April 6, 2008

The Dinner Guest Who Disappeared

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Luke 24:13-35
 

Opening Illustration

Is Jesus gone, or is he still present with the church? Are we just fondly remembering some really nice dead guy, or is he with in some way today?

Question Luke faced as he wrote the gospel long after Jesus was gone. People wondered how community could still claim Jesus was alive if he was gone.

Luke addresses this question in Easter accounts. The experiences of the disciples with the risen Jesus continue on in the experience of the church.

Story of two disciples, not part of the 12, walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem. (Slide)

Stranger joins them, listens in on their conversation. Author clues the readers in that Jesus is the stranger. They are prevented from recognizing him.

Conversation about Jesus’ death and burial. Reports about him resurrecting.

Jesus acts like he doesn’t know what’s happened. They tell him the story. They don’t believe the part about him coming back from the dead.
Jesus chides them for even doubting it would happen. Explains how his life death and resurrection were revealed in the Old Testament. They should have expected him to come back.

They arrive at Emmaus – it’s getting dark. Jesus looks like he’s going to keep going. But they ask him to come and stay at their place. He agrees.

At dinner, something he did seemed like Deja-vu. Took, blessed, broke, gave the bread to them. Just like feeding of 5000 and Last Supper.

They recognized Jesus when he broke the bread. He instantly disappeared.

The disciples run back through the night to Jerusalem. Tell the 11 disciples how they saw him. Disciples say they’ve seen him too.

Issue is how the church can claim Jesus is alive if no one ever sees him. Issue for the church today.

Every church claims Jesus has come back from the dead. They also say he ascended into heaven.

How do we know he’s still alive? How do we know someone didn’t just move his body? How do we know disciples aren’t engaged in wishful thinking?

Luke’s answer is that Jesus is still present in the church when it is gathered. Christians still feel Jesus’ presence when they break bread together.

Important because now more than ever, people feel distanced from God. Scientific approach to everything causes people to seriously question claims that Jesus came back from the dead. (Skepticism of my students)

Is it still possible to experience Jesus’ presence today? Two points Luke wants to make.

One: Jesus is experienced in church community.

When Jesus’ followers are gathered, when they share their lives, they experience Jesus’ presence.

It is possible to see God present in creation. Something greater about the experience of Jesus in his risen community.

People who avoid church will not feel that presence of God in the same way.

Two: People experience Jesus as present when they continue to reflect on the Bible.

Disciples said their hearts were burning while Jesus explained how God had prepared the world for Jesus’ coming in the Old Testament.
Continued study of the Bible is not just a way of learning about Jesus and about the experience of Israel. It is a way of continuing to experience Jesus’ presence.

Final Illustration: Skipping church in Kentucky.

Churches continue to experience Jesus to the extent that they follow his commands: love God and love one another.

When churches don’t do that, they compromise their own experience of Jesus’ presence.

Passage from Luke challenges us to think about our commitment to this community. Lots of people floating around aimlessly, thinking like has no meaning.

Passage reminds us that our meaning is rooted in the God who created us, and that we can connect with God through the person of Jesus. We can and do experience Jesus here, in this room, when we’re gathered.

We experience him in many different ways, but there’s something special about the way he know him in the breaking of bread.