"WALKING WITH THE RISEN LORD"

"WALKING WITH THE RISEN LORD"    

Disciples on the Road to Emmaus

Preface: The following is the text of the only Easter sermon which I preached as pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Lidgerwood, North Dakota on Easter Sunday, 12 April 1998. 

Luke 24:13-35 NIV

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.

No one believed that Jesus would come back to life.  His enemies, the leaders of the Jewish people, didn't believe it, but they were nervous because He claimed that He would.  They knew that He had brought others back to life, so they thought that the followers of Jesus would steal His body and claim He rose from the dead.  They didn't want to take any chances, so they asked for guards to watch the place where Jesus was buried, and they sealed the tomb.

The friends of Jesus were in despair.  Jesus was dead, killed by their own countrymen.  They began to worry about their own safety, so they went into hiding.  Early on Sunday morning, the women began to circulate stories that they had seen Jesus, but no one except the women had seen Jesus.  Sometime during the afternoon of Sunday, two men left Jerusalem in despair.  It was the third day since the horrible crucifixion, and nothing had happened; time was running out.  They did not believe Jesus rose from the grave any more than any of the other disciples, so they left Jerusalem and began their walk to Emmaus.

We have walked together with Jesus from Bethany to Calvary over the six weeks during this Lenten season.  Our walk should end at Calvary, the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross and left to hang until dead.  When someone dies, that's it; that person's life is over.  His life is history, and whatever relationship anyone had with that person moves from the present tense to the past tense.  We stop making new memories and treasure the memories of the past.

But our walk with Jesus is not over.  We have not stopped making new memories.  Two men make their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus on Easter Sunday afternoon.  We continue to walk with Jesus.  These two men meet Jesus as they walk, and they learn that Jesus rose from the dead.  As we listen to their conversation with Jesus, we will discover what they discovered.

These two disciples represented the feelings of all the disciples of Jesus.  They never expected to see Jesus alive again.  The morning reports from the women were amazing, but no one had confirmed the reports.  Perhaps these two men had stayed in Jerusalem with the other disciples through the morning hours and past noon hoping that something new would confirm the reports of the women, but nothing happened.  No one else saw Jesus.  Their hope had turned sour, leaving nothing but stories by hysterical women.  Surely, that's what they all must have thought.  So these two men decided to walk the seven miles to their home in Emmaus.  It would take about two hours, and they could talk along the way.

They must have left early enough to get to Emmaus before dark.  On the way Jesus appeared and walked with them.  Jesus prevented them from recognizing Him as they walked together.  He listened and then asked what they were talking about.  He pretended not to know anything because He wanted to show them an important truth.  These men needed to know that the proof for all of God's actions is in the Bible, in Scripture.  Later, He would show them that He was alive, but now they needed to know what the Scripture said about the resurrection.

Calmly Jesus began to teach these two men the truth of the Scripture.  What did He teach them?  Perhaps Jesus began with the prophecy of Zechariah.  The prophet wrote that the king would come lowly, riding upon a donkey.  So Jesus had come into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  These two men told their fellow traveler that their "chief priests and...rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death."  Did Jesus then remind them of the prophecy of Isaiah, which said that Jesus would be beaten, wounded, and bruised?  Perhaps Jesus turned to Psalm 22 and showed them how David wrote about the dogs that surrounded the Holy One of Israel.  In the same psalm, Jesus may have pointed to the words telling of the action of the soldiers at the foot of the cross: "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."

It was all there ─ every detail.  The walk to Emmaus would have taken about two hours.  Each step of the way must have brought new prophecies of the Savior's work.  All these events were clear in the minds of these two despairing disciples, and Jesus showed them that the betrayal of Judas, the 30 pieces of silver, the false witnesses, the crucifixion with the criminals, and so many other details were all foretold in the Scriptures.  He was buried with the rich, as Isaiah had said, "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth."  If they were wondering about the resurrection, even that was foretold.  Psalm 16 says, "You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay."

All we need to know is in the Scriptures.  Jesus is arisen.  The Bible teaches it without question.  His grave was empty.  How often have we walked along the road of life despairing and filled with sorrow?  Like these two men, we get so wrapped up in our own sorrow that we do not look to Scripture for help, comfort, and assurance.  We expect Jesus to come and straighten out our every problem, but He has given us His Word to guide and sustain us on our walk through life.  That was His lesson here for these two men, and it is a lesson for us too.  Let the Scripture be your source.  When you face death, doesn't Jesus say, "Because I live, you also will live"?  When we are faced with tragedy, difficulty, and heartache, doesn't God's Word say that everything will work out for the good of those who love Him?  In the Scripture Jesus comes and walks alongside of us.  Don't expect any visions.  Don't expect any miraculous signs.  Jesus comes to us in His Word to guide us along life's path.

