3rd Sunday in Lent 4/6/08 Text Luke 24:13-35 Encountering the Risen Christ
3rd Sunday of Easter
4/6/2008
Text: Luke
Title: "Encountering the Risen Christ"
Bless thou O Lord, the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts that they be of profit to us and acceptable to thee, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen
As many of you know, I suffer from some vision problems. While I have some problems now, it is nothing like my vision problem as a child. I did not know it at the time, but I had really bad eyesight. To give you an example, if you were standing over 6 feet away I would not be able to recognize you. Everything was fuzzy. I thought, since I was born that way that that was the way the world was; no depth, little color, and fuzzy.
It caused me all sorts of problems, but since I did not know that was not the way the world was, I just went happily, well not always happily, along bumping into things. It was not until the seventh grade that I was taken to the eye doctor and they found out how poor my eyesight was.
When I got my first pair of glasses, it was the most awesome event in my life. For you see the first time I put those eyeglasses on I found out that the world was not flat and fuzz. I found out there were the most marvelous colors. I found out that I could see the individual leaves on the trees. I could see birds swooping through the air. I could see the features of people and it was wonderful. It was a life changing experience.
I tell you that story about my life, not so that you will feel sorry about my childhood, but that you can rejoice with me in my sight. It still is not as good as most people’s vision, but it is so much better than I had that the vision I have now is awesome.
In our Gospel reading for this morning, we see two disciples with vision problems. I do not know if they had any physical vision problems but I do know for sure that they had spiritual vision problems. I know that because we are told that they were kept from knowing Jesus.
I have always heard that God kept them from recognizing him. How odd is that? Why in the world would God keep someone from knowing Jesus, if his or her salvation depended on it? It does not make any sense. It had to be their lack of faith, their unbelief in what the scriptures taught about Jesus that kept them from recognizing Jesus.
Jesus listened as they told him of their grief, their dejection, their shock and horror regarding what had happened. He listened as they told how their lives and Jesus’ life had not turned out as expected. Jesus listened and then he responded by taking them on a journey through the law and the prophets. Jesus He showed them what the Holy Scriptures said about him. He took them on an amazing journey, for in that journey through the scriptures he showed them how the scriptures foretold all that Jesus did. He showed them where Moses and David, Isaiah and Malachi, Jeremiah and Ruth all spoke of Jesus’ life, his suffering and his death and resurrection. He spoke too of God's purpose and plan for the world, how the world began and how it will end. He showed them himself as the scriptures foretold it.
He did all that and it still was not until he sat down and ate supper with them that they finally saw him for who he is, their Jesus, the one who died, but was now alive eating with them. In the supper, the act of breaking the bread their eyes were opened and knew him. Maybe it was in the act of breaking of the bread that they saw his nail-scared hands.
What does that have to do with us? Those two disciples are us. We are walking along the road with Jesus. Every time we open the Bible and read it. Every time we study it. Every time we come together in worship we are walking with Jesus. The question is do we recognize him?
I would say that we are like those two disciples in that, even though we are walking with him we still do not see him clearly. Our vision is fuzzy. Why do I say that? I say it because our lives too many times do not reflect the truth of Jesus resurrection, but the ways of the world.
Too many times, we hold grudges against each other. Too many times, we think that our way is the only way. Too many times, we hold our money back from the church because we did not get our way. Too many times, we think we know all we need to know about God’s Word and ignore Bible study on Sunday morning. The list could go on and on.
The unfortunate and I mean unfortunate thing that happens is when we do those things, in our walk with Jesus, his command that he gave us to make disciples of all nations is not getting done. It is not getting done because we have become focused on ourselves. We, like those two disciples that Easter afternoon, do not realize the meaning of Jesus’ life and resurrection for our lives today.
It has to be that, for the people of Jesus are in the Word of God. They put aside their differences. They forgive each other. They work together, and as the banner says, “ . That is what God’s people do and that is why starting this morning, we are going to be a different people. Not because I said we are going to be different, but because of Jesus and his presence in the Holy Supper.
