(This was a dialogue sermon preached at st Luke’s 23rd April 2023 – which is why its in bullet point form – i hope it makes some sense!)
?What do you see in this reading that helped them recognize Jesus?
I love the little detail: ‘They stood still’ – are you the only one!!
- In the breaking of the bread – so in Holy Communion, in Worship.
- ?Were not our hearts burning within us –
Note the US – this bit about recognizing Jesus by being part of a community – the importance of coming together in worship, of being part of a Home Group to encourage and share (ask about what a HG is!)
- Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us – this is prayer – and note that its not full of Please God do this do that,
It’s a simple conversation about what has been going on in their lives.
Talked with – not talk to – so it’s a dialogue.
We note that it starts with them off loading their hopes and fears of what has been going on.
Hugely healthy and healing to have an uninterrupted time of telling someone about your life and how you see it – and them not interrupting and saying ‘Funny you should say that because…’ The power of being deeply listened to before any sort of reply comes.
Note that they tell stuff that Jesus already knows – sometimes its okay to do that in prayer – especially if we pray out loud because it helps us hear ourselves – often when we express our hopes and fears aloud it shows us how we see our problems, how open we are to solutions, and sometimes it’s possible for someone else, who is deeply listening and not interrupting to say ‘What if we look at it from this angle’
Note that the prayer is unaffected – Perhaps they wouldn’t say they were praying – but they’re talking to Jesus and that is prayer – and they’re just talking about their day and their feelings – they’re not especially asking for a solution – and that too is prayer – just being aware of walking with God through your day.
Urged – Jesus keeps walking and has to be urged to stay with them. This is the best prayer – Stay with us Jesus, help me to know that you’re with us, and note that even when Jesus disappears, they can still feel him in their hearts – their hearts are still burning!
- their hearts burned as Jesus opened the scriptures to us. So we’re reminded of the importance of reading our bibles a little n often. A chapter a day – there will be days when you’ll think ‘I have no idea what that was about’ – on those days never mind plough on – its like those meals that you’ve eaten – and there will be days when it will just reach the spots deep inside of you where you need healing and encouragement.
Again Home Groups – we see Jesus and the two discussing, chewing over, what it means – the Chosen group.
Again the simplicity of picking it up and reading it – not being too posh about it – ‘I need to be in the right mood, I need to feel spiritual, I need utter quiet and no distractions or worries’ – rubbish it will never happen, what you need is to get a little bit of bible in you every day.
Keep at it and some days it will make more sense than other days and always you will be fed. (3 book marks – OT, Psalms, Gospel)
- The encouragement that comes from looking back – and seeing that God was with you. I like this as they reflect back on their day and this strange encounter – they can see that Jesus was with them. We go through stuff and we’re taken up with woes and worries and don’t have time or energy or thought to say Where is Jesus – but sometimes we can look back and see that actually God was there, God held us through that week.
So – Urge Jesus to stay with you, to make Himself known to you – in worship, in the bread and the wine,
In the Company of other Disciples – HGs, Sundays,
In prayer – as you off load your day, hopes and fears,
Allow that prayer to run on in uninterrupted out pouring to God – its so cathartic – And if you can pause to allow the dialogue, to allow God to whisper back to you with questions and insights,
Keep reading your Bible – as a way to learn to listen to God
And look back on your day, your week, and see if you can spot moments when God was with you, or at least become aware that God has held you through the week even if you didn’t notice it at the time!