On the Road

May 4^th, 2014       “On the Road”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 24:13-35

On weeks when you tell me to take a break

This is what I’ll often do

Because sometimes it’s easier to write a poem

Then to craft a full sermon for you

 

Today is part of one great journey

The road from here to there

The story of two headed to Emmaus

And the bread that they did share

In the Kairos of the church

It is still Easter time

That same day of the empty tomb

That miracle morning, it was thine

Two fellows headed down a road

Away from the fuss and chatter

They are lost, wandering, confused

Wondering how this all could matter

When suddenly among them there appears

A stranger to walk beside

They tell him tales of sadness and woe

Of a savior, crucified

How surprised they must have been

When the stranger began to talk

To their stories of disappointment

The stranger he did balk

He opened up the scriptures to them

From prophets to priests and more

From great depths of understanding

Their hearts he did implore

Don’t you see, he called to them

The story is all the same

From death to life our God does work

Brings healing to the lame

In Genesis there was nothing but void

God made land and light

Then when held slaves in Egypt land

God aided the people’s flight 

From there they were captive in Babylon

Exile was the story

But God brought them back home once again

To return Israel to its glory

And now the chapter o so great

The son of God and man

The one who died now lives again

A part of that very same plan

As they walk along and talk

Night it does descend

The time has come to stop and rest

And the men include their friend

Come sit with us and stay a while

Share our feast and drink

Together we have journeyed far

Now let’s rest and think

As they sit at table now

The stranger takes the lead

He raises bread and cup to them

And begins to recite the creed

Their eyes now suddenly open wide

There is no stranger here

It’s Jesus who journeys alongside

His presence now made clear

As if by magic he is suddenly gone

His work here it is done

Having shared the Father’s plans to them

They realized they’d met the Son

Weren’t our hearts a burnin’ they say

As suddenly he is gone

He walked and talked just like us

As he’s done so all along

 

And so the two take off and run

All the way back home

To tell the others what they’ve seen

That they were never really alone

This story is an easy one

To find ourselves a part

For the wonder and questions present here

Reside also within our hearts

It is when we are sad, lost, and confused

That Jesus he does appear

It is when we are on the road to run

That his presence becomes clear

God meets us in the places dark

Where hearts are heavy and torn

God meets us on the journey long

When our shoes and spirits are worn

God walks alongside us and God waits

For us to beckon him in

We must ask God to stay awhile

And share a meal with him

It is gathering at the table here

Where God makes his presence known

Strangers and friends in fellowship

Is the place where God is shown

As followers we are called to look

For God’s presence everywhere

He could be right among us now

Here or even there

As followers we are called to invite

Strangers and friends to table

In sharing a meal and breaking bread

Our faith becomes more able

Three Sundays now in Easter time

We continue down the road

The story of resurrection

Is the one God’s always told

And like those two plain men of faith

On our travels we will find

That the story God tells in scriptures

Is always yours and mine

From death to life the story goes

Again and again and again

Resurrection follows heartbreak

And forgiveness follows sin

The lessons from Emmaus

Are many and varied and vast

Study the scriptures it seems to say

And don’t let the stranger walk past

 

Welcome all the in the name of Christ

Break bread with stranger and friend

This is the path of new beginnings

Resurrection without end

The road to Emmaus is the journey of life

The journey of faith and more

It’s not the destination that matters

But what happens before the door

Faith is a road we travel on

But we never walk alone

God is always alongside

A friend we’ve always known

Amen