On the Mondays after communion on Sunday, Jessie and I go to an assisted living facility where a number of our church members live. Actually, the only reason they let me come is because I bring Nadia! One time I did not--she was out of town with Jessie--and they told me not to do that again.
It is a wonderful time of sharing communion and ministry.
I shared briefly today from Luke 24, the disciples on the road to Emmaus:
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They 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?”
“What things?” he asked
“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; but 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. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But 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.When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
This passage has critical importance for Christian doctrine and preaching, insomuch as Jesus is speaking about the Scriptures.
“How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” This is the content of the Apostolic Preaching, what we ought to teach even today, that Jesus is revealed in the Old Testament, and Jesus is the fulfillment of all the purposes, promises and power of God.
“And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” This is the purpose of preaching, the teach the truth about Jesus as revealed in the Scriptures. Christianity has at its core a stable teaching, not a range of possible interpretations.
When He broke bread, their eyes were opened-- indeed, the sacrament can do this for us.
“Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us”-- The power of the revelation in the written word mediates the presence of Christ to us, even as the sacrament does. The faith is not known by reason, but by revelation and encounter with Jesus, from which we have, among other things, lots of reasoning to do.
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