Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, April 7, 2013 Read – Luke 24:13-35 We return today to Luke’s story. Once again, the story of the travelers on the Emmaus road is a story that only Luke tells us – it joins the other marvelous stories and parables that are unique to Luke. This is a marvelous story! Luke captures the desperation of the followers of Jesus in the aftermath of his death. Can you imagine what it must have been like to go through those terrible moments when the one you had put all you hopes upon is nailed to the cross? And so the two travelers we meet in this story trudge on in a daze. The story is marked by humor and irony. When Jesus approaches the two travelers he asks them what they are discussing. Can you imagine the “tongue in cheek” questioning of Jesus? They wonder if Jesus is the only one who has not been paying attention to what had just happened in Jerusalem! Readers of Luke’s gospel have often wondered why the travelers did not recognize that the one walking with them was Jesus – Luke tells us that God kept it from their eyes! Revelation is needed! There are three important things to notice about this story. First of all, Luke’s emphasis on remembering comes fully into sight. Appropriating the resurrection of Jesus has to do with remembering. Second, Luke introduces us to something that will be very important to him in his second volume, the book of Acts. The meaning of Jesus death and resurrection is to be found in reading the Old Testament with new eyes – Jesus taught them that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die and be raised to new life by recounting the Old Testament witness. I have mentioned earlier Don Juel’s concept of “Messianic Exegesis”. Luke’s contention is that the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus can only be found by contemplating what happened in light of the Old Testament. The first followers of Jesus saw the Old Testament with new eyes when they read it in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Luke will invite us to do the same. Third, Luke makes a clear connection between the experience of worship, and especially participation in Holy Communion, and coming to faith in Jesus. The telling of the story in light of the Old Testament is followed by the “breaking of the bread” and Luke tells us it was in the “breaking of the bread” that they finally recognized who Jesus was. As Lutherans we might say that it was only the connection of “Word” and “Sacrament” that enabled believing faith. Luke’s clear allusion of Holy Communion cannot be missed here – or in the story that will follow. We need to remember that Luke told us that God kept them from seeing – and now God opens their eyes in the “breaking of the bread!” Faith is a gift that only God gives – and God gives it through Word and Sacrament! One final thought comes to mind as we leave this story – once their eyes of faith had been opened to recognize Jesus, Jesus disappears from their sight. Luke is beginning to tell us a part of the story that will be more fully told both at the end of his gospel and in the beginning of the book of Acts – the ascension of Jesus. More on that later, but for now, it seems that when faith has been given Jesus is free to go.