Luke 24:13-35
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Two disciples walked to Emmaus… or maybe they were walking AWAY from Jerusalem? Either way they walked and talked about all the things that had happened. Not only about Jesus’ brutal death, but also about their deep, devastating sadness. Their hopes and dreams for the nation that they loved had just been put to a brutal death as well. Ugliness had won. Vulgarity had won. Corruption, might makes right, and cruelty… cruelty seemingly just for cruelty’s own sake… had won. Violence and hatred had won. Death itself… had won. “We had hoped…” they said. Are there any more tragic words than that? “We HAD hoped.” Past tense.
When I was a kid, I lived four miles from the gate to the largest Air Force Base in the country. We did not learn “duck and cover” at school like some of you did during the Cold War. We never learned it because everyone knew… even us kids knew… that when Soviet warheads hit American soil, one of the first would hit our neighborhood. In a flash our eyes wouldn’t even have time to register, the world would end.
Over the last fifty years or so I had become more and more convinced that would not be the way the world ended. Hope for my country and our world had grown. But on Easter Sunday, the President put out a message threatening that an entire civilization would die… on Tuesday. To this military brat raised in the Cold War, only one thing could end an entire civilization on a Tuesday. Tuesday morning, another threat. I found myself praying that the 24 year old lieutenant with the launch key would have the courage to refuse the order. No offense to 24 year old lieutenants, but counting on that didn’t ease my mind. Church leadership was at best silent and at worst, worked into a lather about where they would sit at an upcoming event where they could be seen.
Ugliness was winning. Vulgarity was going unchecked. Corruption, might makes right, and cruelty were growing to a civilization ending level. Violence and Death itself… felt unstoppable. I had hoped. HAD hoped. Past tense.
Tuesday ended without nuclear devastation (so that was good) but the insanity continued to grow. This past Sunday, Orthodox Easter, the President railed at the Pope and posted a picture of himself as Jesus. Here was a man with nuclear codes and profound mentally illness… still in power. HOPE remained for me, a “Past Tense” commodity.
Then I sat down to write this sermon and Jesus met me along the way, “Oh, Erik, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! You’ve even forgotten what you, yourself preached on Easter Sunday!” “Alright,” Jesus said. “Let’s go through it all one more time, from the top. Creation. You remember God made everything for humanity and it’s not all just good, but VERY good? You remember that, right? Remember the Moses thing at the Red Sea? Yeah? How about Ezekiel and the Dry Bones? Remember that one? Good, yeah? How about the Fiery Furnace? Daniel and the Lion’s Den? David and Goliath? All good, right? Then what was it that you, yourself preached on Easter Sunday?” Easter Happens. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you.” Easter Happens. “Again.” Easter Happens. “One more time.” Easter Happens.
This Emmaus Road story is about a disciple named Cleopas and an unnamed disciple. That “unnamed” disciple is a feature of this story, not an oversight. It is there for us to stick ourselves into that “unnamed disciple slot” whenever we find ourselves “Having Hoped”… past tense.
This past week it was Cleopas and Erik, walking away from Jerusalem. This past week it was Cleopas and Erik that HAD hoped… past tense. This past week it was Cleopas and Erik that Jesus caught up with along the way. Cleopas and Erik who got a little good natured ribbing for their foolish forgetfulness and Cleopus and Erik who were reminded… AGAIN of all that God has done, is doing, and promises yet to do. We were reminded until our hearts, which “had hoped” past tense, began glowing once again, then turned into flames, then began to burn so that our eyes were once again opened, and we could finally see and remember… Oh yeah! In spite of even THIS! Easter Happens!
I tell you that story about Cleopas and Erik because one day it will be Cleopas and you… walking away… Having Hoped… past tense. WHEN that day happens… (Sadly this is a WHEN thing, not an IF thing) WHEN that day happens and you find yourself walking away having hoped, past tense, Jesus WILL catch up with you in a way you likely won’t recognize straight away. You’ll get a bit of good natured ribbing, and be lovingly reminded… AGAIN… how God has baked into creation one particular ending for every story ever told… Easter Happens. Jesus will remind you… AGAIN… we need never again be people who “had hoped”… past tense… because Easter. Always. Happens. Amen.
