“BY INVITATION ONLY”

LUKE 24:13-33

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.

18  Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?"

19  He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20  and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.

21  But 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."

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.

28  As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.

29  But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them.

30  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31  Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

32  They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"

33  That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a lost opportunity.  It happens all the time though.  For example, you lament the fact that you didn’t go on that exotic vacation when you were younger. You scold yourself a little because you didn’t make an investment in a friend’s business that would have made you a lot of money.  You still feel guilty because you didn’t go see your grandmother or sister one last time before she died.

Frank McNamara was a man who didn’t have a problem with lost opportunities.  In fact, he saw an opportunity one day that led to a revolutionary idea. Because of that revolutionary idea Frank McNamara is a big part of your life today. I say that even though it may be an idea that you don’t think is all that great.  It all started back in 1949 when Frank McNamara found himself in a New York City restaurant without his wallet.  Because of that experience he decided it would be a good idea to create a system where people could go out to eat and then pay for it later.  So in 1949 he and a partner founded the Diners Club and the modern credit card was born. Today there are credit cards for just about everything under the sun and last year we used those credit cards to buy $1.5 trillion worth of stuff.  So, the next time you go to your mailbox and find three or four of those credit card bills waiting for you just remember.  It’s all Frank McNamara’s fault.

He saw an opportunity and he seized the day as the saying goes. That’s what you have to do when an opportunity presents itself. Look closely at what happened when those two disciples arrived in Emmaus. They almost missed out on an amazing opportunity. Unfortunately, it’s an opportunity that some people miss out on today. After walking 8 miles with the risen Christ they finally arrived in Emmaus.  Don’t ask me why they didn’t recognize him.  No one really has an answer for that one.  What we do know, however, is that when they reached the end of their journey they stopped to rest.  The risen Christ didn’t do that though.  He kept on walking.  So, those two disciples had to make a decision.  Let the stranger go on without them or invite him to stay with them. After thinking about it for a moment they made their decision.   “Stay with us,” they said, “because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in and stayed with them.

Later that evening while they were breaking bread together their eyes were suddenly opened and they realized that the stranger across the table from them was actually the risen Christ. It was a grace filled moment that sent them running back to Jerusalem to share the exciting news with the other disciples.

This wonderful little story illustrates a very simple truth when it comes to this particular opportunity.  The risen Christ doesn’t come into your life unless he’s invited. You have to invite him into your life and really want him with you. In the Book of Revelation the risen Christ makes it clear that he’s ready, willing and able to be an important part of your life.  “Behold,” he says, “I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (3:20) Notice, however, that he said, “I stand at the door and knock.”  He didn’t say, “I don’t care what you want. I’m going to kick the door down and come in whether you like it or not.”

Mary and Joseph must have done a good job raising Jesus.  He had good manners.  He only comes into your life when he’s been invited.  Now at the risk of sounding a little like Billy Graham the question needs to be asked.  Have you invited the risen Christ into your life?

Before you answer that question, you need to know one more thing.  The invitation can’t come with strings attached.  It can’t be an invitation that says, “I want you with me Lord, but only when I need you.”  Or, “I only want you with me Lord when it’s convenient for me.”  Or, “If I invite you into my life Lord, I only want you to tell me what I want to hear.”

Look again at what happened when those disciples encountered the risen Christ.  It’s true that there was that wonderful grace filled moment while they were sitting at the table with him.  It’s true that there was that moment when their hearts were set on fire.

It’s also true though that the disciples found themselves on the receiving end of a little tough love that day. The risen Christ was actually very blunt with them while they were walking to Emmaus. Why?  Because they were still clinging to that idea of a messiah who was going to lead them to victory against the Romans.  That’s what they meant when they said, “but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” They were so obsessed with that military messiah that it was blinding them to the Christ who died to take away the sins of the world. It was blinding them to the risen Christ who was right there beside them.

So, Jesus read them the riot act so to speak.  He called them foolish and slow of heart.

That’s the difficult part of what it means to invite the risen Christ into your life. He isn’t always going to hug you and say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Sometimes he’s going to tell you that you have to face something that you don’t want to face. Sometimes he’s going to tell you that you have to do something you don’t want to do. Sometimes he’s going to tell you that you’re wrong. Or he’s going to give you a hard time because you’re trying to take the easy way out of a problem or a predicament.

He’s not going to tell you what you want to hear.  He’s going to tell you what you need to hear.  That’s why the Lord made a decision one day when things weren’t going very well.  It seems the Lord was looking down on the earth and saw all the bad things that were going on. So, he decided to send a female angel down to earth to check things out.  When she returned she told the Lord that things were very bad on earth. “95% of the people are bad and only 5% are good,” she announced.  The Lord thought it over and decided to send a male angel down for a second opinion.  When the male angel returned he also told the Lord that things were very bad on earth.  “95% of the people are bad and only 5% are good,” he announced.  The Lord thought it over some more and decided to send an email to the 5% of the people who were good and do you know what that email said? (Pause)  Oh! You mean you didn’t get the email either?

When you invite the risen Christ into your life you have to go all the way.  You can’t be half-hearted about it.  It means you’re going to have to be humble and listen. It means you’re going to have to put your ego aside and accept the fact that the risen Christ knows what’s best.

In the end though, it will be worth it. That’s because the love that you find in the risen Christ is very similar to the love that a psychiatrist had for his patients.  The psychiatrist’s name was Dr. John Rosen and he was a specialist when it came to working with catatonic schizophrenics.  Normally, doctors remain separate and aloof from their patients.  Not Dr. Rosen though. When he got a patient like that he moved into the hospital ward with them.  He placed his bed among their bed and lived the life they had to live, day after day.  He loved them and if they didn’t want to talk, he didn’t talk either.  His being there, being with them though, communicated something some of them hadn’t experienced in years.  But, then he also did something else.  After he gained their trust, he would put his arms around them and hug them. He would hold those unattractive, unlovable, sometimes incontinent persons and love them back into life.  Often, the first words they spoke were simply, “Thank you.”

That’s the love that Christ came to share with us all the way from the cradle in Bethlehem to the Cross in Jerusalem.  That’s the love that the risen Christ will share with you when you seize the opportunity and invite him into your life.  He won’t always tell you what you want to hear, but when everything is said and done the only thing you’ll want to say is “thank you.”  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

April 10, 2005