You see today when we partake of the Supper our eyes are going to be opened. For some it might be the first time. For others, it is the adjusting of their spiritual lenses. Whatever it is, it will happen. There is no doubt about it, for after Jesus’ resurrection, when he had his supper with those two disciples, who must have been at the Passover, had their eyes opened and they took off back to the city to tell others that they had talked with Jesus.
Talk about the “WOW” factor. That was it that day in Emmaus. Jesus in the Supper put their spiritual lenses on. They were new and clean and they everything clearly. No longer did they have a fuzzy image of Jesus. No longer did they think of Jesus as some event in their past. He was right there with them in the bread and wine and they knew him and they rejoiced.
Jesus in the breaking of bread and the drinking of the wine in his Supper does that for us. He comes to each of us and puts on the spiritual glasses each of us needs. For some it is a brand new pair of glass, so that they can see clearly for the first time. For others it might be a good cleaning, for their glasses have become fogged up with the problems of life. For other it is an adjustment in the power of the lenses, so that they can see more clearly.
Make no mistake; Jesus does that in his supper, for he is the one coming to us offering forgiveness, life, and salvation. What it really boils down to is this. When you leave the altar this morning, after partaking of his very body and blood what is it that you are going to do with lenses God has given you whether they be new, cleaned, or adjusted? Are you going to turn from his table and take them off, putting them away until the next time you come to church or are you going to start looking through them, seeing what Jesus wants you to see.
You might be thinking, “What is that God wants me to see?” Well, the first thing he wants you to see is that he is your Savior. He wants you to know that he is active in your life as you go through life’s good times and bad times. He wants you to see that those worshiping with you this morning are your spiritual brothers and sisters. He wants you to see all of those who do not know of Jesus and his saving work.
That is just a short list, a list that can be summed up in the word disciple. Disciple means follower and that is what he wants you to be, to do, follow his example, living your life in such a way that people know that you are a follower of Jesus.
Honestly, would you not want to see clearly all the time? Of course you would. What would happen if you were to ask Jesus fix your glasses in his Supper, so that you could see clearly with a trusting heart? Imagine with me what that would be like. And then imagine living your life with those lenses Jesus has given you, whether they be new, cleaned, or adjusted. What difference will they make in your life? Imagine that for just a moment.
All I can say is “WOW.” Amen.
4/6/2008
Text: Luke
Title: "Encountering the Risen Christ"
Bless thou O Lord, the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts that they be of profit to us and acceptable to thee, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen
As many of you know, I suffer from some vision problems. While I have some problems now, it is nothing like my vision problem as a child. I did not know it at the time, but I had really bad eyesight. To give you an example, if you were standing over 6 feet away I would not be able to recognize you. Everything was fuzzy. I thought, since I was born that way that that was the way the world was; no depth, little color, and fuzzy.
It caused me all sorts of problems, but since I did not know that was not the way the world was, I just went happily, well not always happily, along bumping into things. It was not until the seventh grade that I was taken to the eye doctor and they found out how poor my eyesight was.
When I got my first pair of glasses, it was the most awesome event in my life. For you see the first time I put those eyeglasses on I found out that the world was not flat and fuzz. I found out there were the most marvelous colors. I found out that I could see the individual leaves on the trees. I could see birds swooping through the air. I could see the features of people and it was wonderful. It was a life changing experience.
I tell you that story about my life, not so that you will feel sorry about my childhood, but that you can rejoice with me in my sight. It still is not as good as most people’s vision, but it is so much better than I had that the vision I have now is awesome.
In our Gospel reading for this morning, we see two disciples with vision problems. I do not know if they had any physical vision problems but I do know for sure that they had spiritual vision problems. I know that because we are told that they were kept from knowing Jesus.
I have always heard that God kept them from recognizing him. How odd is that? Why in the world would God keep someone from knowing Jesus, if his or her salvation depended on it? It does not make any sense. It had to be their lack of faith, their unbelief in what the scriptures taught about Jesus that kept them from recognizing Jesus.
Jesus listened as they told him of their grief, their dejection, their shock and horror regarding what had happened. He listened as they told how their lives and Jesus’ life had not turned out as expected. Jesus listened and then he responded by taking them on a journey through the law and the prophets. Jesus He showed them what the Holy Scriptures said about him. He took them on an amazing journey, for in that journey through the scriptures he showed them how the scriptures foretold all that Jesus did. He showed them where Moses and David, Isaiah and Malachi, Jeremiah and Ruth all spoke of Jesus’ life, his suffering and his death and resurrection. He spoke too of God's purpose and plan for the world, how the world began and how it will end. He showed them himself as the scriptures foretold it.
