The Road to Emmaus

The Road to Emmaus - a Liturgy for Easter Morning Two "disciples" re-enact the story of the Road to Emmaus. At various points around the church, they find and discuss pictures or symbols of the History of Salvation. They will need a radio-mike or similar to ensure that they are heard on their travels around the church! Disciples are at the back of the church Jesus is present - but not visible. LITURGY OF THE WORD
Narrator	After Mary and the others had told the other disciples that Jesus was not in the tomb, two of them decided to return to Emmaus. On the way, they were talking about what had happened. Jesus joined them - but they did not recognise Him. He asked them what they were talking about.
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Disciple 1	You must be the only person in Jerusalem who doesn't know what has happened!
Disciple 2	Haven't you heard about Jesus of Nazareth? He was our friend and leader. He was a great prophet and told people about God. He healed people. Then, on Thursday, He was arrested and our leaders handed Him over to the Romans.
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Disciple 1	On Friday, He was taken to Calvary and was crucified. Since then we have been terrified and filled with grief. Then, this morning, some of the women in our group came and told us that the tomb was empty and His body was gone. We don't know what to make of it.

Voice of Jesus	You foolish people! Don't you realise that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and then to enter His glory? Listen....
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Narrator	Then, going right back to the beginning, He interpreted to them all the things about Himself in the Scriptures.
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"Promenade" - the disciples move to the next stage to accompaniment of music e.g. "He is Lord..." Under/next to a rainbow
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Voice of Jesus	Remember the story of Noah? Most people had forgotten God. The world had become a cruel and sinful place to live in. God was angry and sent a flood to destroy the wickedness. But, God knew that some people had not forgotten. Noah still believed in God and God was able to warn Noah and tell him to build an ark. In this way, human beings and many other living creatures were saved. After the flood, God promised never to flood the earth again. He set a rainbow in the sky and said, "Whenever you and I see the rainbow, we will remember the promise, the covenant between us. You will be My people and I will be your God.
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Promenade to a picture of Moses
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Disciple 1	God made the same promise to Moses didn't He?
Disciple 2	When the Hebrews were being held as slaves in Egypt, God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let God's people go.
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Jesus	That's right. And when Pharaoh refused, God sent the ten plagues. In the desert, God still cared for the People. He guided them by day and by night. And when they were hungry, God gave them manna - bread from heaven. When they were thirsty, God told Moses to strike a rock - and water came pouring from it. God always cares for His people - even if they don't understand what He is doing.
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Promenade - to image of Mary and the Infant Jesus
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Disciple 1	But, even in the Promised Land, people went back to their old ways. They didn't exactly forget God - but they didn't follow God's ways.
Disciple 2	In the end, the Hebrew people lost their own country and were sent into exile.

Jesus	But God did not forget them. God cannot forget His people. He has promised and God does not forget a promise. He spoke through a prophet called Isaiah and told them that He would keep His promise. One day, a young woman would have a baby - a son - and this child would be Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God-with-us. The promise was that God would come and live with His people. And that is what happened. She didn't call her baby Emmanuel though. The angel told her to call Him Jesus - but He was God-with-us all the same.
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Promenade to an image of the Baptism of Jesus
Disciple 1	He went to John the Baptist and was baptised. People who were there heard God's voice calling Him the Beloved Son.
Disciple 2	We hoped that He was the Messiah. We knew God's favour was on Him. He did great things - but He didn't set us free as the Scriptures said He would.
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Jesus	Jesus But John also said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. he Messiah was to be more than just a great leader.
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Promenade to an image of the cross
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Disciple 1	It still doesn't make sense. He was arrested and tortured and killed. We wanted Him to show His power then - but He didn't.
Disciple 2	While He was dying, people were shouting - if He was the Messiah, the Son of God, why didn't He save Himself?
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Jesus	You've forgotten something else that Isaiah said. He said that the Servant of God would suffer. He said that people would hate Him and despise Him and turn away from Him. But he said that, by the sufferings of the Servant, the sin of the world would be taken away. It is sin that stops you being free - and Jesus took that away from you. Sin leaves you in darkness - Jesus is the Light of the world. Sin and death go together - Jesus has conquered sin and death.
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Promenade to ambo/lectern
Jesus	Tell the story you heard - about the empty tomb....
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EASTER GOSPEL - THE EMPTY TOMB
Disciple 1	But this only brings us back to where we started...
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Jesus	Really? We've spoken of God's promises - the rainbow - the crossing of the Red Sea - and the manna and water in the desert and the promise of the child. We've remembered that Isaiah said that the Servant of God would suffer - and that John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. All this - and you still don't see?

Disciple 2	Perhaps you could explain more - join us for a meal....
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Jesus	I'll join you - but not just for any meal. This meal is special - we need bread and wine and My friends
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PROCESSION OF GIFTS - BREAD AND WINE

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST The disciples stay next to the altar Prayers of Blessing of Bread and Wine

Disciple 1	Jesus did that on Thursday night.
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Jesus	Yes - and He did something else too, didn't He?
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Disciple 2	He broke the bread and shared the cup and told us to remember
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Jesus	Yes - but it was more than that... Watch and listen.....watch and listen....
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Eucharistic Prayer Just before the Doxology
Jesus	So what have you seen? What have you heard?
Disciple 1	The bread has become His Body - His Living Presence. Jesus is here.
Disciple 2	The wine has become His Blood - His love poured out for the world . Jesus is here.
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Narrator	Their eyes were opened and they recognised Him in the breaking of bread - but He vanished from their sight.
Disciple 1	Jesus was the Promised One. He was God-with-us. He had to suffer and die - but now He is risen.
Disciple 2	And He is still with us. God has kept His promise. In this bread and in this wine, Jesus is present among us!
A joyous doxology
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The Rite of Communion now follows.
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CLOSING RITE
The disciples are found near the Easter Candle and newly blessed Holy Water
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Disciple 1	We can't keep this to ourselves. We must tell everyone!
Disciple 2	That Jesus is risen - that we have seen Him and that we recognised Him in the breaking of bread.
Disciple 1	We are His disciples. In the waters of Baptism, we died with Him - and now we are raised up to New Life.
Disciple 2	And the light of the Easter Candle reminds us that we are light for the world.
(To the congregation)
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Disciple 1	Do you believe that Jesus died?
ALL	WE DO!
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Disciple 2	Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead?
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Disciple 1	Do you believe that you have received Jesus in the Communion we have shared?
ALL	WE DO!
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Disciple 2	So - what are you going to do?!
ALL	WE SHALL CELEBRATE EASTER! ALLELUIA! WE SHALL BRING LOVE TO THOSE WHO ARE SAD; AND SHARE JOY WITH THOSE WHO ARE HAPPY. WE WILL LIVE OUR LIVES TO THE GLORY OF GOD. WE WILL LIVE IN EASTER JOY AND EASTER HOPE AND BRING NEW LIFE TO THOSE WE MEET. ALLELUIA!
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Blessing - and Dismissal to spread the Good News!
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