be right at the foot of David’s bed. Oftentimes David would whistle a tune. Teddy was always sure to be right there. Also nobody was able to come within a half mile of the farm that David lived on, because Teddy was sure to bark.

Time passed and David grew up, WWII came around and it was time for David to go off to war. And so, David said good-bye to his parents. He said good-bye to the farm. But, how do you go about saying good-bye to your favorite companion?

So, off David went. David went to boot camp and then off to war for three years, until the war was over.

It was time for David to come back home. David got off the bus, which was miles away from his parents farm place. There were no telephones in those days, so he threw his duffle bag over his shoulder, and began his walk that night towards home. He came within a half a mile from his family’s farm place, when Teddy started barking. David started to whistle a tune. Teddy stopped his barking and gave a yelp of recognition. David could almost sense Teddy running through the night, where they were reunited with each other once again.

We like heart-warming stories, don’t we? Well, in my opinion, this section of scripture for today may be one of the greatest heart-warming stories ever told, as Jesus meets up with those two disciples on the road to Emmaus, after His resurrection from the grave, on that very first Easter afternoon.

Our text for today tells us that those two disciples, who were walking, were disappointed. As they were leaving Jerusalem, it tells us they were talking about all of the events that had taken place in Jerusalem, recently. So, they were probably talking about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Jesus celebrating a meal with His disciples, Jesus being condemned to die, being crucified, dying and being buried. They also knew about the reports that the women and the disciples had given, and yet they were disappointed. Nobody had seen Jesus’ body. We hear the disappointment, in their own words, as they tell Jesus, (who they do not recognize), "We had hoped (past tense), We had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel."

They were disappointed. Are there ever times in your life, when you are disappointed? Maybe you are disappointed with yourself. Maybe you are disappointed with other people. Maybe you are even disappointed with God.

You have disappointed yourself. Maybe it was your desire to remain sexually pure, before you got married, but in a moment of weakness you gave into the desires of your flesh and became impure, you sinned and you disappointed yourself.

Maybe it was your desire to speak very comforting and encouraging words to someone else, but in the heat of conversation, instead of speaking words of encouragement, you spoke destructive words, and you sinned and you disappointed yourself.

Maybe other people have disappointed you and let you down.

Maybe sometimes we become disappointed with God. We say things like, "God, why didn’t you save this life? God, why didn’t you preserve this marriage? God, why did you allow this to happen?" And, we become disappointed with God.

Well, understand this. In our text for today, we see Jesus overcoming the disappointment that those two disciples had, with hope. We should always know that whenever we are going through a time of disappointment in our lives, Jesus is always right there extending hope to us, as well. And yet, while we are in the middle of those disappointing moments in our lives, often times it is hard to recognize that Jesus is there extending that hope to us. Did you know the scripture says,

"I will never leave you, or forsake you."

(Hebrews 13:5)

God extends those words to us, even when we are in the midst of a disappointment in our life. That is the hope that He extends to us.

Did you know that the scripture says,

"God will supply all of our needs

through His glorious riches."

(Philippians 4:19)

Those words are words of hope, even when we are going through those disappointing times in our lives.

Did you know scripture says,

"God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose."

(Romans 8:28)

Those are those great words of hope, even while we are in the midst of a disappointing time in our life. Jesus overcomes any disappointment we have, with hope.

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus also overcame the confusion that those two disciples had, with clarity. They were confused about what had been taking place. They had heard the reports from the women. They had heard the reports from the disciples. But, nobody had seen the risen Jesus. Here is where Jesus scolds these disciples and brings clarity to their confusion. He says, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!"

It is here that Jesus brings clarity to their confusion.

As you see in the painting, this is probably the moment the artist was getting at. Jesus was speaking to those two disciples and explaining to them everything that the Old Testament scriptures had to say, concerning Himself. The Christ would have to suffer. He would have to die. He would be crucified. He would be buried. But, on the third day, He would rise again, according to the scriptures.

Just as Jesus scolded the disciples, it is true, too, that as parents we scold our children. We probably scold them most severely, when they know better. These disciples should have known better, because they knew their Old Testament scriptures. But Jesus, the loving teacher as He always was, brought clarity to the confusion that they had. "I am the one who has fulfilled all of these things."

Finally, in our text for today, we see that Jesus is able to overcome grief, with great joy. These disciples were grieving, because the One that they had put their hope in had died. Jesus reveals Himself to them as the Christ, as their Savior, the One who came to save them from their sin.

Jesus acted as if He were going to be going farther, but they asked Him to stay with them in Emmaus, to sit down, and have a meal with them. They said, "Stay with us."

Jesus took up their offer. He blessed the bread. He broke it and gave that bread to those disciples. And then, they recognized Jesus. Maybe they saw the nail marks in Jesus’ hands. Maybe they saw the action of Jesus blessing that bread, breaking it, and giving it to them as something they had seen before.

"They recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight."

Their grief was turned into joy.

There are times in our lives, when we grieve. There are times in our lives, when we are disappointed. It is Jesus who is always able to overcome our grief, with great joy. Listen to what it is that Peter (Peter, whom Jesus had appeared to after He had risen from the dead) once said. In 1 Peter, chapter one, Peter brings great joy to us too, when he says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in Heaven for you. In this you greatly rejoice. Though, now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief, in all kinds of trials. These have come, so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. You are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul."

We love to hear heart-warming stories, don’t we? For example the story of David and his dog Teddy. In my opinion, our scripture reading for today might be the greatest heart-warming story ever told!

Here Jesus overcame disappointment

with hope.

Here Jesus overcomes confusion

with clarity.

Here Jesus overcomes grief

with great joy.

What was the response of these Emmaus disciples, when Jesus revealed Himself to them? Well, those feet that were once heavy and burdened from that seven-mile walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus were now light and energized. Scripture tells us, "At once they went back to Jerusalem to share with the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead and they had seen it."

As we have heard this heart-warming story, what is our response? May we have those same light and energized feet, as we have seen Jesus who has overcome disappointment with joy, as we have seen Jesus who overcomes any confusion that we have, with the clarity of His Word, and as we have seen Jesus, who overcomes any grief that we have with great and exceeding joy. May we go forth, with those light and energized feet. May we share with others this heart-warming story of Jesus walking with those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus died so that our sins might be forgiven. Jesus rose from the grave so that we can have eternal life with Him in Heaven!

Amen.

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