April 26 2020 Psalm
116.1-4, 12-19 *Luke 24.13-35 The Walk…toward Emmaus Pastor Jacqueline Hines
Good to see
you my beloved Bethel Flock on this 5th week of our quarantine.
I heard Dr. Dobson talk
about the experiment with bumble bees and house flies. Twelve bees were placed in
a jar in a darkened room. Light was
beamed on the bottom of the glass. Then the top lid was removed. Instinctively,
the bees flew toward the light at the bottom though freedom was at the top. They
did not explore other avenues to freedom, they simply focused on one way out. All
twelve bees died trying to buzz their way through the bottom of the jar. Then
the researchers repeated the experiment with 12 common house flies. Within two
minutes the flies had found their way out of the jar. The flies found freedom
because they searched for new
ways to get out. Whenever the flies encountered a dead end, they did not stop
seeking a way out.
As spiritual creatures,
we do well to keep our minds open to new paths to blessings that God has for
us. We know so much, yet there are many things we do not know. As we talk to God and as we are serving God,
we can always learn new ways to deal with our toughest problems.
In chapter 24 Luke tells the story of two guys
walking together on a path toward a city called Emmaus. They were talking about
things that had happened, in Chapter 23, the arrest and trial of Jesus, his
burial and resurrection, those who believed in him and those who rejected him...
While they were talking about Jesus, Jesus himself appeared on their path. It
is one thing to talk about
Jesus. It is another thing to be in the presence of Jesus, talking with Jesus. Verse 14 – 15 says they were: 14 talking with each other about all these things that had
happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near
and started walking with
them,… the conversation began taking a new turn. Verse 27
tells us “…beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them
the things about himself in all the scriptures.”
Jesus appearing and
walking alongside these two reminds me of a Methodist pastor who was recording
her Easter service last week. She said something
marvelous occurred. God showed up! Pastor Evelyn Clark Kent, who is soon to be
our district superintendent, was exercising social distancing with three
parishioners. Suddenly they experienced the presence of the Lord in an
extraordinarily powerful way. They were moved to tears as they sat quietly in
the sanctuary, recounting a feeling of being impacted by such a visitation of the
Holy Spirit. They were blessed and stunned, in ways that only a good God can
make happen.
We are all doing
everything we can to be the church we have been called to be, even as we are
being terrorized by the coronavirus. We are facing our fears and God is guiding
us in profound ways to the places we need to go. As has been said, “When we face our fears in our journey,
we find our faith.”
When we find our faith,
we find a way out from sin
and destruction and a way into
holiness and into the kingdom of God; we become free, as the communion
prayer of confession asks God, to “forgive us and free us for joyful obedience.”
There are three important
things about our journey in the faith that that free us for joyful obedience. Number
one, the journey leads to Jesus. Number two, Holy Communion opens our eyes to
see things that are very important for us to see. Number three, the truth sets
us free from a lie.
We don’t like to admit
it, but human ears are itching for the juiciest gossip. Why? Because it is
easier to talk about someone else’s life and problems rather than to reflect
honestly on our own.
As the two walked
together toward Emmaus, they were talking about what everybody else was talking
about – not the OJ Simpson trial or Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding,
or any of the three presidential impeachments, or the celebrity college
admission scandals or the global coronavirus war. No, they were talking about
the hanging of Jesus on a tree at Calvary and how the town talk was about a
crucifixion that turned into a resurrection.
Jesus appeared right
smack dab in the middle of their conversation. They didn’t recognize him at
first, but they were so eager to tell him the latest news, and he seemed very
eager to hear every detail. They walked and talked, they talked and walked
until the sun began to set. Hospitality to
strangers was so much a part of Middle Eastern culture that they said to this
person, whom they thought was a stranger, whose conversation they were really
enjoying - “It’s getting late. Please stay and have dinner with us.” So, Jesus
joined them. At the table, Jesus broke off some bread and said a prayer of
thanksgiving. Having bread at the table was evidence that it was a very good
day. Bread at the table was a sign that God had blessed them with enough peace and
patience for planting several months earlier. Every day that bread appeared on
their table indicated that they had enough health for harvesting. Bread baking
in the oven filled the house with a sweet, savory smell of joyful anticipation
and celebration. Breaking bread together is definitely a time to give thanks
because once again God has blessed us by bringing us together from places far
and near, from hard places as well as pleasant paths. Bread tells us that God
is with us and everything is going to be alright.
Our journey of faith
always leads us to a table with Jesus who walks with us and talks with us and
tells us we are his own. We are together at the table because we belong. We
belong to the wonderful family of God. Our faith journey always leads us to Jesus, who makes everything alright, one
way or another.
As Jesus broke the
bread, he gave thanks and there was something about that moment that helped the
two who had walked with him to recognize Jesus as savior and Lord. Like the
walk to Emmaus, OUR journey
of faith leads to our holy communing with Jesus. Our spiritual eyes are open,
and we see things that we really need to see.
When our eyes are open we
see Jesus as our Saviour, we
put our hands in his hands and we follow him so we can be saved from our sins
as well as the sins of others. In every crisis we can call on him and never get
a busy signal. He never runs out of money to fulfill his purpose and plan,
always has good news, and always provides something we need. We know that at
the table, our eyes will be opened through a dream, a still small voice, a
scripture, a devotional, a friend in the faith, or by any means necessary. One
way or another, as we break bread together, we will see that Jesus is the
savior we can call on and he will definitely answer.
Finally, we know in our
journey of faith that the truth of God’s love sets us free from a lie. Before
the crucifixion Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Then Pilate went out and
told the crowd of Pharisees the truth. He said, ‘You have sentenced Jesus to
death and he is innocent.’ That was the truth and it had to be told.
It is our all-too-human
nature to want to kill the truth
of Jesus in our life. There may be sins from which we do not want to be saved. Can
you name any? Do you have any demons in your life from whom you do not wish to
be delivered? Any bad habits that you
are holding onto for dear life? Any sickness or disease for which have not
labored in prayer for healing? Do you want to be healed?
I recall praying with a
friend for healing of a mass that had grown on her neck and had been there for
a while. It was painful to the touch and when we prayed the mass went away in
just a few days. She later told me she had mixed feelings about being healed
because now she had to go back to work and give up her disability check. She
also had to give up the free salon services she was receiving because a
beautician wanted to bless her under her condition. Faith changes our life and
some of those changes are more comfortable than others.
There may be an area in
your life where you want to be saved, delivered or healed. I invite you to
bring that to your mind at this moment. Whatever your need, we will commit it
in prayer to the only one who can help us. He is the one who always shows up as
we journey. He is the one who opens our eyes to reveal important things through
dreams, friends, family, scripture, or a still small voice. He is the one who
gives us a truth that must be told.
Let us pray.
God of grace and mercy,
we give you thanks that it is a well with us as it is this day. You have loved
us with an everlasting love. Open our hearts wide to your great love today.
Speak to us a truth that we might be set free from fear, dread, worry, anxiety,
stress, nervousness, and tension. Center us in your will that we would find
comfort, calm and safety. Help us to let go and let you handle our affairs, God…we
pray as you taught the disciples… Our father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy
name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us
this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
The joy and peace of our Lord be with you today and always.
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