Emmaus

Luke is vague about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. One is identified as Cleopas -- but the other is not named. According to John's Gospel, one Cleopas is married to a woman named Mary -- who was at the foot of the cross with the other Mary's. Luke is perhaps vague to invite us into the story.

Imagine you and your companion are together in this story as well -- and a companion is anyone with whom you break bread ('companion' - 'with bread') – and you are just reeling – because you’ve been through hell...

Imagine you’re reeling, and you’ve left town, where nothing’s going well, and you’re on the road to home – hoping it’s there – so you can get there and get it together.

Have you ever been there? Confused, and shocked, and afraid, and you just wanted a place to go and be with companions for a moment’s peace?

I have – and for me that place has always been my church.

It’s always been my home in a nutty world – and thank God they took me in and called me brother.

Because if they didn’t I don’t know what I’d do.

What about you?

You’ve been down that road.

God knows you have.

And God knows you have – not because he can see clearly from on High – but because he can see clearly from up close.

Yes, God knows, and sees, and feels everything you do – and not just because God is smart – but because He became a person like you and me, and lived this human life, and suffered it, and died it, and by his loving Grace forgave us everything –

And friends that same Jesus is following us on our journey even now.

Even now – even today – even right here in this specific time and place – Jesus is here with us – and we are in a kind of eternal Emmaus where with our companions and our Lord we are hearing Scripture and breaking bread and finding that the Good News is really for real.

Don’t you feel him here?

Have not your hearts ever burned within you as the Spirit breathes through Scripture, or prayer, or song, or the breaking of the bread?

Friends – I feel the Lord in this church of ours – in this heavenly village – don’t you?

I feel the Lord when somebody reads the Bible in the Liturgy of the Word.

I feel the Lord when somebody makes sacred music.

I feel the Lord when somebody breaks the bread and raises the cup.

Don’t you?

I have given my life to the Body of Christ because I believe God has shown himself to me and asked me to do so.

Yes, I’m all-in – because I am convinced that we companions who break bread in Jesus’ name are able to see the risen Christ in our midst– and receive power to build the kingdom of God in the here and now.

Are you all-in?

The readings today – especially in Acts and Luke – they are about this. They are about this group of Christ’s companions – this New Creation, this Body of Christ, this Church.

The readings today should burn within you as they tell us what we’re supposed to do – how we’re supposed to be – what our mission really is.

As Peter tells it – the new creation of God in Christ is not racial, or civil, or territorial – but it is flesh and blood and spirit.

The fellowship of those who believe in Christ is that real-time body of people who put Him above all else in baptism and call him Lord.

This creation – as Peter tells us – exists solely to do God’s gracious will on earth – now and forever – period.

And folks – that’s us.

And for us, the primary way of knowing, seeing, feeling and connecting with God and each other
is the sharing of mystic sweet communion around the eucharistic table where the Body and Blood of Christ are given.

In other words, the Church is not just a group of people who look alike and agree on the basics. In fact, ideally not at all.

The Church is primarily the people who simply share in the Baptism and Eucharist of the Son of God.

For in baptism and eucharist in and with Christ – and only there – do the scriptures even begin to make sense, or do we have any power at all to make a difference in this world.

Friends – as I understand the Word of God today – you and I are not on the road to Emmaus.

We who are disciples are already in Emmaus.

We are there, gathered around the table with a present and risen Lord Jesus, and that is some kind of good news.

Isn’t it?

Aren’t you glad?

I am so glad to be among companions in the presence of Christ. But, as I understand the Word of God in the Bible – especially in Acts 2 – disciples are not called to be merely glad.

We are supposed to be glad, and, we are supposed to be generous in heart.

And without doubt, if we don’t get generous and make space here for our new companions and those still on the road here – I believe we will begin to turn away from where Jesus wants us to be. I believe that if we do not continue to make space at the table of Christian fellowship then we will be turning down a road we don’t want to be on. I believe the time is now to be both glad and generous of heart for the purpose of adding souls to this communion of companions in Christ.

I believe that the world needs the Episcopal Church to continue in the apostolic teaching and fellowship, the prayers, the breaking of the bread, and to be glad and generous in heart, and to thereby grow in faith, mission and numbers – and we need to open our walls and our pockets to do so.

Because, yes, growth is the fruit of faithfulness in Christ. And growth is spiritual and physical, it is measurable in terms of depth and breadth, in non-numerical and numerical ways.

Friends, I am asking each of you to pray, and ask God for the courage to be both glad and generous for the sake of the Gospel. And spread the Word and invite folks into the Church to be baptized and to break bread with us and our Lord Christ.

Because while we are already in Emmaus around the table with the Lord – there are countless people on that hard road looking for companions, looking for home, looking for peace in a world that cannot give it, looking for the Son of God made real in baptism and eucharist.

Won’t you join me in making room for them?