Third Sunday of Easter Joplin Missouri — On April 19, 2026, the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church gathered for the Third Sunday of Easter to hear one of the most beloved stories in Scripture: the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Pastor Christopher Ramstad preached on Luke 24:13–35, tracing how Jesus walks with His disillusioned people through the valleys of life — and reveals Himself in the breaking of the bread. Pastor Ramstad also led the children’s talk, bringing a bag of favorite storybooks to show that the greatest story ever told is the one Jesus tells into our lives.
Third Sunday of Easter in Joplin Missouri: Life on the Road with Jesus
On this Third Sunday of Easter, Pastor Ramstad did double duty — leading both the children’s talk and the sermon while DCE Jason Glaskey was away with 21 youth and leaders at the Missouri District Youth Gathering at Lake of the Ozarks. The service was a celebration of the risen Christ who walks beside His people on every road of life.
For the children’s talk, Pastor Ramstad opened a bag of favorite storybooks: Blue Hat, Green Hat, Where’s Spot?, Bluey the Beach, and his daughter Katheryne”s favorite — We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (complete with sound buttons). Adults chimed in with The Little Engine That Could, Green Eggs and Ham, and Fox in Socks. Then Pastor Ramstad connected our love of stories to the greatest story: Peter’s Pentecost proclamation in Acts 2 — “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” The reaction? “They were struck to the heart. Brothers, what must we do?” Peter’s answer: “Be baptized.” Pastor Ramstad held up the Jesus Storybook Bible and told the children: “This story is for you.”
“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Luke 24:32, ESV
Scripture Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter
The readings for the Third Sunday of Easter traced the risen Christ’s work among His people. In Acts 2:14, 36–41, Peter proclaimed the crucified and risen Christ on Pentecost, and 3,000 souls were baptized. In 1 Peter 1:17–25, Peter reminded believers that they were ransomed not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. And in Luke 24:13–35, the risen Jesus joined two disillusioned disciples on the road to Emmaus, opened the Scriptures to them, and revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread.
Theological Reflection: Walking Through Disillusionment with a Risen Savior
Pastor Ramstad opened with Route 66 — the mother road that runs right through Joplin. In 1926, it was alive with neon signs and motels. Then the interstate system came in the 1950s and 60s, and the lights went out. But nostalgia brought it back in the 80s and 90s, and this year marks Route 66’s 100th anniversary. Life changes on the road. There are hills and valleys, highs and lows. And maybe you walked into church this morning feeling like you’re in one of those valleys.
The two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus were disillusioned — they had high expectations met with low realities. They had hoped Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. Now He was dead. They were heading home, downhill, 7 miles and 2,000 feet of descent from the Judean mountains. And that’s exactly when Jesus joined them on the road. Pastor Ramstad highlighted three things Jesus did for these men: He walked with them (His presence), He opened the Scriptures to them (from Genesis 3 to Isaiah 53 to Exodus 12), and He revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread. “I’ve always wondered,” Pastor Ramstad said, “if they got to see the marks of our Savior’s pierced hands at that table.”
The change was immediate. These two men ran 7 miles back uphill to Jerusalem — in the dark — to share the news. Fourteen miles total, more than a half marathon. “No longer disillusioned, but excited, hopeful, joyful.” Pastor Ramstad applied it directly: Jesus walks with you in the career that doesn’t satisfy, the relationship that falls short, the marriage that isn’t perfect, the life struggle that feels heavier than it used to. He is Immanuel — our “with us” God. He opens the Scriptures to us in preaching and Bible class. And He reveals Himself in the Lord’s Supper — His body broken, His blood shed, truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine.
“Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty; hold me with Thy pow’rful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.”
“Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer,” LSB 918, st. 1
About Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri
Immanuel Lutheran Church is a member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod located at 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804. We gather for worship every Sunday at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Martin Luther School serves children from preschool through 8th grade, and Curiosity Camps runs all summer. Sunday School and Youth Group meet weekly for all ages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Road to Emmaus story about?
In Luke 24:13–35, two disciples are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus on Easter Sunday, grieving the crucifixion of Jesus. The risen Jesus joins them on the road but disguises Himself. He opens the Old Testament Scriptures to show how they all point to Christ, then reveals Himself when He breaks bread at their table. Their eyes are opened, their hearts burn, and they run back to Jerusalem to share the news.
What does “their eyes were opened” mean in Luke 24?
The phrase describes the moment the two disciples recognized the risen Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Lutherans see a connection to the Lord’s Supper — Christ reveals Himself to His people through His body and blood given in the Sacrament, just as He revealed Himself at that table in Emmaus.
What does it mean to be “disillusioned” in the Christian life?
Disillusionment means having high expectations met with low realities. Christians can feel disillusioned when life doesn’t go as planned — in careers, relationships, health, or faith. The Road to Emmaus reminds us that Jesus meets us in those valleys, walks beside us, and reveals Himself through His Word and Sacraments.
What is the Third Sunday of Easter?
The Third Sunday of Easter falls in the Easter season, the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost. The church continues to celebrate the resurrection and hear accounts of the risen Christ appearing to His disciples.
Where is Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri?
Immanuel Lutheran Church is located at 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804. Sunday worship is at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. All are welcome.