What We Can't See

What We Can’t See
Welcome to our third week of Easter…As we continue in our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we continue to hear stories of Jesus interacting with his followers and joining with them as they see and hear Jesus for the first time after his resurrection.
Our story from Luke this morning tells the story of the two men walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus…These men weren’t a part of the eleven disciples of Jesus (the 12 disciples minus Judas), but they were still followers of Jesus and deeply effected by his death. Their walk to Emmaus was taking place on the same day of Jesus’ resurrection, as they tell that the women have already seen Jesus…But, they’re having a hard time believing it because just like many people, they can’t imagine death being anything but permanent…And even though they have listened to Jesus’ teachings and preachings, it’s still difficult for them to comprehend that Jesus is indeed alive.
As these men walked to Emmaus they were joined by someone on their journey…It wasn’t someone that they recognized, but we know from the story that this someone was Jesus who was walking with them…They shared with Jesus what had happened, about Jesus’ crucifixion and death and that they had heard that Jesus’ tomb was empty, but that they didn’t know what to make of it all…
On the walk to Emmaus, the two men were lost in their own grief…They were lost in their own emotions and focused only on themselves and not on what Jesus had promised over and over…It was all about them and they were blind…
There are these surveys on myspace & facebook that people can fill out…They have silly questions like “what color socks are you wearing?” and basic information like “where were you born?” and personal questions like “what are you afraid of?” These surveys are usually anywhere from 10-150 questions…As fun as these surveys may be to fill out, they’re referred to as “memes” because they’re all about me…All about the person filling them out…Now maybe you haven’t filled out one of these surveys before, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been times in your life when it’s all be about you…There are some people who live their entire lives with it being about them…Are you one of those people?
That’s an awkward question to ask, because I would think that very few people would think to themselves that they are a person who makes everything about them, who thinks that they’re selfish…Maybe there are some…But, I bet that we can all think of someone who is…We can all think of someone who is selfish…Who is blind to the world around…I’m guessing that some of you are thinking about that person right now and saying to yourself, “I wish so-and-so were here right now…I wish so-and-so were here to hear this…” Well, let me tell you something…The Gospel doesn’t work like that…The Gospel isn’t just for some people to hear and others to ignore…The Gospel isn’t just for so-and-so to hear, but it’s for you to hear…It’s for you to examine…It’s not for you to say, “Well, surely I’m not like that!” But it’s for you to take a serious step back and say, “What is being said to me right now? What does this mean for me right now?” Because as soon as we think that this can’t possibly apply to us and really applies to so-and-so…Guess what, we’ve just become blind. We’ve just become like the men on the way to Emmaus and can’t see Jesus…
The Gospel is full of love and grace…The Gospel is good news…But there are times that the Gospel pushes us to be out of our comfort zone…I have to say that I love Jesus, but there are times when I just wish that Jesus would stop talking to me…There are times when Jesus’ words hit just too close to home…I hope that you have the same experience…That you love Jesus, but there are times when Jesus’ words and Jesus’ stories pinch and pull you out of your comfort zone…This story is no different…It’s easy to look at the men on the road to Emmaus and point out where we’re not like them…But, where are we like them? Where are our eyes closed? What can’t we see?
The men on the road to Emmaus couldn’t see Jesus…They had no idea who was walking with them…They had no idea that in their midst was the resurrected Christ…That God was walking with them in the midst of their grief, pain, and confusion. It’s like that for us too…That in the midst of our daily struggles God is there walking alongside us…It’s hard to see God when we are struggling, but that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there walking alongside us, reminding us of God’s promise…Just like Jesus was reminding the men on the road to Emmaus of his promises that he would die and rise again…
My sister told me once, “Every time a song says Jesus in it, I think that you’re going to like it.” I thought that she was kidding when she said it, but then literally every song that she suggested I listen to talked about Jesus in some way or another…And because she listens to country music, they were pretty much all country music! Last night she sent me a message that said, “I know that you like songs about Jesus, but do you like songs about God? Here's a song that you should listen to.” I rolled my eyes when I got her message but then I looked up the lyrics and found a clip of the song…The song is I Saw God Today by George Strait and I have it for you to listen to this morning. (song) As the chorus goes, “I’ve been to church…I’ve read the book…I know He’s there, but I don’t look near often as I should…Yeah, I know I should…His fingerprints are everywhere…I’d just slow down and stop and stare…I opened my eyes and man I swear, I saw God today.”
The men on the road to Emmaus finally did see who Jesus was…They finally recognized this person that was walking with them…How did they recognize him? In the breaking of the bread…The last time that Jesus broke bread with his disciples in the upper room during the Passover festival…Where Jesus said, “This is my body which is broken for you.” In the breaking of the bread, these men saw Jesus…Their eyes were opened…They were able to get beyond themselves and see that there was a bigger picture…They were able to remember what Jesus had said to his disciples…This is my body which is given for you, do this as often as you eat this in remembrance of me…Remember me…Remember who I AM…Remember what has happened…Remember why it has happened….Remember what I have done for you…Remember what I have done for the world…Remember what God has done and what God is doing…Remember…
The breaking of the bread isn’t past tense…As we celebrate communion, it’s more than remembering…It’s an opportunity to share with the world…It’s an opportunity to share with all of the saints…As we share in the Great Thanksgiving, the prayer that’s prayed as we break bread and share the cup, we join in the heavenly banquet…It’s the moment where the past, present, and future come together…We call this a Holy Mystery…It’s called a Holy Mystery not because we don’t want to try and explain it, but because it’s a moment that is so sacred and so holy that it’s nearly impossible for us as human beings to wrap our minds around it…
As we come to the table this morning, there may be places in our life where we have been blind…where we have not seen…Come to the table with open eyes…When the men on the way to Emmaus had their eyes open, they saw Jesus…Open your eyes and see Jesus…As we collect God’s offering this morning, think about what those areas in your life are…Those places where you have been blind…Where your eyes have been closed…Where you have made it all about you…As we come to the table this morning and share in the Lord’s Supper together, see Jesus…Experience Jesus…After receiving communion, you have an opportunity to join at the rail in prayer to have your eyes continued to be opened…To see what it is that you can’t see…