Alleluia Christ is Risen!
He is risen indeed Alleluia.
We are still looking at the events of Easter Day. This one of the last of Luke's stories about Jesus and his disciples.. He uses it to summaries many of the messages in his book, but most importantly as a 'proof' of the resurrection. This morning we are going to take a closer look at how we understand the story. What the story means for us. How each of us thinks about it. Lets take a quick tour of the story, because we must have the story clearly in our minds for the next part.
Two 'volunteers' mime the story, to my direction.
As I was preparing for today's talk I came across a series of pictures inspired by the story. They are interpretations from the great artists in our past. Some of them depict scenes that are nothing like what I imagined – and of course what I imagined may not be anything like the reality that existed when these two friends travelled on their 7 mile journey. We've already seen one interpretation in the re-enactment, and, I have no doubt, that some of you will have seen things in the story differently because of that. I'm now going to run the sequence of pictures, they should continue to cycle through as I move on with the sermon.
Run Picture sequence through once
The question I was left with was “How do I see the events of the journey?” and “What impact does that have on my relationship with Jesus?”
Now we are going to look at the story again, and try to imagine it in your own way. I will take us through the events, and make some suggestions and ask us some questions on route.
At the end we will be back here together.
Imagine it - The following is read slowly, with sufficient gaps for people to think.
You're in a busy city
Something happens – a disaster of some sort – your friend is arrested and put to death.
What had you been expecting?
What had he promised?
Your group of friends is in disarray. No-one can agree on anything.
You just want to go home. Two of you decide to leave together.
It takes some careful planning to get out of the city unnoticed, and avoid being arrested yourself.
Maybe the route is not direct, perhaps you have to walk through some narrow back streets.
Are people watching, or are you left alone?
Is there any sign of the temple police, do you have to avoid them.
It's a long walk home, but there is no other way – there is nothing to go back for. Everything you had there has come to an end.
You're depressed, and despairing.
What are you talking about?
The strange things that have happened
The expectations you had –
What were you expecting as you entered the city – not the welcome you got?
Were you expecting a revolution?
What were you expecting when you were in the olive groves? When your leader just wanted to pray.
Are you talking about the way you reacted?
How did you react when he was arrested?
Did you get involved in the fight? - Are you proud of that?
Did you follow the temple police into the city?
Did you see where your leader was put, how he was treated?
Would you have preferred not to come into the city at all, would it have been safer to stay outside?
After all that's happened what could you have done differently?
Two of you leave the city at last, and onto the road to your village.
Take a look back at the city
Think again of all that has happened in the last few days
What is the road like?
Maybe its dusty and deserted, is it hot, can you see the heat haze in the distance
What can you see to either side?
Are there other travellers in the distance?
Is it a difficult walk, up-hill, or down hill?
Is the road in a good condition?
Now in about two hours you'll be home – it may take longer today – there's not much enthusiasm for anything, not even getting where you want to be.
Does the scenery change as you walk?
Will you have to pass through any villages on the way?
While you're walking, someone comes along and walks in the same direction. Perhaps they join from another path, or catch you up.
Somehow you strike up a conversation.
The stranger seems unaware of your disaster
The stranger doesn't even seem to know what's been happening
but they have a listening ear.
Tell them about all that has happened to you, to your friends, describe your situation.
From the highs of the entry in Jerusalem to the lows of the arrest and crucifixion
Does it sound different now you're telling someone else?
Then the stranger starts to respond – they seem to know your whole life story. They know more about your past than even you do!
But when they speak about the scriptures, they speak with wisdom, authority and with real insight.
Ps 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Ps 22:16-18 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Isaiah 53:3-6 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
You're caught up in what they are saying – YES – you do know all of this
This is really how it should be -but is this really how it IS?
You come to your village. Are we really here already, it seems like we only started out a few minutes ago.
The stranger says good bye, but you ask them to stay and eat with you.
Why do you ask him to stay?
For his well being? - It's dangerous out there at night
Out of politeness?
Because there is something about what he is saying, and you really want the conversation to go on forever.
Who is in your house when you get there?
Who will serve you food?
What sort of greeting do you get?
You sit to eat, perhaps at a table, perhaps somewhere else
It's a simple meal – perhaps bread and soup,
The food is brought, and placed on the table
Your guest takes on the role of host and begins to share out the food.
What is it that you see that you haven't seen before?
Is it his actions, the way he does things
The way he holds the bread, the particular way he breaks it
Is it his hands and his arms – do you see his wounds?
Is it just in the fact that he has taken over, taken charge, as you have relied on him to do for the last few years
It's Jesus, Its Jesus, Its Jesus
What happens now?
Are you literally dancing with joy?
Are there tears of joy?
What are the thoughts in your head? Which ones come through above the emotion?
The women were right?
The resurrection is true?
Salvation?
Where's Jesus?
Where did he go?
How could he have left us so soon
It was really Him – wasn't it?
Yes, of course, of course, who else could speak like that, who else could make us hang on His every word?
Who else would break bread like that?
We MUST tell the others
We must go back to Jerusalem.
Its colder outside now, it may even be dark.
Retrace your footsteps urgently
Soon you will see lights in the distance – Jerusalem is minutes away
You burst into the room that you had left a little over four hours ago. The disciples and some others are still there.
They have their own exciting news. - It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.
Tell your story to the disciples
How do they react?
What is the mood of the meeting now?
Conclusion
Cleopas and his friend were not in Jesus inner circle. They are not listed in the 12 (now the 11). Nevertheless Jesus chose these two to make one of his final appearances to. This is the final lesson that Jesus has to teach. There are two important things that his followers have to learn:
He taught them how to find him in the Old Testament – the Jewish Scriptures. Starting with Moses – the person the Jews look back to as the founder in many ways of their beliefs, and the person God used to rescue Israel for the first time. Then using ALL the prophets He taught them about the prophecies, not that he hadn't before, but in that hour or two that he was with then he put it all together in a way they had not heard before.
He emphasised the new ceremony that he had created, he showed them by His actions that he was to be found in the breaking of the break. A reminder to them of the last supper, the meal they had shared together just a few days ago.
Both of those are lessons that we too should learn, but there is another lesson for us too, and its from the reaction of the two followers when they saw the risen Jesus for the first time. The realization that Jesus has risen from the dead – that it is really true – not just a story, but a real event, something that happened in history, as certain as the fact that you were born, that realization is a powerful thing – it changes peoples lives forever. You may not understand all the implications, I certainly didn't, but it is life changing. It is exciting, and exciting news leaks out – you MUST tell someone – maybe you just must tell anyone. As a last piece of imagination – remember back to the first time that you recognised Jesus as a living (living NOW) person.
How did you react?
What did you do next?
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