In addition to this...
There’s a well known post-resurrection Biblical story that takes place on the road to a village called Emmaus. It’s found in Luke 24:13-35. I was reading it again this morning in a great little prayerbook called Seeking God’s Face. As can often be the case when you slow down and try to read thoughtfully through passages you’ve read before you see things that you had never seen. Two phrases jumped out at me today.
The two disciples are walking along, Jesus with them, even though they don’t recognize Him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” (v.17-24)
They’re discouraged. Downhearted, standing with their faces “downcast”. Jesus asks them why and they begin to recount the story, incredulous that He seems oblivious to this event that has upended their whole world. It’s a powerful moment because we’ve all had these same types of feelings and experiences. Something happens, someone dies, a situation changes, and the emotional rug is pulled out from underneath us. The focus moves from engaging the world around us to merely surviving the situation in which we find ourselves.
In some ways it’s a little like our current Covid-19 situation. Just a few short months ago we would have never guessed the state of the world today, even less the radical change to our daily routines. The emotional toll is compounded by the unknown nature of what is coming. How long will we be in this holding pattern? Can we bounce back, both economically AND emotionally from this? Like these two disciples we stand still, our faces downcast. This is not what we were expecting.
But even in their telling of the story the two phrases that caught my eye hold promise.
And what is more…
In addition to this…
The story isn’t over. Even though they can’t see it clearly, their own words point to the fact that something is still happening. Jesus then steps up and expands that to remind them that not only is something still happening, it’s been happening all along. He goes through the Old Testament to reveal the things they have missed.
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (v.25-27)
The resurrection means there is always more to the story, even when all hope appears dead. Maybe this is a call for us to slow down and take a deeper look at “what is more” and what is “in addition to this” in our current situation. We are clearly being reminded to slow down and take stock of our lives. It’s also fairly evident that we have undervalued relationships and overvalued activity and material possessions. In the church we are being reminded that church is the people of God, not the place of the building.
If we stop long enough Jesus can remind us of how these things have been embedded in the story long before we even entered it. This is not over. There is hope. There is more coming out of this than we could have imagined. The goal is to continue the journey, walking along with Jesus, letting Him reveal what He is (and has been) up to.