²⁸ As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. ³² 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?” ³³ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke 24:28-35

Verse 28 is significant – “As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.”  This verse, although seemingly insignificant, needs to be developed for us, for it is an important point.  Hospitality was a huge issue in first century Palestine. Jesus does not want to impose on these disciples by forcing them to offer him hospitality. He does not hesitate to continue his journey, for he does not wish to force them to make room for him, to include him in their meal, to make a place for him to lay his head for the night. Theologically, the message that we take is that Jesus never forces himself upon others. How many times have we met people who feel compelled to force Jesus on us in their conversation? Our Lutheran and Confessional understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit is that the spirit builds faith in people when and where the spirit chooses to work. We cannot force the Spirit of G-d or, in fact, Jesus Christ himself on others. We simply need to expose people to G-d through word and deed, acts of love, and see where the Spirit leads them.

Pastor Dave

But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. ¹³ Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[f] from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.^[g] 18 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?” ¹⁹ He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,^[h] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹ 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. ²² Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³ 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. ²⁴ 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.” ²⁵ Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Messiah^[j]should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. Luke 24:12-27

We have two separate stories, each with people returning home – and their emotions are on a roller coaster ride. Peter comes running to the tomb after hearing the “idle tale” of an empty tomb from the women. And when he arrives at the tomb, he indeed finds it empty and returns home amazed at what has happened. And then two of them are returning home to Emmaus, walking along the road in a somber mood. They encounter a stranger, and although we know that it is Jesus, they will take some time to figure it out. And once they do, they will have an amazing tale to tell – how Jesus opens the scriptures to them, so much so that their hearts burn inside them. 

What amazing tales do we have to tell about our encounters with the risen Lord?  How have the scriptures been opened to us?  Where do we encounter the Lord to the point that our hearts burn inside us?

Pastor Dave