Walking with Jesus

April 19, 2026 Luke 24:13-35 Walking with Jesus 3rd Sunday of Easter Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Easter people, we gather today as people who spent the week inundated with news reports, social media posts, and reels that inundated us with information, worry, and stress. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we carry the weight of being overwhelmed and anxious, wondering who we can believe. We gather as people who long for peace, for God to break through and bring us clarity and hope once again. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we don’t always recognize when the Risen One comes alongside us, showing us the way where there seems to be no way. We gather as people hoping to catch a glimmer of Resurrection, ready for our hearts to burn with the truth of the resurrected Christ. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we open our hearts to the possibility that God’s Resurrection life is closer than we think. Easter people, God knows the burdens we carry, and God is faithful to meet us where we are with good news. May the good news of the Resurrection astound us today as we come to worship God! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025. Invocation Living God, you are the fire that burns within us. You open our hearts to your presence, revealed in word and song, in hospitality and friendship, in sacrament and presence. Open our minds again so that we may recognize you when you meet us in unexpected moments. Let us encounter you in every phase and movement of worship that we might know you and love you more than before we gathered. And, may that love burn brightly like the sun cutting through the gloom of the storm to inspire us to go on with renewed hope and spirit. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Song A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Sermon: “Who Is Walking With You?” Good morning, friends! I want to ask you a question: Have you ever been walking somewhere and didn’t notice something right in front of you? Maybe your mom or dad said, “It’s right there!” And you said, “No it’s not!” And then suddenly—there it is! (Let them respond) I brought something with me today. (Hold up a pair of sunglasses or something that can “block” vision slightly) If I put these on… can I still see? Yes… but not as clearly, right? Sometimes things are right in front of us—but we don’t see them clearly. ________________________________________ In our Bible story today, two friends were walking down a road. They were very sad because Jesus had died. They were talking and walking, trying to figure things out. And guess what? Jesus started walking right next to them! But here’s the surprising part… They didn’t know it was Jesus. Isn’t that strange? Jesus was right there, and they didn’t recognize him! ________________________________________ Sometimes that happens to us too. Jesus is with us when: • we are sad • we are confused • we feel alone But we don’t always notice him. ________________________________________ Now here’s my favorite part of the story. The friends invited Jesus to eat with them. And when Jesus took the bread, blessed it, and broke it… Suddenly—they knew! “Wait… that’s Jesus!” Their eyes were opened! ________________________________________ So what does that mean for us? It means Jesus is with you—even when you don’t see him. Jesus is with you: • when you’re at school • when you’re at home • when you’re playing • even when you’re having a hard day ________________________________________ Let’s try something. Everyone put your hand over your heart. Can you feel your heartbeat? That’s a reminder that something important is happening inside you—even if you can’t see it. That’s kind of like Jesus. Even when you don’t see him, he is right there with you. ________________________________________ So this week, I want you to remember: You are never walking alone. Jesus is always walking right beside you. And maybe—just maybe—you’ll notice him in a new way. ________________________________________ Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for walking with us every day. Help us to see you, even when we don’t notice you at first. Open our eyes and our hearts to your love. Amen. Affirmation of faith (The Confession of Belhar) We believe that Christ’s work of reconciliation is made manifest in the church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with God and with one another; that unity is, therefore, both a gift and an obligation for the church of Jesus Christ; that through the working of God’s Spirit it is a binding force, yet simultaneously a reality which must be earnestly pursued and sought: one which the people of God must continually be built up to attain. That this unity must become visible so that the world may believe that separation, enmity and hatred between people and groups is sin which Christ has already conquered, and accordingly that anything which threatens this unity may have no place in the church and must be resisted. (Presbyterian Outlook) Passing of the Peace Scripture Luke 24:13-35 Sermon Walking with Jesus The theme of our Lenten season has been about the journey—about walking a path and discovering Jesus along the way. Life itself is a journey. Every day we move forward—sometimes with purpose, sometimes just trying to get through—but always on a path. And the promise we hold onto is this: we are never walking alone. Our scripture today gives us a powerful model for that journey. It shows us what it means to walk, to struggle, to question—and ultimately, to encounter Christ in the midst of it all. ________________________________________ Two disciples are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They had been there for everything. They saw the crowds. They heard the teaching. They witnessed the arrest. By the time everything unfolded, Jesus had already been crucified. They stayed in the city, grieving with others, trying to make sense of it all. And then, just when they thought it couldn’t get more confusing, they heard the news: the tomb was empty. It had been a long three days. So now, on Easter evening, they begin the journey home. Seven miles doesn’t sound like much—until you’ve been carrying heartbreak. Then every step feels heavier. As they walk, they talk. At first, it might be small talk—anything to avoid the pain. They talk about life: taxes too high, wages too low, the frustrations of everyday