Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three…Good morning, Sammy!
Sammy: Good morning everyone! Is it still, Easter, Pastor?
Pastor: Yes, it is still the Easter season, Sammy.
Sammy: Oh good! I just love Easter.
Pastor: Me too, Sammy. The Easter message is very special to us as believers in Jesus.
Sammy: Why is that?
Pastor: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again after three days. These events are important because Jesus paid the price for our sins with his blood.
Sammy: You know, Pastor, I noticed that even though Jesus talks a lot about his death on the cross and how he will rise again after three days, a lot of people were not paying attention.
Pastor: Yes a lot of people either were not paying attention or they heard the message and they didn’t understand.
Sammy: Just like Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas.
Pastor: Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas?
Sammy: You know? From the Gospel reading today? There was a man walking to a place called Emmaus.
Pastor: Yes that’s Cleopas.
Sammy: Mr. Cleopas. And the other person was his wife. Mrs. Cleopas.
Pastor: That’s a good theory, Sammy. The second person with Cleopas isn’t mentioned by name, so there are a lot of guess about who it could be.
Sammy: Well, I like Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas. But you know, I don’t understand what happened. How come they didn’t recognize Jesus until he broke bread and blessed the bread?
Pastor: That’s a really good question. Jesus breaks bread with many people all throughout the Gospels. He eats with his disciples, with tax collectors, and with over five thousand people, on two separate occasions. That’s a lot of people.
Sammy: And all of those people saw Jesus bless and break the bread before they ate it with him.
Pastor: That’s right. So Jesus talked to Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas a long time, but they didn’t truly see who he was until he blessed and broke the bread. And then he disappeared.
Sammy: He did?
Pastor: Yes, but he appeared to many others.
Sammy: I just love Easter. I love that we can find Jesus in unexpected places.
Pastor: Yes we can. Boys and girls, will you please pray with me? Will you please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for Easter. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you for rising to life so that we may have life in you. Amen.
Sammy: Bye, everyone!
Pastor: Bye, Sammy!