As Jesus taught these men the Scripture, their hearts burned within them.  The Holy Spirit was at work to strengthen their faith and bring them the comfort of the resurrection.  Jesus ended the lesson by proving that all He said was true.  At the end of this walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Jesus acted as if He were going farther.  These two men strongly urged Jesus to stay with them for the night.  As the sun began to set, they prepared the evening meal and sat at the table.  Jesus sat at the table with them, took bread, said a prayer of thanks, broke the bread, and began to hand it out to them.  In that moment these two disciples recognized Jesus for the first time.  They had seen Him break bread many times before.  It was the same Jesus they had come to know and love.  He was risen.  As soon as they recognized Him, He disappeared.

Jesus had fulfilled all the Old Testament Scripture.  He was there before them; without knowing it, they had talked with Him all afternoon. Everything He told them was verified by His presence.  The Scriptures He had taught them were true.  The stories they heard earlier in the day were true.  The women were not hysterical.  They saw Jesus.  It was true.  The sight of Jesus was like the exclamation point to the lesson Jesus had taught them all afternoon.

What a dramatic change took place in the hearts of these two disciples!  They had left Jerusalem with heavy hearts.  They were confused and without hope.  Then they saw Jesus.  He had arisen.  Their sorrow had been changed to joy.  They had no question what to do next. They left for Jerusalem immediately.  The others needed to know what they knew.  They must tell the story of Jesus' resurrection to others.

The resurrection of Jesus has the same effect on us.  We are confronted with death at every step of our journey through life.  We face our own death. We face the death of our loved ones.  We have walked with Jesus, and now we know that he is risen.  Death is not the end of things.  Jesus lives.  He is not dead.  When death takes us, it is not the end.  Because He lives, we shall live too.  Are you down in the dumps at times?  Remember that Jesus lives.  He walks beside you every day.  He rules all things for your good.  The Scriptures tell us all this good news. His resurrection means that our sins are completely forgiven.  God loves us.  Jesus is the only religious leader in the world ever to come back to life.

So many in this world anguish over death.  We have joy because Jesus arose from the grave.  So many find no joy in life and are filled with despair, sorrow, and heartache.  What we do next is not a mystery. We must tell others about the risen Lord.  Have you told your family about Jesus?  He is the living Lord of life.  Have you told those with whom you live?  Have you encouraged your fellow Christians?  Share the good news.  Death is overcome by the power of Jesus.  Jesus lives!  Let the message of his resurrection be what puts a spring in your step.  Let the joy of the empty tomb speed your steps along life's road.  Walk with Jesus ─ the journey has just begun.  He will walk with you all the way to the end of your path; then He will stand there ready to receive you into His heavenly kingdom.  At your journey's end, He will invite you to come and walk with Him forever.

Amen. So shall it be!    

EASTER CUSTOMS: "Bunnies and Eggs"

EASTER CUSTOMS: "Bunnies and Eggs"    

"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

1 Corinthians 15:19(NIV)

Preface: The following is the text of the last Easter sermon which I preached as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Lewisville, Minnesota and Trinity Lutheran Church - Fieldon (rural Lewisville, Minnesota) on Sunday, 30 March 1997. 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

      Christ is risen!

             He is risen indeed!

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father, and from His Son ─ our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen

At our joint Midweek Lenten services over the past several weeks, we have been looking at the various customs of Lent: ashes, fasting, penitence, foot washing, and the veil.  This Easter morning, we will look briefly at two of the customs of Easter: bunnies and eggs.  In the text, St. Paul says, "If only fort this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."  This morning, we might paraphrase these words: "If it is in bunnies and eggs that Easter consists, we ─ and all other people ─ are to be most pitied."  The fact is that Satan loves to sidetrack and pervert all the good gifts of God.

Most of us probably do not know what the word Easter means, or where it comes from.  Easter is the name of the Teutonic fertility goddess of spring.  Those ancient fertility cults were all over the world.  Their goddess was called "Astarte" in Babylon and "Oster" in Germany.  Since the day of Jesus' resurrection came at the same time of year as these pagan festivals, the church sought to switch the people's thoughts from the pagan celebrations to Jesus and His resurrection.

Similarly, some of the customs of these ancient festivals of spring remained.  As far back as Old Testament times, God's people had been caught up in fertility cults with their temple prostitutes.  Only by participating in immoral rituals could people hope for an abundant harvest and springtime renewal.  Rabbits were a symbol of this fertility─ anyone who has raised them knows why.  They really know how to multiply.  Eggs were also fitting symbols.  The ancient Druids, Hindus, Japanese, Chinese, and Babylonians celebrated the arrival of spring with sacred eggs.

On the one hand, these customs can be viewed as harmless leftovers from long-forgotten cults.  Now they are just "fun."  As we know, Satan works non-stop to pervert all the gifts of God.  Take, for example, our celebration of Christmas or of Sunday, the Lord's Day.  For many, Christmas had little or nothing to do with Christ, the world's Savior and Redeemer.  Many people view Sunday as "my day," day to sleep in, relax, and do whatever "I" want for once.  It's not a day to honor the Lord.

On Easter, Satan tries to get us so absorbed in bunnies and eggs and celebrations of spring that our "hope in Christ" is in danger.  That's his whole goal in your life; to leave you with no hope, no faith, no confidence, no strength, no forgiveness, no purpose in living.

