Luke 24: 13-35
Karl Barth…one of the twentieth century’s most famous theologians…was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland…where he lived and lectured.
- A tourist to the city climbed on the streetcar and sat down next to Barth.
- The two men started chatting with each other.
- “Are you new to the city?” Barth inquired.
- “Yes,” said the tourist.
- “Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?” asked Barth.
- “Yes,” he said, “I’d love to meet the famous theologian…Karl Barth. Do you know him?”
- Barth replied, “Well as a matter of fact…I do. I give him a shave every morning.”
The tourist got off the streetcar quite delighted.
- He went back to his hotel saying to himself: “I met Karl Barth’s barber today.”
That’s amusing…isn’t it?
- That tourist was in the presence of the very person he most wanted to meet.
- But even with the most obvious clue…he never realized that the man with whom he was talking was the great man himself.
It reminds us of Mary’s reaction on Easter morning.
- In her grief…she thinks the man she is speaking to is the gardener.
- It is not…of course.
- Until he called her name…she did not realize that she was speaking with the risen Christ.
And it reminds us of that scene on the road to Emmaus.
- When later that same Easter day…two of the disciples walk for a while with the resurrected Jesus.
- And they…too…had no idea with whom they were talking with.
On that first Easter Sunday…the women took spices and went to the tomb.
- They found the stone rolled away from the mouth of the tomb.
- But they did not find Jesus’ body.
- Two angels ask them: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here…he has risen!”
That is why the story of the two men on the road to Emmaus is so important.
- Because the two men were among those to whom the women shared their story of the empty tomb.
- These men were on their way to a village called Emmaus.
- About seven miles north of Jerusalem.
- They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
We do not know precisely who these men were.
- The name of one of them was “Cleopas.”
- The other may have been Luke himself.
- And that he omitted his own name out of modesty…we really do not know.
- And we do not know why they were headed toward Emmaus.
- Most likely…that was their home.
- And…in disappointment…they had concluded that their grand adventure of following Jesus of Nazareth was over.
- So…they were packing it in and heading back to the lives they had before they met Jesus.
What we do know is that…as they walked and talked with each other about their experiences…
- Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.
- But…they were both kept from recognizing him.
- Their despair stood in the way…disappointed with the way things turned out.
- They had lost hope and were discarding their dreams.
- Blinded to the good things that still surrounded them.
- We too…should not let temporary disappointments blind us to the good God is doing in our lives.
- We should never assume that any disappointment is God’s last word on any situation.
The followers of Jesus certainly thought their dreams had turned to dust.
- The last thing they expected was to discover that Jesus was alive.
- Maybe this is why they did not recognize him.
- They were blinded by their disappointment.
- It’s a beautiful story of two men who were in Christ’s presence and did not even know it until he chose to reveal himself.
- We too…at times…get distracted from our faith by a great disappointment or defeat…blinded by our circumstances.
- We do not even know that we…too…are in the presence of the risen Christ.
Those who were closest to Jesus did not recognize him until they shook off their disappointment and despair.
- They realized he was in their midst.
- And their hearts burned within them in joy and peace that the Lord Jesus Christ was alive.
God tends to hide behind foolish disguises:
- He is the homeless man lumbering through the park talking to himself in a loud voice.
- A pint of Cuervo Gold tucked into the back pocket of his jeans.
- She is the teenager texting her boyfriend and applying mascara at the stoplight after it has turned green.
- He is the young father gambling away his children’s dinner at a casino on his way home from another day at the sewage treatment plant.
- She is the elderly woman slowly counting out change at the convenience store when you are late for the job interview.
- And he is the Very Busy Man who does not give you the job.
You understand that this is why all the sacred teachings remind us to be vigilant:
- God could pop up anywhere…anytime.
- And drop his mask.
- When he does…we must be sure we have treated him like God.
- No matter how he was behaving.
On the roads we travel to our Emmauses…God appears to us in so many different appearances…shapes and sizes.
- In all of them…God guides us…nudges us…challenges us and confronts us:
- Where are we going?
- What are we seeking on this journey?
- How do we experience meaning and purpose in our lives?
God makes himself known in the rich… the poor…the stranger…the troubled.
- And so…calls forth from us the compassion and mercy and peace of his Easter promise.