Pastoral Message for the Third Sunday of Easter - April 26, 2020

Pastoral Message
(For members and friends of)
Geeseytown & Newry Lutheran Church
Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020
We begin by remembering:
While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went
with them. (Luke 24:15)
Let us pray:
O God, your Son makes himself known to all his disciples in the breaking of
the bread. Open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in his redeeming
work, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23 & Luke 24:13-35
Thoughts from the Pastor:
During this Easter season I have many thoughts about Jesus and his mission
and ministry to the world as we suffer from the effects of a terrible pandemic.
Jesus is always our hope and we see this on the Road to Emmaus. It is a moving
story, and a testimony to the Resurrection. This story shows us an explanation to
the empty tomb. We will be resurrected with Jesus and inherit eternal life with
him forever. What a blessing and there is no end to it.
In the story of the Road to Emmaus, the longer Cleopas talked, the more he
indicted himself and his friend for their unbelief. As I thought further about these
two men, what more evidence could they want? Witnesses including the apostles
had seen the tomb empty. Angels had announced that Jesus was alive. Mary
Magdalene saw him in the garden. The proof was there. There is a touch of
humor here when Jesus asked, “What Things!” He had been at the heart of all
that had happened in Jerusalem, and now He was asking them to tell Him what
occurred.
How patient our Lord is with us as He listens to us to tell Him what He
already knows. Yes, Jesus knows what suffering we and others are going through
with this terrible pandemic. He is here and He is our hope! Jesus also knew how
foolish and slow to heart these men were in believing what the prophets had
declared about Him, so He opens and interprets the scripture to them. Then at
the table when Jesus took the bread and broke it and gave it to them, and their
eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, and He vanished from their sight.
Only after Jesus left, did they realize how their hearts were burning when Jesus
was with them on the road. He is always in our hearts and He will never leave us.
Look into your heart, He is there.
Now I must admit, I have always wondered what it would be like to be
eating with the risen Christ. I would probably be in a state of awe, I would not
know what to say to him. Every time we celebrate Holy Communion, He is in our
presence with us; consequently, it is important that we always remember our
Savior at Communion with us because He loves and cares for us. Now the answer
to why we need to remember our Savior at Communion is to remind us His
believers, that Jesus gave his body and blood for the redemption of the world. We
celebrate his sacrifice on the cross for us every time we have Holy Communion.
As I begin to close my thoughts, we need to also remember that every time
we partake of the bread and the wine, we need to realize that through Jesus’
presence he turns those elements into his body and blood. Now as far as we
know, the apostles were the only ones Jesus had instructed about the Lord’s
Supper. These two men on their way to Emmaus were very blessed that he
walked with them. Jesus revealed himself to them during a meal, and that is often
how he works. From this gospel there is an important lesson, we must learn to
see him in the everyday things of life. He may surprise you. Remember He is alive
in your heart! To God be the glory for the risen Christ!
Yours in Christ
Pastor Dick Henry