Explore & respond

•  In our culture, there are lots of ways to interact with people without actually seeing them. We can email them, send a text, share messages in a WhatsApp group, ’like’ something posted on Facebook or Instagram, and so on.
• Not to devalue these products, but we are made for human interaction. The disciples understand who Jesus is after hearing him share stories about himself from the Scriptures, and watching him break bread in their home. Does this raise questions for us, not only about the depth of our own relationships, but also whether we spend (enough) time allowing Jesus to come alongside us?
• Driven as the two disciples were by very different emotions, we cannot fail to notice the contrast between the speed of the journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and that of the journey back to tell of the meeting with the risen Jesus. It can be hard to get ourselves moving when we are weighed down with worries and disappointments. The Church has never pretended such stresses are not real, but it has always looked for ways to help people meet with Jesus personally – e.g. through prayer. If we are struggling and finding our path difficult, are there ways we can encounter Jesus and allow him to meet us in – and transform – our situation?
• Jesus explains his death and resurrection to the two disciples by ‘beginning with Moses and all the prophets’. Are we familiar with the Old Testament and how it points to the coming Messiah? John 3.14 is but one example of how Jesus saw his own ministry foreshadowed in the Jewish Scriptures (see Numbers 21.9). We can be daunted by the Old Testament, but Jesus saw himself and his work in its pages. As his followers, we have an obligation to explore it, whether through commentaries, church study groups or our own personal reading.
• Although the two disciples engage Jesus in conversation, it is not a ‘head to head’ conversation; it is a walking alongside. A talking and sharing in which all are, in a sense, equal – all listening, speaking, learning, discovering. It is also ‘of (or in) the moment’ – it is now. We can be good at looking back, seeing what God has done in our lives. We can also be good at looking forward, thinking about and praying for how our life might be with God. What about now? The breaking of bread – whether understood Eucharistically or domestically (or both – for both have a place in the story) – is a now moment. Do we spend enough time living in the now, talking about what God is doing in our lives right now? Or are we wary of talking about it?

  You may also find this week's All-age conversation useful 

  You could finish your sermon with a call to action for everyone this week - see the Live your faith idea. 

  KEY:  icon indicates ways to connect faith with everyday life

Invite the team to write on a large sheet of paper what they ‘know’ (or can deduce) about that person. Stop after a minute or two, saying that you will look at their score later. For the second team, ask someone you have approached in advance (someone not known, or not well known, to those present) to come and stand at the front. The team can ask questions of the person, and should write up what they ‘know’ (or can find out) about the person. Again, stop them after a minute or two. The teams’ scores are simply the number of accurate statements written up. The difference between the two scores should be very clear. Discuss together what made the difference.
Now, ask: How do we know about Jesus? Do we look at him, trying to deduce something about him, rather as the first team looked at their picture? Or do we engage with him, as the second team did with their person? We see this difference in today’s Gospel story too. As in that story, Jesus doesn’t ask us to guess things about him; he takes time to walk with us, and he invites us to ask questions and to explore Scripture together to find answers.

You may also find this week's Sermon ideas  useful.

When each person finishes their story, light a candle at the front. When all the
testimonies have been given, say that we all have a story to tell, and invite everyone who wishes to, to come and light a candle to add to the few already lit (you could play quiet background music). Finally, pray together: Jesus, thank you that you walk alongside us and help us to know you. Thank you that we recognise you in one another. May your light shine in us and through us today and always. Amen.  W E S

Question box

Display a large sheet of paper on which is drawn a simple road. Invite people to write down questions they have about the Bible on sticky notes and to stick them on the road. The leader(s) can respond to these straight away, or take them away to inform future sermon topics, Bible studies, or invitations to visiting speakers. W E

Prayer bracelets

Make available different coloured beads, and lengths (about 20cm) of elastic string. Invite people to think about important events, people or places in their journey to faith, and to select a bead to represent each one. Then ask people to thread the beads onto the string, arranging them in the order in which they ‘happened’. Add two extra beads on the end, before tying the string to make a bracelet. Encourage people to use the bracelet to thank God for each part of their journey of faith. When they reach the penultimate bead, they should ask God to show them their next step. And with the last bead, encourage them to name before God someone they know, that they too might meet Jesus on their journey. W E S

Coffee time

If you usually have tea and coffee before or after the service, for a change have it during the service –  perhaps before the prayers or final hymn. Ask people to sit with someone they don’t know well, and share stories about themselves (e.g. where they grew up, how they first came to your church, when they first called themselves a Christian). Encourage people to take time with these stories and to really listen to one another. W E

Spiritual styles (as defined by David Csinos)
W Word E Emotion S Symbol A Action
Read our Spiritual Styles articles 

Narrator
Have you ever found something difficult to understand? Long ago, a couple of people were very puzzled. They really couldn't understand it!

(Two people enter, talking to each other and looking miserable.)

First person
I just don't understand it!

Second person
What part of it don't you understand? It seems pretty clear to me. We just got it all wrong.

First person
Well, I ask you. First of all we get someone who's a teacher, a preacher, a healer, a brilliant politician – got an answer for all the awkward questions – and a really nice person. Everyone thinks the world of him, cheers him on and tells him he's wonderful... then – WHAM! – they all change their minds and it's 'Kill him, kill him!'

Second person
But they didn't all change their minds, did they? Only those who didn't really know him, the ones who'd got caught up in the excitement when he came to Jerusalem.

First person
That's what I mean – all of them going over the top and making such a fuss of him one day, then shouting for his blood the next. I just don't understand it. (sadly) He was such a good man – why couldn't God keep him safe? Why couldn't…

Stranger (catching them up and joining in their conversation)
What's the matter with you two? You look as if your team has just dropped out of the league.

Second person
Can't you guess – or have you been in a cave for the past few days? We were friends of Jesus and we really can't believe he's dead. We thought he was going to change everything that was wrong with this country and lead us into a new world. But it all went wrong and now we feel so stupid and let down.

First person
Some of the others are saying that Jesus isn't really dead – his tomb was empty, you know – but we saw him dying on that cross and we know he can't be alive after going through all that.

Stranger
Oh, but that's silly! You've got it all wrong. You see, God meant this to happen. Don't you remember that the prophets said that an innocent man would suffer to save Israel and that he would rise on the third day? Everything is just as God planned. Listen, I'll explain it all to you…

Narrator
And for the rest of the journey the stranger did just that.
Eventually they arrived in Emmaus.

First person
Do you know, I think I'm beginning to understand things, at last. Now look, it's getting dark so come and stay with us for the night and we can carry on talking.

(all move over to sit in a corner around a table)

Narrator
They went indoors and whilst supper was being prepared they talked - and talked – and talked.

Woman (brings in tray with bread, plates, cups and jug; puts it on table where the others are sitting)
Right, that's enough talking for now. Supper's ready.

Stranger (picks up bread and lifts it high in the air)
Blessed be our Father God, who gave us this bread to eat and wine to drink.

(breaks bread into several pieces, puts them on the plate and hands plate around; other two look at each other – shocked – then look back at Jesus)

First and second persons (both speak at once, talking over each other excitedly)
It can't be. It is. Look at the way he held the bread. That was the blessing Jesus always used. It must be him.

(as they rush around Jesus slips quietly away, unnoticed)

First person (looks around)
He's gone! Where is he? I don't believe it, he's gone again.

Second person
It doesn't matter, we know he's alive – we've seen him for ourselves. Come on, let's tell the others.
(they rush out together)

Narrator
And leaving the meal unfinished they hurried through the dark night to share the amazing news with their friends. Jesus was definitely back with them again, and who knew what fantastic things might happen next…