I want you to imagine that you were in one of the elevators of the World Trade Center on September 11 at 8:47 AM when the first airplane slammed into the north tower. You probably would have heard and felt an explosion, your elevator would have come to a stop, and the lights would have gone out. If you were one of the lucky ones. But you would have had no idea what just really happened.

ABC recently aired 9/11, a documentary by two French filmmakers who were filming a documentary of a fireman, and just happened to be the only live camera inside the Twin towers on that fateful morning. After actually filming the first plane hitting, they immediately went with the firefighters to the flaming inferno and recorded the chaos going on inside Tower One. It dramatically captured the horror of this event. There is one scene in that film I cannot forget. Almost half an hour after the arrival of the firemen, the emergency crews were able to get some of the stalled elevators back down to the ground level. On the film, you see these business people coming out of the elevators where they have been trapped since the plane hit. In their wildest imagination, they could not have imagined the scene that lay before them! In absolute bewilderment, their mouths hang wide open, and their heads move back and forth surveying the scene. They could not be more in shock, as they see hundreds of firemen busily at work, huge glass window walls blown out, debris scattered everywhere, and human bodies dropping from the sky at an alarming rate. When they had stepped into the elevator, it had been a normal day.

On the one hand, this is similar to our story on the road to Emmaus in Luke's gospel. The disciples Jesus met on the road had NO IDEA what had taken place. And something HUGE had taken place! They knew that something was up, and were busily discussing what it could be, but they really could not have imagined the news that would be revealed to them that day. On the other hand, the Easter story is the complete opposite of the September 11. The latter story is tragic - horrific - unexplainably sad! The news waiting for those people in the elevator was worse than they could have imagined. The story that took place on the road to Emmaus is wonderful - happy - absolutely heart warming! And since most of the stories in the news today are more depressing than not, and it seems that happy endings are only something that happen in fairy tales, today I want to share with you the true, Heart-Warming Story from Emmaus!

It was later in the afternoon on that first Easter Sunday, and two of Jesus' disciples were heading home to Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. They were completely defeated, downcast, and depressed. They were upset - their hopes had been deflated. And they were talking about everything in a way that you could tell what they were saying even if you couldn't hear them. All of a sudden, the risen Jesus merges into their traffic lane and joins their conversation. "What are you talking about?" They looked at him the same way people must have looked at those coming out of the elevator on 9/11: "Where have you been?" "Haven't you heard about everything that is going on?!" And they proceed to tell Him the horrific story of how Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by their rulers. And how his body was missing this morning. They were crushed because they had hoped that He was going to be the Messiah. Now they were certain that all of those hopes were dead along with Jesus.

Jesus had to step in now: "How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" And then Jesus began to explain how and why all of this had to happen to Jesus - to Himself! And as Jesus talked to them, something happened. This horrific story turned into a heart-warming story. As Jesus talked to them, their hearts burned within them! His words brought to life something that had died within! As Jesus talked with them, they wanted to hear more! They urged Him, "Stay with us!" And when they realized it was the living Jesus, they wanted to tell others! They ran all the way back to Jerusalem 7 miles to share the news! Today, this Heart-Warming Story from Emmaus does the same thing for us!

1. First of all, IT MAKES YOUR HEART BURN WITHIN YOU! The words of the Gospel, the good news about the fact that Jesus had to die to take away our sins, and then be raised to life again as assurance that we will also live with Him, makes our hearts burn! That message is a living message! Let me show you what I mean…

When evangelist John Wesley was returning home from a service one night, he was robbed. The thief, however, found his victim to have only a little money and some Christian literature. As the bandit was leaving, Wesley called out, "Stop! I have something more to give you." The surprised robber paused. "My friend," said Wesley, "you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!'" The thief hurried away, and Wesley prayed that his words might bear fruit. Years later, Wesley was greeting people after a Sunday service when he was approached by a stranger. What a surprise to learn that this visitor, now a believer in Christ and a successful businessman, was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it all to you," said the transformed man. "Oh no, my friend," Wesley exclaimed, "not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!" That man owed it all to the good news Jesus shared with those two going to Emmaus: that He had to die to take those sins of theirs away and rise again to give them real life!

Let me share another story with you. Many years ago in a Moscow theater, matinee idol Alexander Rostovzev was converted while playing the role of Jesus in a sacrilegious play entitled Christ in a Tuxedo. He was supposed to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, remove his gown, and cry out, "Give me my tuxedo and top hat!" But as he read the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," he began to tremble. Instead of following the script, he kept reading from Matthew 5, ignoring the coughs, calls, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had learned in his childhood in a Russian Orthodox church, he cried, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom!" Before the curtain could be lowered, Rostovzev trusted Jesus Christ was his living Savior. Jesus' words pierced his heart! Those living words made his heart burn within him, just as it had for those two on the way to Emmaus.

Put yourselves in their place. Jesus died 3 days ago. All your hopes and dreams are dead. They showed a lack of faith, a lack of sight, and a lack of understanding in what had happened. They were downcast when they should have been filled with hope. Is that ever true about us? Do we sometimes act as if the world has come to an end? Even though we live every day of our lives with the good news that the risen Jesus has an eternal home in heaven for us? Even though He has assured us of forgiveness and peace with God? Then we need to listen to Jesus' words, because they will make your heart burn within you in hope and joy! That is the first thing that this heart-warming story from Emmaus does for you.

2. The second is this: IT MAKES YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE! When it looked like Jesus was going to head his own way, those two disciples pleaded with Him, "Stay with us!" They wanted desperately to hear more of his good news! Because their hearts were burning again with hope and something to live for!

In the King James Version of the Bible, the invitation of those two travelers reads, "Abide with me; for it is toward evening and the day is far spent," words which were the inspiration for that beloved hymn, "Abide with Me, Fast falls the Eventide." The hymn was written by Henry Francis Lyte, for 25 years the vicar of the parish at Devonshire, England. He was 54 years old, broken in health and saddened by dissensions in his congregation. On September 4, 1847 he preached his farewell sermon and went home to rest. After tea in the afternoon, he retired to his study. In an hour or two, he rejoined his family, holding in his hand the manuscript of his immortal hymn. Despite what most think, Lyte's hymn has nothing to do with the end of the natural day but rather the end of life. "Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day/Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away." The words are about the faith that faces life and death fearlessly and triumphantly in the light of the cross and the empty tomb…the message of Easter. Thus Lyte could conclude, "Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee/In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me." Vicar Lyte died three months later.

When we consider the end of life, and that every one of us is terminal, we want to be ready for that day. We want to be ready to face God. We can't face Him on our own. We can't approach Him with the way we have lived our life. But we can approach Him when we trust the good news that Jesus was sharing with these two. That He died and rose so that we can approach God. You have this assurance! When the disciples heard this, they wanted to hear more! In this case, they invited Jesus to their house. This heart-warming story makes us want to hear more too. And we have Jesus right with us in our homes - in his Word! We have Jesus right here with us at church - in his Word and sacraments. Jesus talks to us here. He strengthens us! He tells us more! He lifts up our faith and hope. He lifts our downcast faces. He assures us of everything we need to know to meet God someday in joyful expectation as a loving Father instead of a harsh Judge. How familiar are we with our Bibles? How would we do on a quiz right now? Are we daily asking Jesus to stay with us and tell us more? Have we dug into his Word ever since Easter? This morning, we are going to welcome into our membership a group of people who have had this wonderful opportunity to grow in the Word. I encourage you to grow in the same way by being in the Word and wanting to hear more daily. That is the second thing this heart-warming story makes you want to do.

3. The third is this: IT MAKES YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS! When was the last time you took a seven-mile walk? How would you like to sit down for dinner and then get right back up and run those seven miles again? Well, as soon as Jesus allowed those disciples to recognize who He was, as soon as everything in this happy, heart-warming story came clear to them, and Jesus disappeared from their home, they left their meal on the table and ran that seven miles to Jerusalem! They had to tell someone! This news was too good to keep to themselves! Hearing this news makes people want to do the same thing…

Have you heard of Rockin' Roland Stuart? How many of you have ever watched a sporting event, a Super Bowl or Monday night football game, & have seen the giant sign saying "John 3:16?" How many of you have seen that? That's amazing! Rockin' Roland Stuart is responsible for that. "Rockin'" is a nick-name. His name is Roland Stuart. His story appeared in People Magazine a few years ago. Roland Stuart was a drunk, an alcoholic. Through the Gospel, God brought him to faith in Jesus as his Savior and healed him of his alcoholism. One day, the idea struck him that if he could just get into major sporting events & put the Word of God before the people, it would be seen by hundreds of thousands, & maybe even millions of people. So today, Rockin' Roland Stuart, his wife Margaret, & a friend named William James, live a very spartan existence. They drive 55,000 miles a year in an old beat-up van, telling their story, & using their money to buy tickets to major sporting events to hang out a sheet saying, "John 3:16."

Don't you wonder how many thousands have turned to John 3:16 & read, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" because of Rockin' Roland Stuart? Two disciples ran 7 miles. Can we go out of our way to share this great news with others?

Whether it's drunkenness, failure as a spouse, failure as a parent, selfishness, an occasional cruel streak, a lack of concern for others, a weakness for dirty thoughts, a sinful sexual relationship, anger, hatred, gossip, lust, or conflict in our relationships, every one of us has a list of things that have spiritually handicapped us and barred us from heaven's door. But on Easter, the living Jesus walked with us again to give us some good news! All those things have been forgiven and forgotten by God! You and I DO have eternal life to look forward to because of the risen Christ! This story is not only heart-warming like so many fairy tales, it is TRUE! And it not only makes our hearts burn and makes us want to hear more, it makes us want to tell everyone we can! Like Rockin' Roland, like the Emmaus disciples, you and I have been forgiven much. And so has everyone out there in the world! Don't you think they want us to tell them? By God's grace, the heart-warming story of Easter will lead us to do that! Amen.

Back to the Easter page
Back to the Pastor's Messages page