Breaking Bread

April 20, 2026

Breaking Bread

Sermon based on Luke 24:13-35

Devotions for this sermon

Watch sermon here

The four Gospels

Grace to and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ his Son. Amen.
Each of the four gospels has their own voice and way of telling the story of Jesus. Life, death and resurrection. Mark’s Gospel feels rushed, like a child trying to tell you about an exciting day. And then this. And then this happened.
And then this happened. John’s Gospel slows down and offers reflections on the stories shared. Matthew’s Gospel is focused on connecting the promise of the Hebrew scriptures to the life of Jesus. But in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is always at the table eating, using the table as a place for revelation. For example, Zacchaeus is moved to repentance in the dinner he shares with Jesus.
And this is true in our gospel today. Jesus on the road to Emmaus.

Luke’s Account of the Resurrection

Our gospel begins on the very day of resurrection. In Luke’s Gospel, the women go to the tomb. They encounter the two angels. The women were confused and terrified. And the angels ask the women, 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 the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again. When the women return to the disciples and tell them what they had seen and heard, the men did not believe them.
The Gospel reads that these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe the women. Now, the Greek word used here for their disbelief is a little stronger than an idle tale. But we really can’t translate that word in church. It’s a little inappropriate for a church service. I’ll let you fill in the blanks with your own imagination.

Cleophas

The men did not believe the women, and this is important now. Two disciples were walking along the road later that afternoon, walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. One who is named Cleophas and the second who is unnamed. But biblical scholars believe it to be the wife of Cleophas. On their way home after a traumatic week in Jerusalem.
In the first century, people traveled in large groups which provided safety from bandits and wild animals. And as they walk, Cleophas and his companion are discussing the crucifixion and the reports of resurrection. And despite the women’s testimony, Cleophas and the other male disciples did not believe it. Now, their conversation was loud enough that a stranger, who we know is Jesus, overhears their discussion and asks them about it. And Cleophas explains, somewhat surprised, that the stranger was unaware of the crucifixion.
Of Jesus.
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.
Then Cleophas tells Jesus about the idle tale that the women brought to them that morning, that Jesus had been raised from the dead and the was alive.

Jesus Breaks Bread

Jesus begins to explain the scriptures to them. When Cleophas and his companion arrive at home, they invite the stranger to remain with them. It is late, it is unsafe to keep traveling, and they want to hear more. The meal is prepared, and Jesus assumes the role of host, which is a little strange, seeing as he’s a guest.
And Jesus takes the bread, blesses it and breaks.
And in the breaking of the bread, Cleophas and his companion recognize who they have spent their afternoon with. It is Jesus. And suddenly, Jesus is gone.
But the story doesn’t end there. The two immediately get up and run back to Jerusalem in the dark.
And despite the dangers, they need to tell their friends that they too have now seen the risen Jesus.

The Beauty of this story

What’s so beautiful about this story is that the resurrection becomes real to Cleophas and his companion. In the breaking of bread, the message is not subtle. Luke even uses the words, he took the bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them to eat in Holy Communion. In the breaking of bread, we will encounter the resurrected Jesus. When we receive the bread and the wine, we are not just remembering the meal Jesus Jesus shared with his disciples on Maundy Thursday.
Holy Communion is not just about remembering. In the bread and wine, we are connecting with the resurrected Jesus, just as Cleophas and his companion did on that first Easter evening. When we gather in community, sharing the Word and the sacraments, the risen Lord is present with us.

Jesus is present

Jesus is here in the bread and in the wine.
God promises us that he will never leave or forsake us. In Isaiah, God proclaims that even if a mother were to forget her nursing child, and he cannot, because he has inscribed us on the palms of his hands.
In Psalm 139, the Psalmist proclaims that there is no place where we can escape the presence of God.
Even if we were to grow rings and settle at the farthest edges of the world, we cannot escape God’s presence.
Like the runaway bunny, our heavenly parent will always chase after us. In Romans, Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. And yet there are times when we feel far from God, when we feel distant, when hopelessness and fear overwhelm us.

The invitation

And so each week we come back to this place to receive the gift of holy communion, a tangible reminder of God’s love for us.
Bread and wine, which we can see and touch, smell and taste. This gift is given to renew and strengthen us, to reconnect us to God.
Holy Communion is an invitation into relationship with the divine, to literally become one communion and to become one with the whole church.
We are blessed each week that we can come here, that we can celebrate and share this amazing gift. The gift of God’s love, the gift of Jesus in bread and wine, and the promise that Jesus is always with us. Amen.