Burdened hearts become burning hearts
Readings: Luke 24. 13-35
On the road to Emmaus burdened hearts become burning hearts.
They’re trudging home, exhausted, disillusioned, confused. All their hopes have died with Jesus on that cross and lie with him in the cold of the tomb. We’re back on that first Easter Sunday and as far as anyone is aware, as dawn breaks, Jesus is still in the tomb.
But what’s interesting about these two on the road is where they’ve come from. Our reading begins that on the same day ‘two of them were going to a village called Emmaus’. Two of them? Two of who? Well if we read the bit before this we find that it’s two of the ‘eleven and all the others’ who the women tell that Jesus is risen. So there’s the 11 remaining Apostles, and a bunch of others with them, who the women go and tell that the tomb is empty and angels have told them Jesus is alive. And we read that this gathered group didn’t believe the women, it seemed like nonsense, although Peter did go to the tomb we’re told.
So now, two of these ‘others’ are trudging home, despite the news from the women, they’re headed home in despair and perhaps a fair amount of confusion. They’ve made their decision it seems, it’s all too much, they’re headed home and back to their lives before they met Jesus. But by the end of the passage, this slow trudge home in despair has become a joyful sprint back to Jerusalem to share the news that Jesus really is alive. So what changed? What happened to turn the burdened hearts of these two into burning hearts, alive and on fire with hope?
The simple answer is that Jesus showed up. In every situation of despair and disillusionment and hopelessness, all that is needed is for Jesus to show up and it all changes. But that’s perhaps a rather unhelpful response, because the application is then ‘wait for Jesus to show up’ and I think the passage gives us more than that today.
As they trudge home Jesus appears with them on the road, but they don’t recognise it’s Jesus, they won’t until the very last second. And it’s this that is key, because with them not recognising Jesus has shown up we find that their hearts are changed by three things: the Scriptures unfolded, their longing to stay near Jesus, and their recognition of him in the breaking of the bread.
As they walk along Jesus asks them what they are talking about. And their reply is wonderful isn’t it ‘are you the only one who doesn’t know what has happened?’ Think about it for a moment, they’re talking to the one who knows best what has happened, who actually understands it far better than they do, not just in terms of what happened but in what it means too. ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened in these days?’ You can almost imagine Jesus hiding a smile as he replies ‘things?’
And so they explain everything that has happened. Who this Jesus was, how he was crucified, their hopes dashed, the rumour that he’s alive again. They know their stuff, but they don’t get it. It hasn’t clicked yet. It’s like they’ve got all the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle but no picture on the box. They’ve got all the parts, but they’ve no idea how they all fit together.
And so Jesus explains the Scriptures for them, how everything in what we now call the Old Testament, is pointing to him. Luke, perhaps frustratingly, gives us no insight into Jesus’ teaching here, but we can assume it was more than a list of prophecies and how Jesus fulfils them. Rather as he explains the Scriptures he would be showing how all of God’s saving acts throughout history point to him, how the story of God’s people in all its fulness is pointing to him, how all the threads come together in him.
If we are to turn our burdened hearts into burning hearts the first step is to go to Scripture, but not to do so alone or haphazardly. We are to go to the Bible with Jesus, looking for Jesus. What do I mean by that? Well firstly we’re to go to the Bible with Jesus. We’re not simply to grab the book and read like any other, instead we are to pray, pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to us what the Scripture we are reading is saying. We’re to go to the Bible with Jesus.
And we’re to go to the Bible looking for Jesus. Every part of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, Old Testament and New Testament is all about Jesus. If we’re to take what he says to these two on the road today seriously, that is what he is saying. Jesus can only be understood in the light of the Old Testament, but likewise we can only truly understand the Old Testament in the light of Jesus. The two interpret one another. It’s true what they say, the Bible is all about Jesus, every bit. So, when our hearts are burdened, weighed down, we’re to turn to the Bible, and as we do we’re to do so with Jesus, looking for Jesus.
And as these two disciples reach the end of their journey, as Jesus finishes explaining the Scriptures to them, he acts as though he is to go on. And these two disciples urge him to stay. Remember they don’t know it’s Jesus yet, but something in them is drawn to him, they don’t want to be parted from him.
So it should be for us, as we read the Bible our hearts should be stirred. It shouldn’t simply be an exercise in head knowledge, a growing depth of understanding, although it certainly should include that. But as we read we should also find growing depth of love for Jesus and what he has done. An urging in our hearts to stay near him, to not be parted from him. As our hearts burdens ease, and as they begin to burn, with them should come an urging to be near Jesus, to not be parted from him. Do you long to be near Jesus this morning? Does your heart echo the voices of those disciples ‘stay near, do not leave me’.
And as they enter the house, hearts aflame and longing to stay near to this stranger suddenly they realise who it is who has been with them this whole time. As they sit down to eat, this stranger takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it and gives it to them. And as he does they recognise who he is, and in that very same moment Jesus vanishes from their sight. I can’t imagine how they felt. They recognise him and perhaps all these questions they want to ask, things they want to say, things they want to do all come bubbling up and then even as they do he’s gone. But he doesn’t need to be sat with them at the table any longer, he is still near to them, and he has given them all that they need.
As we go into the Bible with Jesus, as our longing to be near him grows, we find that we catch glimpses of him. That we learn to recognise his voice, recognise his hand at work. So often it feels more like catching glimpses than a fully worked out plan, but nevertheless, as we seek him, and draw near to him, we find him. In the nudge to speak to someone, to do some work or action, to give ourselves to a particular cause or ministry. How well do you recognise the voice of Jesus, recognise his hand at work in your life or the lives of others?
And now, as Jesus vanishes and these two are left alone at the table, they recognise the change, their heavy laden hearts are now burning within them. That 7 mile trudge from Jerusalem now becomes a joy filled sprint back. Whilst it was the end of the day and they had no plans to go any further, what has happened has so transformed them that they are back in the city as fast as their legs will carry them.
On that road to Emmaus burdened hearts become burning hearts. As we journey through life may we make that same reality our goal. To meet Jesus in the Scriptures, in meeting him longing to be near him always, and in that longing to recognise his voice, recognise his hand as he reveals himself to us. And may we, with those two at Emmaus, as we come to his table this morning, as we take bread and wine, find sustenance for our journey, strength to press onwards in the strength that he alone gives. As we come and eat, may we meet with him in the breaking of the bread.
Amen.