Worship at Home -Third Sunday of Easter 26th April 2020
‘Walking with Jesus’ - Luke 24:13-35
Welcome to worship at home!
As we begin, read through the first two verses of this well known hymn, celebrating Jesus’ triumph in rising from the dead.
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of Love:
Behold His hands and side;
Rich wounds yet visible above
In beauty glorified:
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye
At mysteries so bright.
Take a moment now to think back on the last week, to thank God for the blessings we have received; to admit our unworthiness in the face of his holiness, and the sacrifice he made for us in Jesus; to look forward to serving him in the coming week.
Then say this prayer of confession, out loud or in your heart, taking time to remember the sacrifice Jesus has made for us:
O King, enthroned on high,
Filling the earth with your glory,
Holy is your name,
Lord God Almighty.
In our sinfulness we cry to you
To take our guilt away,
And to cleanse our lips to speak your word,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
In this time after Easter and before Pentecost we have a chance to reflect on what it must have been like for the first disciples as they had surprise encounters with the risen Jesus.
Today’s Gospel reading is taken from Luke 24, verse 13-35. It is the story of two disciples walking to Emmaus the afternoon of the first Easter day. If you have a Bible to hand it is worth reading the whole passage. I am going to pick out some parts of it which I find challenging!
Luke 24: 13-17
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad.
Think for a moment about these two, Cleopas and perhaps his wife, Mary:
Here we have two people walking, downcast, in confusion and sadness. They were suffering the crushing disappointment of shattered hopes. So much that Jesus had done and said showed him to be the coming one, the restorer of Israel’s fortunes.
But through the brutal realities of human force and political power Jesus had been wrenched from his followers and disposed of.
They are so caught up in their devastation that they don’t recognise the stranger who joins them. Grief and despair so dominate their emotions that they are unaware that the person accompanying them is the one they have been mourning. Yet as they walk and process the recent events and their emotions it is Jesus himself who is with them.
Just as it was for these two, when the events of life seem overwhelming, we can be sure Jesus is walking beside us.
As they continue walking, Cleopas and his companion unburden themselves to the stranger, sharing perhaps a glimmer of hope, but mostly their shattered dreams and their despair …
Luke 24:21-24
‘… we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’
Jesus listens. They clearly feel able to speak out their fears, their hopes and their dreams. For us too, Jesus is there, ready to listen to us as we speak our fears, hopes and dreams.
Jesus’ response to them is not so much sympathetic, as bracing … !
Luke 24:25-27
25 Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
There may be times when we need sympathy, an arm around our shoulders, but we must also be prepared for Jesus’ comfort to be bracing, stiffening our backbone and looking to the future!
It is something that Paul recognised in his first letter to the Thessalonians:
‘Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ (I Thess. 5: 18)
It is not a suggestion to be joyful. It’s a command! And even in fear and isolation we can be confident in being joyful, in praying, in giving thanks, because Jesus himself walks with us. We may not recognise his presence, as the two on the road to Emmaus didn’t, but at all times he is with us and listening.
Take time now to sit quietly and ask Jesus to draw close, to share with him your hopes, your sadnesses, your dreams, your disappointments. Offer them to him, out loud (if you feel able to) or in your heart. Let him take them, knowing that he can transform any situation.
And now let us turn towards others and towards the world:
Father God,
We pray for those suffering from corona virus infection;
That you will drive back the infection from them;
That you will protect the health of all medical staff, care workers and support staff looking after them:
In your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for our government, for wise decision making in the current crisis;
For the Prime Minister, for steady and sure recovery;
For the Chancellor of the Exchequer and all involved in drawing up financial help plans;
For local councils, tasked with granting financial help to businesses:
In your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those people in countries which do not have access to such good health care systems – that other countries and charities will be able to send them the appropriate aid.
You may have particular places on your mind. Take a moment to name them before the Lord.
In your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the services who keep our country running: the police; the bin men; the railway and bus drivers; delivery drivers; shop and supermarket workers: that they will be protected, and appreciated.
In your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for any known to us who have lost loved ones recently, or who have friends or family members who are seriously ill. For God’s healing presence to comfort, encourage and bless them.
In your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Finally, we lift to you our community, that you will bless all those who among whom we live – with good health, with joy as they continue to cope with isolation, with the awareness of your love.
Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
A little challenge for this week:
In Joshua 1 verse 3 the Lord says to Joshua 3 ‘Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.’
When you are going for your daily exercise, claim the places where you walk for God, that he will be present there and he will bless all who live there, that lives may be transformed by hope in the risen Jesus, just as those two were transformed on the way to Emmaus.
Finally, here are the final two verses of Matthew Bridges’ hymn. Read through them or sing them (if you are happy to do so!). Or if you are reading this online you could click on the link underneath.
Crown Him the Lord of peace,
Whose power a sceptre sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease,
And all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
And round His pierced feet
Fair flowers of glory now extend
Their fragrance ever sweet.
Crown Him the Lord of years,
The Potentate of time.
Creator of the rolling spheres,
Ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For Thou hast died for me;
Thy praise shall never, never fail
Throughout eternity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vo1rh6MJLI
With best wishes,
God bless,
Phil