11-27-2021

    Good Morning All!

       Luke 24:32; “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?”

    Are you like me in that I like to watch some movies over and over? There are some movies that I just cannot watch enough. Some of the nuances in the film can be missed the first time or two. Sometimes you need to read some background on the film or the era of the film setting. Sometimes, you have to hear the line or see the scene over and over to make it make sense.  Sometimes, it just has to “click” in your mind.

    One of those movies we watch often is “Forrest Gump.”  It took a few times watching to hear the line where Forrest is asked if he had ever been on a shrimp boat. He answers,” no but I’ve been on a really big boat.”  Bubba was talking about the type of work that the boat did, as in a boat that catches shrimp. Forrest thought it meant the size of the boat; he rode a big boat not a small (shrimp) boat. It takes some listening to truly hear the comment and sometimes you have to have the right mood as well.

    Our verse is part of the story of the two disciples as they are on the road to Emmaus. The then unrecognized Jesus joined them as they walked and talked about the events of Jerusalem and the death of Jesus. As he sat and talked with them, their hearts burned as he talked to them. You can imagine that they had heard his message many times during the three years that they had traveled with him. Some of these stories they maybe had witnessed or experienced as well.  They had probably experienced the feeding of the 5000; perhaps the raising of Lazarus; perhaps they had heard him tell them that he would have to die and in three days rise again. 

    These two disciples had heard it before but this time it was different. This time this message packed a wallop. Their hearts burned. Their hearts burned with the desire to really hear what God was saying to them. I must confess there are times when I read and hear God’s Word like I have heard it over and over. It sometimes does not have the impact that it should. I assume that you are the same way. However, God has a way of changing our hearts. He can make them burn.

    As the Spirit works on us, through the Word and through the Sacrament, he brings to us the desire to believe that God truly loves us. Jesus died for us to pay for our sins. The resurrection is the sign that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and that the victory over death has been secured. So, as you read and listen to God’s Word, listen with your heart on fire. Hear anew the Words of forgiveness, the Words of hope and the Words of life. Do not just hear them with your ears hear them with your heart. If you need comfort or hope hear God’s Words of comfort and hope. Know that this is part of God’s gift to you; a message of hope and comfort that you can use today and every day. Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!

Dearest Father, through the gift of Jesus you bring us hope and you bring us comfort. Never let your words become mundane or meaningless. Keep our hearts burning on zeal for you and that we take each word to heart and grow closer to you trusting in your promise. In the name of our risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret