Acts 2: 36-41                                                                                                               Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III

Luke 24: 13-35                                                                                                                                      April 19, 2026

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us.”

Prayer: O God, please stir our consciences by your Spirit, that we may receive your promise. Amen.

Back in my early seminary days, in the early 80’s, I had one of those “Do you know who that was?” moments. I did CPE, or Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of San Francisco Hospital, in San Francisco, California. CPE is required training for pastors. I did a semester as a full-time chaplain. 

One day I got on the elevator on the 7th floor going down, and on the 6th floor a well-dressed man, suit and tie, I’d say early 50’s, got on with me. On the way down, he started asking me questions (I had my chaplain’s name tag on). He asked about where I went to seminar, how things were going for me as a chaplain, what units I was assigned to. And I was like, “Who is this guy, and why is he asking me all these questions.” I chatted with him briefly and we both got off on the first floor, he went his way, and I went mine. One of my chaplain colleagues saw us get off the elevator said to me, “You know who that was, don’t you?” And I was like no. “That was the CEO and President of the University of San Francisco Hospital.” Oh! Alrighty then! I was wondering why he was asking me all those questions!

I would not have known who that person was unless my chaplain colleague helped me make it all click into place. That happened after the CEO and President went on his way. But I realized that it was during the elevator ride that my inner thoughts were wondering who is this guy.

So I have a soft spot in my heart for Cleopas and fellow traveler. I can identify. Not just because they didn’t recognize Jesus the entire time on the road with them the way I didn’t recognize the CEO and President of the hospital. Not because Jesus connected for them the scriptures with God’s plan of salvation through him. But more because it was in the breaking of the bread that it all clicked into place. That’s when they recognized who Jesus was.

I think it’s significant that revelation and awareness of the risen Christ occurred after the breaking of the bread. Because not only did they recognize Jesus, not only were they energized to tell others that he indeed is risen, but it also made the two of them reflect back on what their hearts were experiencing during the time they spent with the risen Christ on the road.

Luke says their hearts were burning! I take that to mean something like their consciences were stirred. Their inner spirit was tingling. We often say God is Stillspeaking,

Well, guess what? I think it was the Holy Spirit speaking words in their inner consciousness. Nudging them saying, “Look deeply at who’s with you. Listen carefully to what is being said. Connect the dots.”

But, in the moment, it’s easy to not pay attention to that inner voice. In the moment, it’s easy to let whatever else is going on be a distraction. It’s easy to disregard the voice within thinking that it’s just a random thought, or my imagination talking.

Sometimes when I’m in the office, and I read something or see something and I get reminded of someone in our church. And I think to myself, I better check in with that person. And just like that, the thought is gone. And there have been a few times over the years, thankfully just a few, when I got distracted, or I forgot, and I didn’t check in with that person, and it was too late. And I say to myself, “Ugh! I wish I would have listened to that inner voice.” Or to my burning heart, as Luke would say.

So, I guess I want to encourage us today to engage in a practice of listening to that inner voice.   That voice of conscience. Don’t blow it off. It takes practice to recognize it and respond to it. Sometimes it takes someone or some event to make your vision clear. But trust that the Spirit is at work.

I remember, in the 90s, when I was the pastor at Community UCC in Reading, there was a beautiful old woman named Blanche who had a stroke and was in the hospital. I went to visit her, and I found her in a coma and non-responsive. Lots of tubes and machines. So I spent about 10 minutes in silent prayer with her. And I decided to leave, I left my card, and I spoke a prayer to her. And I left. About ten minutes later, I was driving away, I had this random thought that I should go back and visit Blanche. Again. And I thought, well that is really dumb. I was just there. But, I was learning to respond to my inner voice, to my burning heart. So, I turned around and went back to see Blanche. Again. No change. Still in a coma. Lying in the same position. Same tubes and machines. So, I said another prayer with her and left. Ten minutes later, my phone rings. It was the hospital ICU nurse. Blanche just passed away.

Friends, I believe that is the Holy Spirit that cuts to the heart. That is the Holy Spirit that can set our hearts on fire. That is the Holy Spirit that is still speaking deep within our consciences. That’s the Holy Spirit showing up on the road to Emmaus with us.

The road to Emmaus is our every day roads of life. At no time on our roads of life is the risen Christ not present. At no time are we ever outside of hearing God’s voice. At no time will God not want to set our hearts on fire.

Is God setting your heart on fire when you listen to the news? When you ponder the plight of people in war-torn countries?

Is your heart burning when you see heretical AI images? When you hear of people cutting down others in Christ’s name?

Is your conscience stirred when we look at the cultural landscape today in which many truths are obscured or denied?

Is your inner spirit tingling when so much of what we see are people trying to persuade one another with sharp arguments and louder words, instead of with love and respect?

Someone said at the Clergy Convocation I attended this past week that when we die and go to heaven, God will not ask us if we had the right religion, or the right beliefs. God will ask if we loved one another.

It does take practice to listen to our burning hearts so that we may love one another. It does take effort to discern the risen Christ’s presence on our roads to Emmaus.

So let’s learn the secret of our burning hearts—learn to listen to and trust our inner conscience. It’s living with the presence of the risen Christ in us, around us, before us, behind us, above us, under our feet, and along side us. And we will recognize Christ risen in our midst, way beyond just breaking bread. Amen.