Interrupted

Luke 24:13-35

¹³ That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up 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 happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even 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 him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹ but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Arriving at the day after Easter, I find myself disoriented. It seems like a very long time ago (back in the middle of February) that we were studying Micah, only to be interrupted by Lent and Holy Week. And I was shocked by having to deal with the word “interrupted”. As I pondered those slightly negative feelings, I realized that those times we are interrupted by God, He is probably doing His most important work in us.

I post the end of Luke for our reading today (and I promise to go back to Micah tomorrow) because it is important to hear how Christ reveals His message and His ministry to the bewildered disciples. For me, this passage puts an amazing exclamation point on Jesus’ salvation story. While keeping the two from recognizing Him, notice how Jesus encourages the disciples to tell Him what’s been going on over the last 3 days! The irony of that is stunning. But then He instructs them about what it all means – stretching back into the Old Testament and tying all the pieces of thread together into one grand story of God’s plan for our salvation. This little interruption in their walk to Emmaus proved to be life-changing.

Jesus’ entire story is one of interruption. Just imagine the unforeseen interruption His birth brought to Mary and Joseph. While Jesus’ arrival on the world stage was quiet, He brought with Him complete upheaval of the religious system into which He was born. He brought challenge and a demand for change into the lives of the Pharisees and the entire Jewish nation and and entirely new spiritual reality into the Gentile world. And He brought redemption into a world that was/is in desperate need of a Savior.

Yes, Jesus interrupts our lives on every level and for that we are grateful. I’m a person who doesn’t at all care for interruptions. My mind is a pretty chaotic place and routine brings order to that chaos. When the interruptions arrive, and the routine is disturbed, I can be put-out and disagreeable. But perhaps it is time to embrace those interruptions and see them as God’s plans – plans to teach me something or correct some behavior. Just as those two disciples embraced the chance to tell their story, I might want to embrace God’s interruptions and look for His instruction, for He is most certainly there, lovingly and carefully drawing me ever closer to Himself.