living. Maybe they mention the events of the weekend—the trial, the cross—but only in passing. Because sometimes it’s easier to talk about anything else than to face a broken heart. Deep down, they are carrying something heavier: disappointment. “We had hoped…” they say. They had hoped Jesus would change everything. They had hoped he would turn the world upside down. They had hoped for something better. But now, everything feels lost. ________________________________________ And it is in that moment—right there in their grief—that Jesus comes alongside them. But they don’t recognize him. Not because Jesus is absent—but because their pain has narrowed their vision. Their grief has become blinders. They are so focused on what they have lost that they cannot see who is standing right beside them. Isn’t that true for us as well? We can become so caught up in disappointment, discouragement, and confusion that we miss what is right in front of us. Christ may be walking with us—but we aren’t always looking for him. ________________________________________ Jesus asks them, “What are you discussing?” They are surprised. “Are you the only one who doesn’t know what has happened?” And then they tell their story. They speak their pain. They name their confusion. And Jesus listens. But he doesn’t stop there. As they continue walking, he begins to teach. He opens the scriptures to them. He reframes their story—not as failure, but as part of God’s greater plan. Step by step, their understanding begins to shift. ________________________________________ They reach their destination, and the stranger prepares to move on. But something inside them isn’t ready to let go. “Stay with us,” they say. So he does. They sit at the table together. He takes the bread. He blesses it. He breaks it. And in that moment—their eyes are opened. They recognize him. Christ has been with them the entire time. And just as suddenly, he is gone. ________________________________________ But something has changed. They turn to one another and say, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked to us on the road?” Their recognition didn’t begin at the table—it began on the road. It began in the conversation. It began when Christ met them in the middle of their journey. ________________________________________ I think we’ve all had moments like that—times when we suddenly realize we’ve been seeing things all wrong. It reminds me of a simple experience. For months, I drove with a windshield that constantly fogged up. I thought that was just the way it was. I called my dad to tell him something was wrong with my car. He suggested maybe it wasn’t the air—it was the glass. It needed to be cleaned. I just assumed he had no idea of who to fix my car, but I would follow his advice and clean the windshield anyway. And when it was cleaned, everything changed. I could see clearly. Things that had always been there suddenly came into focus. On my normal ride home, I started to see things through the windshield that I never even realized existed. Sometimes, that’s what happens in our spiritual lives. We get so used to the fog—so used to disappointment—that we assume that’s just how things are. And all along, Christ is right there, waiting to help us see clearly again. ________________________________________ The truth is, Jesus walks beside us every moment of every day. But he does not force himself upon us. He allows us to question. He allows us to struggle. He allows us even to misunderstand. Jesus respects our freedom to learn from our mistakes. And yet—he never leaves. Sometimes it takes an unexpected moment, an unexpected person, or an unexpected realization for us to finally see him. ________________________________________ History gives us examples of this kind of transformation. A man named Oswald Smith once dreamed of becoming a missionary. He prayed for it, worked for it—but was ultimately rejected. His dream seemed over. But instead of giving up, he followed where God led him next. He built a church that sent out more missionaries than he ever could have been on his own. What looked like disappointment became something far greater. That’s what resurrection does. It doesn’t just restore what we hoped for—it transforms it into something beyond what we could have imagined. The disciples thought Jesus would be a political king. Instead, he became the Savior of the world—and they became his witnesses. ________________________________________ So how do we know when we’ve encountered the risen Christ? Luke gives us a clue: “Were not our hearts burning within us…?” There is something that happens deep inside us—something we can’t always explain, but we know it’s real. A sense of truth. A sense of presence. A stirring in our spirit. Like in that moment in It’s a Wonderful Life, Burt the cop brings Harry home out of a snowstorm and everyone is in the room waiting and worrying and everyone starts to realize what is most important in life. We too realize what truly matters—not wealth, but relationships, love, and grace. Something inside us resonates. We feel it. That’s what it means for our hearts to be warmed. ________________________________________ And here’s the good news: There is no single way to recognize Christ. Mary recognized him when he called her name. Thomas recognized him through touch. Peter recognized him in the empty tomb. The Emmaus disciples recognized him in the breaking of bread. And for us? We may recognize Christ in scripture. In worship. In communion. In a conversation. In a quiet moment. Or even in a stranger walking beside us. ________________________________________ So the question becomes: What helps you recognize Christ in your life? And perhaps just as importantly: What keeps you from seeing him? Because the point of this story is not just that Jesus appeared—it’s that he appeared in a way they did not expect. And he still does. ________________________________________ There’s are some interesting details in this story. We don’t actually know where Emmaus is. No map can point to it. Its exact location has been lost to history. And maybe that’s the point. Because Emmaus isn’t just a place. Emmaus is any road where people walk in confusion… and encounter Christ. Emmaus is your road. Emmaus is my road. Emmaus is the journey we are on right now. In all of the stories of Jesus appearances, no one can explain what Jesus actually looked like, they didn’t recognize him. And there is still the mystery of the empty tomb – what actually happened that night? ________________________________________ The faith question for us is this: Are we just talking about Jesus… Or are we allowing ourselves to see him, to know him, and to follow him? Because the risen Christ is not just someone we talk about. Christ is someone we encounter. Christ is someone who walks with us. Christ is someone who transforms us. ________________________________________ And when our eyes are finally opened… We cannot stay the same. Like those disciples, we turn around. We go back. We tell the story. Because once you’ve seen Christ— once your heart has been set on fire— you want others to see him too. ________________________________________ Christ is risen. Christ is present. Christ is walking with us—even now. Amen. Song A Pastoral Prayer for the Road to Emmaus (Just print the title) Heavenly Stranger, our Companion on the Way, We come to you as the disciples did—downcast, confused, and sometimes blind to your presence in our everyday lives. Like them, we walk our own Emmaus roads, often carrying the heavy burdens of sorrow, disappointment, and shattered dreams. Sacred Space +4 Open our eyes, Light of the World, to your work of transformation in and around us. Strip away the shutters from our spiritual sight, that we may discern your true presence in the common gifts of life, in the reading of your Word, and in the breaking of bread. We bring to you our fears and doubts, our joys and sorrows. When we are overwhelmed by a world of fear, remind us that you walk beside us. When our hearts are heavy, set them ablaze with the fire of your love. Medium +4 Lord, teach us to welcome the stranger, for in doing so, we know we welcome you. Turn our focus outward from our own worries to recognize you in the faces of others. May our hearts burn within us not just to know you, but to serve you. Lynne Baab +3 Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening and the day is far spent. Make yourself known to us in our homes, our communities, and our worship, that we may be renewed to share the good news: The Lord is risen indeed! Facebook +4 We ask this in the name of the One who was raised that we might have eternal life. Amen. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In this season of so many concerns, sometimes with our mental anxieties sky-rocketing, how important it is for us to step back and take a deep breath! Step back with me in history. Peter, Jesus’ disciple, was preaching in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The gathered crowds were astonished at his words: God made Jesus (whom the crowds had crucified) both Lord and Messiah (Christ)! The crowd then asked, “What should we do?” and Peter laid out a plan. 1800 years later, Walter Scott created a “five-finger exercise” from Peter’s response. – Have faith. – Repent. – Be baptized (immersed). – Accept that your sins are forgiven. – Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In grateful response to the ways we’ve learned, lived, and look forward, let’s share our offerings as faithful, repentant, baptized, forgiven, and Holy Spirit-infused disciples of the Risen Christ! Prayer of Thanksgiving God of Grace, thank you for the ways we’re able to use this time to offer our gifts and our very lives back to you. Thank you for standing with us, even in the midst of frightening and disconcerting times. Thank you for the ways your love continues to flow into the world, even when the world is caught in war, violence, and so many of your beloved children suffering. Please use these gifts and use each of us to share further the Good News of your resurrecting energy for us and all your creation. AMEN. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May you be embraced by the relational nature of our faith. May you hear the truth of God’s love that binds us as one family. May you receive God’s word with awe, allowing it to shape how you live and love. And may you go with the grace and peace of the God who created you, the God who redeems you, and the God who sustains you now and forevermore! (Presbyterian Outlook, Ashley Mertz) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction As you go, may your heart burn For the love of God to ignite throughout the world Through acts—great and minute— of compassion, kindness, and community Through sacrifices—great and minute—for justice, liberation, and restoration Through commitments—great and minute—to bring good news to every moment, decision, and interaction. Go on…enflamed with the hope of peace burning brightly from the heart. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Additional Illustrations Second Sight - Luke 24:13-35 This past week alone, I noticed at least 20 things I never noticed before. I saw a momma squirrel protecting her baby in the tree outside my porch. I met neighbors I never saw before. I took walks and noticed new buds, types of trees, all manner of railroad ties, how trains are constructed, found countless new places driving about in the area outside of town. The list could go on. I also noticed new things about myself, my likes and dislikes, and about others around me, especially at places such as the grocery store. I noticed the way people are creating their own style of masks, some colorful, some plain. I noticed the way people I never met say hello just to connect with another human being. I notice how food tastes especially good when it’s scarcer to get hold of. We value things more when we pay closer attention to them. Right now, in our world, it’s as though COVID-19 has enabled us to take a closer look at everything and everyone differently. For some, it has meant, finding more to critique. For many however, it has meant, finding more to cherish about our communities and relationships. Paying more attention to the little things, realizing that little things matter. Often as human beings, we can get streamlined into seeing only one way, seeing only certain people, seeing only from one perspective, as though we all wear a certain prescription of glasses for the way we view the world and each other. We all view the world through our own unique “lens.” Like any lens, it is selective. It helps us to view things in the way we are used to seeing them. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, think of how the world looks different when you have them off. You feel, you can’t see things clearly. For some, you may notice things look fuzzier, or stranger. Put those glasses back on, and the world comes into focus. However, one day, you go to the optometrist and discover that you haven’t been seeing as well as you thought you were. The doctor changes the lens, and suddenly things come into a sharper view. You notice things you were missing. The world as you see it, changes.... Peace Is a Possibility Lucy of Peanuts cartoon fame, pictured with an air of discouragement, questions, “Do you think that life has any meaning when you have failed nine spelling tests in a row, and your teacher hates you?” While most likely for very different reasons, I rather suspect that most of us gathered this morning for worship have experienced our own times of despair, a time when it feels as if all of life is falling in upon us. Each of us has known times of anguish and despair, times when we have felt all alone, times of confusion and pain. Slow to Recognize Greatness Karl Barth, one of the twentieth century’s most famous theologians, was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland, where he lived and lectured. A tourist to the city climbed on the streetcar and sat down next to Barth. The two men started chatting with each other. “Are you new to the city?” Barth inquired. “Yes,” said the tourist. “Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?” asked Barth. “Yes,” he said, “I’d love to meet the famous theologian Karl Barth. Do you know him?” Barth replied, “Well as a matter of fact, I do. I give him a shave every morning.” The tourist got off the streetcar quite delighted. He went back to his hotel saying to himself, “I met Karl Barth’s barber today.” That amuses me. That tourist was in the presence of the very person he most wanted to meet, but even with the most obvious clue, he never realized that the man with whom he was talking was the great man himself. It reminds me of Mary’s reaction on Easter morning. In her grief, she thinks the man she is speaking to is the gardener. It is not, of course. Until he called her name she did not realize that she was speaking with the risen Christ. And, of course, it reminds me of that scene on the road to Emmaus, when later that same Easter day, two of the disciples walk for a while with the resurrected Jesus, and they, too, had no idea with whom they were conversing. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _______________________ Ernie Pyle was a WWII Correspondent. Pyle was known for writing about the average GI. He didn't write about the strategy and the campaigns. He wrote about the guy slogging through the mud and dodging bullets to get back home. He knew the GI's because he lived with them, and eventually died with them. In one of his books, he tells the story of a German soldier who had been taken prisoner. This German soldier had been told horrible stories about what the Americans would do to POW's, and so he was scared. The German was wounded and was taken to the medical station. The medics tried to give him a shot of morphine so they could tend to his wounds; but, the German objected furiously, afraid that he was going to be tortured. After some time, after observing the attention given to the other wounded, and the other POW's, this soldier finally started to figure out that he was being treated like everyone else and his amazement grew. Finally, the chaplain, making his morning rounds, gave the German soldier cigarettes, candy, tooth powder, and soap just like everyone else. The German soldier started to grin and sat up playing with his new possessions like a little boy with new toys. Humor: What's His Number One Sunday a vicar was doing a children's talk, using a telephone to illustrate the idea of prayer. "You talk to people on the telephone but you don't see them on the other end of the line, do you?" he began. The children shook their heads. "Well, talking to God is like talking on the telephone. He's on the other end, but you can't see him. He's listening though." Just then a little boy piped up and asked, "What's his number?" We don't need a telephone number to get through to God. We just need to know Jesus. He walks beside us by his Spirit. We can talk to him at any time. He wants us to keep talking. He always listens. He always understands. Jonathan Pryke Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. Albert Camus Do You Know the Way to Emmaus? Do you know the way to Emmaus? It should be relatively easy to find because the text locates the town "seven miles from Jerusalem." But no one has ever been able to identify an "Emmaus" seven miles from Jerusalem. Perhaps there is confusion because two different numbers appear in ancient manuscripts at the point at which Luke gives us the location. Some texts say "60 stadia," and others say "160," which works out roughly to be either 7 miles or 18 miles. Although there are indeed many references to Emmaus in ancient sources, none of them give us any specific directions. Because of this, the unlikely village of Amwas (20 miles from Jerusalem) is currently a popularly recognized site for pilgrimage, even though other towns have stronger claims to be the historical town. Ironically, the seemingly superficial mystery regarding the actual location of Emmaus fits in nicely with the deepest meaning of this passage. Do you know the way to Emmaus? Emmaus may be here, or there, or anywhere. The site of the original episode is irrelevant. Christ will travel wherever his followers are going. Christ will appear wherever they break bread. Even here. Even now. David E. Leininger, Do You Know the Way to Emmaus? _______________________________________ Out of Context The last time I couldn't recognize a familiar face was because that person was out of context! I was at a ball game and there came a man who was searching for his seat about three rows ahead of me. When the man saw me, he immediately flashed a smile, waved at me, and said, "Hey, Donovan." Well, he obviously knew who I was, but who was he? I didn't recognize him. He looked familiar. He wasn't in my church. Maybe he was a member of the Rotary Club. Who was he? It was driving me crazy. Later in the game I had an opportunity to catch up to him, and I said, "I apologize, I know you. I know I know you, but I don't know you. Who are you?" He said, "Donovan, I'm Dr. First, your dentist." Of course! If he had come to the game wearing some scrubs and a mask with goggles, and if I had a numb lip, maybe I would have recognized him. Is that the trouble Cleopas and his friend were having on the road to Emmaus? They remembered a crucified Jesus. They remembered a dead Jesus. He was dead. Period. A risen Jesus is out of context. Is that why those two did not recognize him? It sounds good, but I don't know. What I do know is that I want Jesus to let these two in on his identity. "Come on Jesus, tell them who you are!" Donovan Drake, Gaining Recognition _____________________________________ Lunch in the Park with God There was once a little boy who decided he wanted to find God. He knew it would probably be a long trip, so he decided to pack a lunch—four packs of Twinkies and two cans of root beer. He set out on his journey and went a few blocks until he came to a park. On one of the park benches sat an old woman looking at the pigeons. The little boy sat down beside her and watched the pigeons too. When he grew hungry, he pulled out some Twinkies. As he ate, he noticed the woman watching him, so he offered her one. She accepted it gratefully and smiled at him. He thought she had the most beautiful smile in the world. Wanting to see it again, he opened a can of root beer and offered her the other one. Once again she smiled that beautiful smile. For a long time the two sat on that park bench eating Twinkies, drinking root beer, smiling at each other, and watching the pigeons. Neither said a word. Finally, the little boy realized that it was getting late and he needed to go home. He started to leave, took a few steps, turned back and gave the woman a big hug. Her smile was brighter than ever before. When he arrived home, his mother noticed that he was happy, but strangely quiet. ‘What did you do today?’ she asked. ‘Oh, I had lunch in the park with God,’ he said. Before his mother could reply, he added, ‘You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world.’ Meanwhile, the old woman left the park and returned to her home. Her son noticed something different about her. ‘What did you do today, Mom?’ he asked. ‘Oh, I ate Twinkies and drank root beer in the park with God.” And before her son could say anything at all, she added, ‘You know, God’s a lot younger than I imagined.’” Jef Olson, Hearts Burning Within ______________________________ Superman In Superman: The Movie, Superman first reveals his powers to the world with a dramatic rescue of Lois Lane. Lois is dangling from a cable high above the Daily Planet building. She is screaming at the top of her lungs. Just as she begins her long fall toward earth, Superman changes into his power suit and swoops up to catch her in midair. "Don't worry, Miss," he says. I've got you." "Thanks," says Lois. "But who's got you?" Just then a helicopter that has been parked on the edge of the building starts to fall straight toward them and the crowd below. But Superman simply grabs it with his one free arm and gently sets both it and Lois safely back on the landing pad. When he turns to leave, Lois stammers out the words, "Who are you?" Superman says, "A friend" and flies off just before Lois faints into a heap. That's how we would like Christ to come to us. And that's why we often aren't paying attention when he comes in less spectacular ways. M. Switzer, Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us? Why Didn't They Recognize Jesus? I was reaching for the handle of the lobby door when I saw the back of his head through the glass. I gasped for breath and my heart started beating faster. I was elated and scared all at the same time. The split-second sight of Phil touched an emotional response deep within me, and it took a couple more seconds for my intellect to catch up. My mind collided with my gut when Phil turned around. It wasn't him. It was someone else entirely. That made sense, and I felt better, even though the exhilaration drained from me. I had been "seeing" Phil everywhere. Even though he had been dead for a month, I didn't want to believe it. He committed suicide when he was so vital and strong. Phil was at the beating heart of every party, so I couldn't quite imagine him, still and lifeless, in the bottom of that Jeep. When his life was cut short like that, it was so tragic that my head kept playing games on me. I would recognize him in a crowd moving onto the elevated train, or he would be standing at the back of the bus during rush hour, or he would be waiting in the lobby of our apartment building. Just as quickly as I would recognize him, his face would vanish and morph into another man's visage. This time in my life always comes up when I read this passage of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus. I imagine Jesus' friends with that same trauma, the disorienting grief, not quite believing the reports of the women who bravely watched Jesus die. Then the men weren't sure if they could believe the women when they said the tomb was empty either. The disciples seemed to be confused, afraid for their lives, missing their friend, and realizing that his life was cut short, along with their hopes for the Messiah. Carol Howard Merritt, Why Didn't They Recognize Jesus? ____________________ God is Watching You “My great-grandfather, who was a Hassidic Rabbi, was once driving along a country road. The coachman saw an apple orchard, jumped out, and began to take some apples. The Rabbi cried out, ‘You are being watched! You are being watched!’ The coachman did not linger a second----he jumped back in the carriage and drove the horses as fast as he could. After a while, when they were a considerable distance away, he stopped and said, ‘But I did not see anybody watching!’ The Rabbi replied, ‘God is watching you.’” Adin Steinsaltz, Simple Words: Thinking About What Really Matters in Life (NY: Touchstone, 1999), 46. Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons ____________________ "On Sunday morning in con I Smell Bread In one of the episodes of M*A*S*H, the sophisticated shell, inside which Major Winchester protects himself from the horror of the suffering and death with which he constantly deals, breaks; and he is left defenseless. He goes into a type of depression in which he struggles to find some answers to life’s most perplexing problem — death. Finally, in utter desperation, he leaves the base hospital and goes up to the battalion aid station where the wounded are first taken. Colonel Potter discovers where he is and calls him, ordering him to return to the M*A*S*H hospital. A medical corpsman interrupts the conversation and calls the surgeon over to a man who is dying. Winchester confirms the impending death with a glance. The soldier says, “I can’t see anything. Hold my hand.” The major replies, “I am.” “I’m dying,” the soldier moans, and this causes the surgeon’s unarticulated questions to surface: “Can you see anything? Can you feel anything? I have to know.” But the dying soldier doesn’t answer. Instead, he says, “I smell bread.” You cannot miss the significance of the symbol. Bread is the symbol for Christ. It is a symbol for going home. It is at the table that we are brought face to face with the person and mission of Jesus Christ. In that meal, we celebrate our death and our life in Christ. But Christ doesn’t allow us, any more than he allowed the disciples, to relax and enjoy the fellowship of his table, simply talking about the Lord and what the resurrection experience means to us as though that’s all there is to the Easter appearances of the Lord. If we dare to say, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” We are enjoined to listen and respond to what else he has to say: “You are my witness (Luke 24:48).” Just as the disciples witnessed in the first century of the Christian era, it is our business to show the world by what we do and say that the Lord is really alive and that he is, indeed, the Lord of all. That’s a significant part of the continuing story about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those who hear it and believe that it is true are charged with the responsibility of passing it on to the rest of the world so that all people will have the opportunity to hear and believe. Adapted from George Bass, The Tree, The Tomb, and the Trumpet: Sermons for Lent and Easter, CSS Publishing Company ___________________________ When the Circus Comes I am reminded of the story of the little boy whose grandmother regularly took him to her weekly prayer meeting. He was bored silly, but being a good lad he endured it. One day he was invited to attend the circus. He had never been to a circus before. He came away from this experience anxious to share with his dear grandmother what he was feeling. "Grandma," he said, "I went to the circus today, and let me tell you, once you have been to the circus you'll never want to go to another prayer meeting." And so it will be when God opens our minds to understand and experience God's marvelous, incredible risen presence. Something happens that sets us free, which renews and refreshes our sense of God's love, grace, and forgiveness that simply cannot be contained. Greg McDonell, Out of the Ashes _____________________________ Anticipation: What Is Going to Happen Today? In Winnie the Pooh, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. For a long time they walk in silence. Silence like only best friends can share. Finally Piglet breaks the silence and asks, "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" answers Pooh and then asks. "And what do you say, Piglet?" Piglet says, "I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?" You and I can't really plan to meet the Risen Christ because we never really know when or where He's going to show up. But you can be sure of this, He will show up. If you believe, He will show up. And the attitude you need to meet him is the attitude of Piglet, "I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?" Billy D. Strayhorn, Easter Heart Burn

Signs of Hope

April 12, 2026 Acts 2:14, 22-32 Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Easter people, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed! Yet we, like Thomas, may find questions bubbling up: How do we know? What’s the proof? Is Resurrection real? Within our questioning, Christ appears. We may find ourselves like the other disciples, witnesses of Christ’s resurrection who struggle to understand the doubt of others. Within our certainty, Christ appears. Whether you come to worship full of certainty or doubt, you are welcome here, for we are all participants in the story of God’s salvific work in the world, a story still unfolding all around us. We gather to worship, believing that in certainty and doubt, the resurrected Christ dwells among us! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025. Invocation Gracious and Eternal God, you are the one who calls us together and the one who sends us out in the world. Remind us, as we gather, how good it is to dwell with you and one another. Stir our hearts to love boldly, freely, and joyfully. Let us praise you with our whole lives and magnify your name by our works. We bless and honor you, O Faithful One, from generation to generation and from community to community. Speak to our spirits and receive our worship. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl A. Lindsey) Song A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Sermon: “Stand Up and Tell the Good News!” Acts 2:14, 22–32 Good morning, friends! I want to ask you a question—have you ever been afraid to stand up in front of people? Maybe at school… maybe to answer a question… or maybe to tell someone something important? (Wait for answers) Yeah, that can feel scary, right? Today I brought something simple with me. (Hold up a small toy or even just your hand.) I want to teach you a little sign. Take one hand like this (hold it flat), and then take two fingers on your other hand and stand them up on top. This means “stand.” Can you all try it with me? Good job! ________________________________________ In our Bible story today, there was a man named Peter the Apostle. Now Peter wasn’t always brave. In fact, when Jesus was in trouble, Peter got really scared. He didn’t stand up. He hid. He even said he didn’t know Jesus. But something amazing happened. Jesus came back to life—Easter! And God sent the Holy Spirit to be with Peter. And guess what Peter did? He stood up. Right in front of a big crowd, he told everyone: “Jesus is alive! God loves you!” That took courage! ________________________________________ So I want you to try something. Everyone sit down for a second. (Pause) Now… when I say “Jesus is alive!” I want you to stand up as fast as you can! Ready? “JESUS IS ALIVE!” (Watch them stand and smile) That’s what Peter did! He stood up to share good news. ________________________________________ Here’s the important part: You don’t have to be big or grown up to stand up for Jesus. You can stand up when: • You are kind to someone who feels left out • You tell the truth • You