Luke 24:13-35 page 1

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Our two-year-old daughter Rebekah has developed a wide range of words and a mischievous sense of humour to go with it. Already she is capable of winding you up. You're not always sure whether that's the case or whether she's just being plain naughty until she smirks a grin all over her face and says, "Teasing Daddy!".

I'm sure she takes after her mother! Except that having been involved in practical jokes on April Fool's Day at college, I'm not in too strong a position to argue that!

Today I want to suggest to you that the risen Jesus teases us, too. He is mischievous and full of fun. He engages in a full-on wind-up of Cleopas and his friend on the Emmaus Road. When Cleopas asks him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ (verse 18), he plays along and says, 'What things?', knowing perfectly well what they are talking about. He pretends to be a stranger from out of town. When they invite him in for a meal because it's getting late, Luke says 'he walked ahead as if he were going on' (verse 28). Then, just as he is recognised by the two disciples, he disappears (verse 31)!

Of course it could have been cruel to tease two distraught and disappointed people. But somehow the gentle teasing of Jesus leads them into new life. Here is not the po-faced Jesus that we often make in our own image: here is one so full of resurrection life that it overflows with joy, laughter and gentle mischief. Meet the mischievous risen Christ on the Emmaus Road.

Where do we meet him? Because he's mischievous we meet him in unexpected places. Or they may be familiar places, but we meet him in unexpected ways there.

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Copyright © David D Faulkner, 2006 except where other sources are attributed or noted as inspiration.