Where's Jesus?

Luke 24:1-32  

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 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?” 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, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 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. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 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. 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.”

Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 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. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 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?” 




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The women come to the tomb early in the morning, bringing the spices they have prepared. Sabbath is over, and they have come to prepare Jesus’ body.

But they do not find his body.

Instead, they find the tomb open, and men dressed in dazzling white garments sitting inside. Angels, they figure, and they bow down.

The angels say, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He’s not here, where death is what you seek. He is risen. He’s alive.”

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Two disciples walk along the road heading from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They are trying their best to cope with Jesus’ death, processing what they saw and experienced, wondering what it all means and what will become of them now that their rabbi is dead and gone, the one in whom they had placed such hope.

They encounter a stranger. At least they think he is a stranger. But after walking with him, telling him what has happened, hearing from him how he understands it, then inviting him in for dinner, they discover that Jesus is not dead, as they understand him to be. He is alive. He is with them. And then, just as their eyes are opened and they catch a brief but certain glimpse of him, recognized in the breaking of the bread, he vanishes from their sight.

And as their hearts go from being broken with all the hopes they had for him, to burning as they perceive him, they find the living Christ rather than the late, great Jesus, the one they expect.

In our lives of faith, we mostly wait for Christ to come again, to renew the world for all time.

But Jesus Christ is Risen today! Jesus is Alive!

Where is Jesus? It depends on where we look for him, as it turns out.

Seeking him in the grave, expecting him to be someone who once was here, but is no longer, we may be surprised.

Because Jesus reveals himself to us, not in tales of long ago, but in here-and-now moments brought to us courtesy of the Holy Spirit, whom he promised before his death.

We encounter Christ in an unexpected kindness – given or received.

We encounter Christ in a life giving word or sign of comfort that we experience in the midst of suffering, or despair, or even death.

We encounter Christ in a moment of clarity brought by way of a new meaning found in scripture, in a poem, at a baptism, through a Facebook posting, during a footwashing, through the symbols of faith on a stole made by a student ready to confirm their faith, in a hymn or song or in so many other ways.

We encounter Christ in people willing to stand up against injustice in a hostile world, even when they face resistance, risk, or ridicule.

Where is Jesus?

When we turn our radar from death to life, we tune into the here-and-now workings of the Risen Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s like those “Where’s Waldo” pictures, or more recently, the “find the panda” pictures that went viral on the internet around Christmastime.

Once you tune into what you’re looking for, you find it more quickly and more often. And so it is with Jesus Christ.

It’s hard to see life when we are expecting death.

It’s hard to focus in on God with us when we are expecting a world designed to work against us.

It’s hard to see grace when we are expecting punishment.

But in the midst of all this death – Christ is alive!

Where’s Jesus?

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

Christ is alive, out in the world, redeeming the world, bringing new life where death is expected.

In a few minutes Troy Hansen will be baptized, and Calli Bowman-Tomlinson and Jason Boatwright with confirm their baptismal promises.

In and through our baptism we go from death to new life.

Each one of these young people have already faced trials and challenges in their lives beyond their years. And each one of them comes today to put their trust in life beyond death, in Christ's redemption, in the empty tomb.

The risen, alive Christ calls us to stop looking for him among the things that dwell in the shadow of death, but to seek him among the living, and to participate in bringing to the world, the Life that Truly is Life.

Where is Jesus?

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is Risen.