help a friend • You remind someone that God loves them Every time you do those things—you are standing up, just like Peter. ________________________________________ So remember: Even when you feel scared… Even when it’s hard… God helps you be brave. And you can stand up and share the good news: Jesus is alive! Let’s say it together one more time—and stand! “JESUS IS ALIVE!” ________________________________________ Let’s pray: Dear God, Thank you for loving us. Help us be brave like Peter. Help us stand up and share your love. Amen. (ChatGPT version 5.2) Prayer Scripture Acts 2:14, 22-32 Sermon Signs of the Future Sermon: “Standing in Hope” Acts 2:14, 22–32 Ben Franklin once said that the only things we can be sure of are death and taxes. And during the month of April—especially this year—it feels like he wasn’t wrong. This April, we have faced both. At the beginning of the month, during Holy Week, we came face to face with our sin, our humanity, and our part in the death of Jesus Christ. And now that Easter has passed—it is full-on tax season. But the truth is, death and taxes are two very different conversations. Taxes come every year. Death comes once in a lifetime. Yet both can feel heavy… even overwhelming. But there is a third conversation happening in April. A better one. A conversation filled with joy, hope, and life. Easter is not just a day— it is a transformation. Easter is not just a day - it is a season. Fifty days of resurrection life. And if we are paying attention, it is a season that can transform not only our personal lives, but the mission of the church itself. During Eastertide, we don’t just hear stories about Jesus rising from the dead—we hear stories about what happens after. We hear how the resurrection changes people. We hear how the Holy Spirit opens doors that were once shut. And we see how the church is born—a church where everyone is invited into the miracle of new life. And in a world that constantly reminds us of scarcity, division, and fear—it is refreshing to hear that hope still has the power to change everything. ________________________________________ Last week, I showed you the sign for Jesus—does anyone remember? Today, I want to show you another sign. The sign is stand. Take one hand, hold it steady. Then take two fingers like a peace sign, turn them upside down, and place them firmly on the other hand. Our scripture begins this way: “Peter stood with the eleven…” Peter stood. That may not sound like much—but it is everything. Because this is the same Peter who, just weeks earlier, was afraid. The same Peter who denied Jesus. The same Peter who ran away and hid. He did not stand at the cross. He did not stand in courage. He did not stand in faith. But now—he stands. What changed? The resurrection happened. The Holy Spirit came. And Peter was transformed. The opposite of standing firm is having your world turned upside down. So the sign is the exact opposite. And if we are honest, we know what Peter fear feels like. Fear, uncertainty, doubt—we have all been there. There is a little bit of Peter in each of us. Which is exactly why this story matters. ________________________________________ Now let me say something bold: It’s a miracle that you are here today. And I don’t just mean the “first Sunday after Easter” miracle—though that counts! I don’t mean the miracle of getting kids dressed and out the door. I don’t mean the miracle of choosing church over everything else you could be doing. Those are real miracles—but I mean something deeper. I mean the miracle that, somewhere along the way, your heart was opened. Opened to hear that God loves you. Opened to believe that Christ is alive. Opened to receive grace. That is the miracle of faith. And that miracle didn’t start with you. It started long ago—on another morning, in another crowded city, when Peter stood up and told the world: “We are not drunk… we are filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus was crucified—but he is alive!” And that message changed everything. ________________________________________ Acts chapter 2 is one of the most powerful moments in all of Scripture. It is Peter’s first sermon. Jesus had commanded the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations—and here they are, gathered in Jerusalem during Pentecost, surrounded by people from all over the world. This was their moment. Peter speaks—and 3,000 people respond. 3,000 lives changed. Why? Because they saw themselves in the story. They recognized God at work in their own lives. They encountered hope. And that same invitation is extended to us today. ________________________________________ So let me ask you: Where have you seen new life in your own story? Where have you experienced healing? Where have you found forgiveness? Where has something broken been made whole? That is resurrection. When a relationship is restored—that is resurrection. When grace replaces guilt—that is resurrection. When hope rises where despair once lived—that is resurrection. The empty tomb is not just something we remember. It is something we live. ________________________________________ Peter says in verse 26: “My heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope.” That phrase “rest in hope” can also be translated as “to dwell in hope”—to build your life there, like a bird building its nest. In other words: because of Jesus, we don’t just visit hope—we live in it. ________________________________________ There was a man named Terry Waite, an envoy of the Church of England. In 1987, while negotiating for hostages, he himself was captured and held in solitary confinement for nearly five years. Five years. Alone. Beaten. Barely fed. And yet, he said he survived by praying, by remembering Scripture, and by celebrating communion each day with a tiny piece of bread and water. After his release, he said something remarkable: “If you have faith, you will not be destroyed… you will find that you can live in hope.” Live in hope. That is what Peter discovered. That is what the disciples lived. And that is what we are invited into. ________________________________________ Because here is the truth: We still live in a world that talks about death and taxes. A world that knows fear and uncertainty. But we are people of a different conversation. Because he lives, we can face tomorrow. Because he lives, we can face hardship. Because he lives, we can even face death—not with fear, but with