Luke 24:13-35 --- The Twilight Zone

 Luke 24:13-35 (read this amazing passage of scripture)

Imagine with me, if you will; traveling in daylight away from Jerusalem. You are walking along, confused about the current events that have occurred in the city. You are disappointed, and for sure saddened by the events that have taken place. Discussing all of this with a friend of yours. And the day is coming towards its' end.

Prepare yourself... for you are about to enter the Twilight Zone.

With your backs to Jerusalem you wondered about this man, Jesus. You wondered what had Jesus done about living by dying.

A man appears, seemly out of nowhere, and walks by your sides. You and your friend fail to recognize this person. How? This person was Jesus, perhaps your nephew or your cousin. But you don't recognize him all the same.

You tell Jesus all that you have seen and heard in the recent past in the city of Jerusalem. All so confused by the oncoming dusk, you can't tell if night is on the way out or morning is on the way in? Yet, you, your friend, and Jesus continue to walk down that road, out of Jerusalem.

And Jesus speaks. God deals with the human soul that is blind and disbelieving in amazing ways. In this half light and half darkness, upon this road; Jesus interprets all the scripture of old. How the cross, the Messiah, the Lamb of God, is smeared all over and through the Words of scripture. Jesus speaks the Word from the beginning of creation, and proves, through the Words, and the lives, and the happenings of things past, that salvation comes through his own very suffering, death. Jesus shows the defeat of sin on the cross. Jesus shows through the testaments and prophecies, that God has shown all along, a way that God will defeat sin on the cross and give new life to all creation, through his resurrection from the dead. 

As we walk into darkness, away from the cross, Jesus walks with us and shows us the need of the cross. A need that moves throughout the realm of time. The need of the cross in the time of this sinful, evil world and in the midst of all our own sinfulness. Jesus, through this cross, leads us along our road in the hope of new life beyond sin and death. Yes, Jesus walks with us in our darkest times, and talks to us about something else. Something else, not dark, not death, not the black blood stain of the cross, but Jesus talks to us about Light instead of Darkness.

In the midst of this road away from Jerusalem, away from the cross, in the darkness of sunset; Jesus appears to want travel further. It's time to stop in this darkness and take shelter. Jesus stops with us instead of moving on without us.

We break for food and rest. And then Jesus breaks the bread at the table, feeds us his very self and opens our eyes to his Light of a new morning. We were with Jesus all along on this road away from Jerusalem and the cross. It was Jesus who opened the Scripture to us interpreting all the things about himself spoken by the prophets. This is Jesus! And then... and then... he's gone!

So, we turn and we run back towards Jerusalem, we run back towards the cross. We pick up our very own cross that we carry in this road of life to testify to all the people that God gives to us in our life. We run towards the cross of Jesus, we run towards Jerusalem carrying our own life that is in Jesus' hands to tell of the Love of God made known now to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Given and shed for me, given for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin... for new life... for new hope... leading us to our very own resurrection to come to live in glory with God our Creator and Redeemer in a perfect world.

Yes! Jesus goes with us in his life as we go to the cross of our death to die to ourselves and be resurrected to new life and live forever in this NEW life with God. 

As we receive his body... his blood... Jesus invades us... walks with us... and loves us to death... my death... your death... --- Then facing Jerusalem... I see my cross... my death... and yet also my resurrection. All because of what Jesus did for me and for you.

So... will you turn to face Jesus? Only he can open your eyes. Only he can show you a love so deep and so vast that his love extends throughout time. Jesus loves you forever and forever.

Step out of the Twilight Zone into the love of God.

Lord,

As I turn around and realize what you have done, I'm humbled. I turn from all of my own actions to save myself in my own ways, and realize that what you did on that cross was all that was ever needed. When you declared that it was finished, you didn't need me. But, you finished off sin and death for me and for all people. Help me to live in this world with the people that you give to me daily, to testify about your love and your gift of life... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen