Luke 24: 13-35

On the Road to Emmaus  

¹³Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶but they were kept from recognizing him.
¹⁷He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

¹⁸They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
¹⁹"What things?" he asked.
²⁰"About Jesus of Nazareth ," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel . And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²²In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
²⁵He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
²⁸As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
³⁰When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³²They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
³³They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem . There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." ³⁵Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

 
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning!

I wonder how many of you have had the remarkable experience of driving in England . Let me tell you, it's a strange thing. First of all, the driver is in the seat that the passenger usually sits in, and that's new. And you're driving on the other side of the road. Just the experience of driving in what we consider the passenger seat is really strange, because the first time you drive down the road and you're behind a car, you look at the car in front of you and you see that there is a man in what is usually the passenger seat, and the ears of a dog in what should be the driver's seat. That's a wake-up experience!

Another interesting thing about driving in England is the way they mark the roads. In America , usually a road is going north, south, east, or west. In England , they don't mention north, south, east or west. You're either going to Chatsworth or to Leeds . Or the sign says " Oxford " or " Cambridge ", " York " or " Manchester ", and you have to know where these towns are in relation to where you're going.

Years ago, before I paid more attention to maps, I was trying to go to Wales , in the west, and I ended up at the English Channel in the east. I made the most of it – took the hovercraft over to France . But, the good news is – you can always make a U-turn and go back the other way.

Friends, what I want to talk about with you from the Word of God today is this: God always allows U-turns. In the Gospel today, we find two men who were desperately in need of making a U-turn in their lives. These two men were walking toward their home town of Emmaus on Easter afternoon. They were lonely, and they were totally heartbroken. As they walked toward Emmaus, there is one thing you ought to know about this town. It was to the west of Jerusalem . So they were walking toward the setting sun.

And suddenly, there were not only the two of them, but there was a wonderful third person. The third person walking with them was Jesus. I wonder why they didn't recognize Him. Maybe their eyes were too filled with tears. Maybe the blinding light of the setting sun was more than they could take. But they didn't recognize Him. And as they walked along, sad and desperate and lonely, Jesus said, "What are you talking about, as you walk along and are sad?"

And they said, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened these days?"

Jesus said, "What things?" Now friend, you know and I know that He knew the answer. But He was giving them therapy. He was asking them to tell the story of their disappointments and their heartbreak. And they told Him, "There was this one named Jesus who was mighty before God and people, and we had hoped that He would be the One to save Israel . But alas, He was taken and crucified, put to death. But you know, some of the women of our company went to the tomb this morning, and they said that they saw a vision of angels who told them that He was alive."

And Jesus said, "Oh, my good friends, foolish, slow of heart to believe, listen to this. This is why the Messiah had to die, and to rise again."

They drew near to Emmaus as the sun was setting, and Jesus made as if to go. But they said to Him, "Abide with us, for the day is far spent, and the evening is here. Come in and stay."

Isn't it remarkable? Jesus never forces Himself. Jesus is ultimately courteous. But when they invited Him, He stayed. And He went in and sat down to the meal. He took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. He went out and vanished from their sight.

Suddenly they were filled with new fire. They were filled with new energy and hope. And they said, "Let's go to Jerusalem and tell the others." So they went east, toward the rising sun, and told the others about the great discovery that they had made.

 Friends, the thought before us today is this: Do you need to make a U-turn in your life? Are you going along a road that is sad, that is hopeless? Is there something about your road that is so lonely and so without hope that it's like walking toward the setting sun? Let me tell you this: you are not alone. Jesus walks with you.

Why? Why does He walk with you? Because He cares. And that makes you lovable. Why did He walk with those people on the way to Emmaus? Because He cared about them. He is with you, and He walks with you. He wants you to tell Him about whatever your troubles are and why it is that you are walking along the sunset path. He is there to bless you and help you and to love you into making a U-turn, coming back along the path of hope and light.

And as you do, won't you share that light and that love with others? God allows U-turns. It can happen for you. Let it happen for you. Let it happen as you go out of the driveway of this church today. Let your heart say, "Whichever way I've been going, in terms of sadness or loneliness or grief, I'm going to turn it around. I'm going to put my hope in God."

God allows U-turns, because he loves you. I do, too. Have a blessed week. Amen.