He did all that and it still was not until he sat down and ate supper with them that they finally saw him for who he is, their Jesus, the one who died, but was now alive eating with them. In the supper, the act of breaking the bread their eyes were opened and knew him. Maybe it was in the act of breaking of the bread that they saw his nail-scared hands.
What does that have to do with us? Those two disciples are us. We are walking along the road with Jesus. Every time we open the Bible and read it. Every time we study it. Every time we come together in worship we are walking with Jesus. The question is do we recognize him?
I would say that we are like those two disciples in that, even though we are walking with him we still do not see him clearly. Our vision is fuzzy. Why do I say that? I say it because our lives too many times do not reflect the truth of Jesus resurrection, but the ways of the world.
Too many times, we hold grudges against each other. Too many times, we think that our way is the only way. Too many times, we hold our money back from the church because we did not get our way. Too many times, we think we know all we need to know about God’s Word and ignore Bible study on Sunday morning. The list could go on and on.
The unfortunate and I mean unfortunate thing that happens is when we do those things, in our walk with Jesus, his command that he gave us to make disciples of all nations is not getting done. It is not getting done because we have become focused on ourselves. We, like those two disciples that Easter afternoon, do not realize the meaning of Jesus’ life and resurrection for our lives today.
It has to be that, for the people of Jesus are in the Word of God. They put aside their differences. They forgive each other. They work together, and as the banner says, “ . That is what God’s people do and that is why starting this morning, we are going to be a different people. Not because I said we are going to be different, but because of Jesus and his presence in the Holy Supper.
You see today when we partake of the Supper our eyes are going to be opened. For some it might be the first time. For others, it is the adjusting of their spiritual lenses. Whatever it is, it will happen. There is no doubt about it, for after Jesus’ resurrection, when he had his supper with those two disciples, who must have been at the Passover, had their eyes opened and they took off back to the city to tell others that they had talked with Jesus.
Talk about the “WOW” factor. That was it that day in Emmaus. Jesus in the Supper put their spiritual lenses on. They were new and clean and they everything clearly. No longer did they have a fuzzy image of Jesus. No longer did they think of Jesus as some event in their past. He was right there with them in the bread and wine and they knew him and they rejoiced.
Jesus in the breaking of bread and the drinking of the wine in his Supper does that for us. He comes to each of us and puts on the spiritual glasses each of us needs. For some it is a brand new pair of glass, so that they can see clearly for the first time. For others it might be a good cleaning, for their glasses have become fogged up with the problems of life. For other it is an adjustment in the power of the lenses, so that they can see more clearly.
Make no mistake; Jesus does that in his supper, for he is the one coming to us offering forgiveness, life, and salvation. What it really boils down to is this. When you leave the altar this morning, after partaking of his very body and blood what is it that you are going to do with lenses God has given you whether they be new, cleaned, or adjusted? Are you going to turn from his table and take them off, putting them away until the next time you come to church or are you going to start looking through them, seeing what Jesus wants you to see.
You might be thinking, “What is that God wants me to see?” Well, the first thing he wants you to see is that he is your Savior. He wants you to know that he is active in your life as you go through life’s good times and bad times. He wants you to see that those worshiping with you this morning are your spiritual brothers and sisters. He wants you to see all of those who do not know of Jesus and his saving work.
That is just a short list, a list that can be summed up in the word disciple. Disciple means follower and that is what he wants you to be, to do, follow his example, living your life in such a way that people know that you are a follower of Jesus.
Honestly, would you not want to see clearly all the time? Of course you would. What would happen if you were to ask Jesus fix your glasses in his Supper, so that you could see clearly with a trusting heart? Imagine with me what that would be like. And then imagine living your life with those lenses Jesus has given you, whether they be new, cleaned, or adjusted. What difference will they make in your life? Imagine that for just a moment.
All I can say is “WOW.” Amen.
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 11:35 AM
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