Welcome the Stranger

April 29, 2025

Jesus Is Loose in the World: Will You Recognize Him?

Have you ever wondered where you might encounter Jesus in your everyday life? It’s easy to imagine seeing him in a grand, miraculous moment. But what if he is already walking beside you, disguised as the stranger, the hurting neighbor, or the friend you didn’t expect?

Luke’s account of the road to Emmaus reminds you that Jesus often appears when you least expect him—and he usually doesn’t look the way you thought he would.

Walk With Expectation, Not Just Memory

Two followers walked the dusty road to Emmaus, heavy with sorrow and confusion. They remembered the one they had followed, hoping he would redeem Israel. But now, with Jesus crucified and buried, all they could do was recount the past: “We had hoped…”

While they mourned what they thought was lost, Jesus himself joined them on their journey. Yet they didn’t recognize him. Caught in the grip of grief and unmet expectations, they missed the very presence of the risen Christ walking alongside them.

How often do you cling to the past so tightly that you miss what God is doing right now?

Today, walk with expectation. Look not only for memories of how Jesus moved before but also for the new ways he is moving right now. Jesus is not confined to your past hopes. He is alive, present, and active in your life today.

Meet Jesus in the Stranger

Jesus often comes in ways that unsettle your expectations. He shows up as a stranger on the road, as a gardener near an empty tomb, or as a quiet companion in your grief. His presence is felt more than seen—recognized not with your eyes but with your heart.

You meet him when you open yourself to the stranger, when you offer a hand to the one in need, when you listen without judgment to someone’s hurt. You encounter Jesus when you recognize his love in the faces of those you might otherwise overlook.

Mother Teresa once said that Jesus comes to us “in distressing disguise.” Every person you encounter could carry the presence of Christ. Will you have eyes to see?

Invite Jesus In

As the day grew late, the two disciples reached Emmaus, and the stranger appeared ready to walk on. It was only when they invited him to stay that they recognized him. In the breaking of bread, their eyes were opened, and they realized who had been with them all along.

An invitation makes all the difference.

When you create space for Jesus, when you invite him into your conversations, your plans, your relationships, you prepare your heart to recognize his presence. Without the invitation, he may pass by unnoticed. With the invitation, you begin to see glimpses of divine love everywhere.

Open your heart. Invite him to stay.

Follow Jesus Into the World

The risen Jesus does not stay put. He moves—always toward those in need, always into the messiness of life, always seeking the lost and the broken. He invites you to follow.

Following Jesus means searching every face, every situation, every moment for a glimpse of his presence. It means serving with compassion, offering kindness, feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely—all because you never know when you might be caring for Jesus himself.

You are called to more than memory. You are called to mission.

Jesus Is Loose in the World

Today, Jesus is alive and active. He is not contained by the past or confined to holy places. He walks the streets. He stands in checkout lines. He sits at kitchen tables. He weeps in hospital rooms. He rejoices at new beginnings.

You are sent to recognize him, to respond to him, and to reveal him to others.

So where will you encounter Jesus this week? Stay alert. Stay expectant. The road you walk may be the very road where your heart burns within you, and your eyes open to the living Christ, loose in the world.

Special Note

Choral Response: “Amen” by James Boerlinger

Postlude: “Toccata in C Major” by Michelle LeClerc

You can watch the whole worship service here: