At another church I was a part of, we use to have these large men’s breakfast meeting where a bunch of men got together and had to wear nametags because no one remembered anyone’s name. We’d eat very greasy breakfasts, listen to a speaker, and we would have a great time together. One time, right after the men’s breakfast, I had to run over to the Original Pancake House to meet someone else. If you have ever been to OPH you know there is always a wait to get a table on Saturday morning. So, I walked into the foyer of OPH and of course there were many people waiting for a table. As I walked in a man said to me very loudly, ‘Hi, Kevin! How are you doing?” He began to talk to me and asked about my wife and rather aggressively engaged me in conversation. I didn’t recognize this guy at all. And my brain was working in overdrive trying to place this person. Who is he? And I’m not a person that hides what I’m thinking very well. I would be a horrible poker player. So, I knew that my face was communicating to him, “I don’t know who you are at all.” But he seemed undeterred. He keeps asking me questions and I’m trying to answer them while I’m trying to figure out who he is. Finally, I just decided to come clean. I said, “I’m sorry I just can’t place you. How do you know me?” Then he started laughing and said to me, “you don’t know me, I was just messing with you. You have your name tag on from your last meeting so that’s how I knew your name was Kevin.” It wasn’t funny to me at all.
There is a story in Luke 24 that takes place on Easter Sunday when two of Jesus’ disciples were walking on a road to the town of Emmaus. While they were walking Jesus comes up next to them and asked them what they are talking about. They tell him about Jesus and his death and that some of the women went to the tomb that morning and his body wasn’t there. Then Jesus starts leading them through the Old Testament and explaining to them what the scriptures said concerning Jesus.
They got to where they were going and begged Jesus to eat a meal with them. He did and when they sat down to eat, Jesus gave thanks and broke the bread and began to give it to them. Luke 24:31 says, “Then their eyes were open and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” They finally recognized Jesus was risen and right there in their lives. And they said didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures up to us?
Do we recognize Jesus in our lives? Can you take time this Easter week and recognize Jesus in your life and acknowledge all he has done for you? Where do you see him working right now? As we recognize his work and presence in our lives, we will be like the disciples and our hearts will burn inside too!