  

By ourselves, you and I are hopeless.  We have no strength or confidence to overcome our greatest problem: sin.  We are alienated from God by our rebellious hearts, adrift from His kindness and compassion because of our disobedience.  Apart from God, human beings have no lasting goal; we have no purpose for living and no reason for hope in the future.

These treasures are exactly what God wants to give you.  That is why He came at Christmas, to bring you "good news of great joy that will be for all people....A Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."  That's also why He invites you to His house every Lord's Day ─ not just on major religious and secular holidays.  Your problems and worries and temptations and guilt build up.  God wants to reconnect with you as His dear child.  He wants it to be His day with you so He can renew in you all the riches of His kingdom.

Why do we celebrate Sunday as the Lord's Day?  It's because the resurrection took place on Sunday.  Sunday is to be a weekly "resurrection day," a "mini-Easter."  The worship service is our weekly "feast of victory," our weekly reminder of all the promises God has given us by His grace.  That's why Easter is the decisive day in world history and in your history.  St. Paul reminds us: "If Christ has not been raised, your faith [and mine] is futile; you are still in your sins."  We heard it in the text: "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

      That's why Satan works so hard to pervert all the great celebrations of the church year.  The evil one wants us to feel that we are still in our sins.  He wants us to feel that you and I are still in our sins.  He wants us to feel that faith is futile.  Satan wants us to have no hope in Christ.  He wants us to remain in the darkness and despair and aimlessness of the disciples that first Easter morning.  Our adversary wants us to live as if Christ is not risen.  He wants us to be shrouded in gloom. 

Do you know that Christ is risen?  Do you know that your Redeemer lives, and that because He lives so shall you?  Our "Christianity" does us no good unless we know this, unless we know Him.  Knowing Him is the whole point of the Christian faith.  If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you "are to be pitied more than all men."  You are to be pitied even more than those who live and die as Hindus and Buddhists and Muslims.  They may never have had the opportunity to hear of Christ.  They may never have know of the feast the Lord has prepared for all peoples, as Isaiah describes it in the Old Testament reading.  They may never have known that death has been swallowed up forever because Christ is risen.

They die in ignorance.  You and I would die in rebellious contempt.  We heard, but we didn't care.  We turned our backs on to His outstretched hand.  We preferred bunnies and eggs and Sunday morning naps.  We enjoyed wallowing in our pity bag.  We enjoyed having an excuse to feel sorry for ourselves.  We enjoyed doing as we want with all the time, talent, and treasure our Lord has entrusted to us for His service.  Think of what could be done in the church if all the Christmas and Easter Christians ─ in fact, all who call themselves Christians ─ would commit their entire lives to serving the Lord with their whole heart, mind, soul, and body ─ talents, abilities, and treasures.  There would always be enough teachers in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.  The youth of our church would never be wanting for a leader or a counselor.  Members of the church would care about their church ─ enough to attend meetings and serve in one of the leadership positions available.  Church properties would be cared for as well as our homes.  Offerings and gifts would far exceed the needs for home purposes and the mission fields of the church would grow in leaps and bounds.  But we enjoyed imagining that we would never have to give an account.

Do you know that Christ is risen?  Is Easter and every mini-Easter your day to reconnect with the Lord and His good purposes for your life?  Do you want strength and confidence and hope and direction and forgiveness in all the ups and downs of life on earth?  Do you know yourself as a child of God?  Do you know that your Heavenly Father has the "riches of His grace" to give to you?  If not, you are to be pitied more than all people.  God's gift is in your hand.  Will you receive it?  It is at this altar through Christ's Body and Blood "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins."

Do you know that Christ is risen, risen for you?  Do you know that the price for all your sins has been paid?  Do know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Do you know "the peace of God which transcends all human understanding," and believe that your living Lord is with you all the time?  DO you know that death has been conquered?  Do you know you belong to the Lord?  Will you walk with Him and one day rise with Him?  If so, all the riches of His kingdom are yours now and forever.

The apostle Paul expresses our confidence in Christ: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins....We were by nature objects of wrath.  But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in [our] transgressions ─ it is by grace you have been saved."  Your resurrected Lord stands before you on this, His victory day.  He invites you to "cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."  He wants you to be filled with renewed joy and confidence and strength and purpose in your heart.

One pair of rabbits produces many more.  Your Lord will produce a bountiful harvest from the riches of His grace.  A chick emerges from the captivity of its egg to light and life.  By God's grace, you and I are able to captivity of sin and death.  The season of spring renews the fertility of the earth.  By grace through faith, in Christ emerge from the, your life [and mine] is renewed.

That's what Easter can mean for you and me.  That's what every mini-Easter can mean for us ─ throughout our lives and into eternity.  We dare not let Satan pervert the grace of God shown to us.  Too much in life and death depends on it.  Isaiah said: "This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation."  This is the day for you and me to say: "Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us."

      Christ is risen!

            He is risen indeed!  Amen