hope. ________________________________________ So now the question is not just: Do you believe in the resurrection? The question is: Will you stand in it? Will you stand like Peter? Will you stand in hope? Will you stand and be a witness? Because the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead… the same Spirit that transformed Peter… is alive in you. ________________________________________ Let us stand. Let us live in hope. Let us be witnesses to the resurrection. Amen. Song Pastoral Prayer How magnificent this place is today. The flowers that grace our worship area shout the good news of new life. Their colors and shapes dance with joy at the news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we also rise in hope and celebration at this good news. The journey has been long, and it does not end here, but rather we are given new “marching orders” to go forth in confidence for God, to witness to the good news of the resurrection and the power of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We are called to be bearers of the light and hope to areas in which darkness still stands. Keep us open to the needs and hearts of other people. Help us not to be so quick to condemn as we are to love. Help us to reach out in kindness and compassion whenever and wherever we can for healing and hope. Remind us again of the many ways in which you have and continue to bless our lives. For we ask these things in the name of the Resurrected Christ. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship Margaret Renkl, a contemporary writer, wrote about being in worship following Easter. She affirmed, “I will … remember the ones I loved who sat beside me in the pew and whose participation in the eternal has found another form. I will lift my voice in song and give thanks for my life. I will pray for my church and my country, especially the people my church and my country are failing. And then I will walk into the world and do my best to practice resurrection.” (From “Easter Is Calling Me Back to the Church,” New York Times, March 25, 2018) I will walk into the world and do my best to practice resurrection. That’s our calling as Easter people! New life gives us new opportunities to practice resurrection. Like the first disciples, having received the resurrected Jesus’ gift (“receive the Holy Spirit!”), our best actions include using our time, our talents, and our treasure to offer LIFE to a world of need. Join me in sharing from our finances and in committing to sharing our time and our talents to plant this as a place where many are enabled to practice resurrection. With generous hearts, let’s act out our identity as resurrection people! Prayer of Thanksgiving God of abundant life, thank you for the Good News of resurrection! Thank you for the ways we’re inspired to live out that message through our daily lives. Accept these gifts and accept our intention not to hoard our time talents, and treasure, but to share them as “Alleluia!” signals of the life you desire for all your beloved children. AMEN Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Beloved, as you go know that you have been sent By a Creator who endowed you with every gift you need By a Loving God who stays with you on the journey By a Sovereign God who protects and provides By a Purposeful God who has a role for you in the kindom By a Merciful and Gracious God who understands and anticipates your mistakes By a Mighty God who offers refuge and hope in the raging storms By a Kind God who blesses us with community By a Challenging God who holds us accountable By a Risen God who laid the path that you might follow In love and hope, empowered and equipped, for honor and glory. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Philip Gladden) Additional resources The word for "stand" in the language of signing is to place your index and third fingers upright on your palm, held flat, as if standing. When I first learned some signing years ago, the father of a deaf boy in my parish was amused to point out that even signing has its slang. There's a proper sign for "understanding," which derives its origin from the learning process it describes. But he noted that there is also a slang equivalent. You take the sign for stand, and turn it upside down. How very appropriate that sign is for the Spirit's gift of understanding! This spiritual understanding defies gravity and reason; the conventional way of thinking is turned upside down. So Peter's words to the crowd, which he knows includes many who called for Jesus' crucifixion, are not words of revenge or anger or bitterness. He proclaims to them that God still holds out to them the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit -- "to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." The scripture tells that many were cut to the heart and wanted to know what they could do. "Repent," Peter replies, "turn your lives around." And thousands were baptized, and shared with the apostles in prayer and study and fellowship and communal meals. Our pews are full of such Peters, and Peters in progress. I’m glad to know the desire to not pass on bad news is universal. And that’s why I think Peter’s speech in Acts 2 took so much courage. A little over 40 days prior, Peter had denied he even knew Jesus. There is no evidence he was present at Jesus’ crucifixion. It appears he was more concerned with protecting his own life than following Jesus to the cross. Who can blame him? Yet on this day, the day of Pentecost, when Jerusalem was filled with Jewish believers from every nation, Peter stands up and makes this speech. And what a speech it was! There were no public relations agencies back then, but if there had been, the disciples’ PR rep never would have let Peter make this speech. “So you’re telling these guys that they killed the Messiah? Yeah, I’d scratch that entirely. No way they’re going to listen to you after that.” In 1852, six years before the Civil War, when slavery was entrenched in American society, abolitionist Frederick Douglass spoke at a public meeting in Ohio. He wanted to provide words of hope, but he just couldn’t see any way to obtain freedom and justice for those who were forced into slavery. But there was a woman attending the meeting that day named Sojourner Truth. Sojourner had escaped slavery and become a powerful speaker and social activist. And as she listened to her friend Douglass struggling for hope, she stood up and asked one question, “Frederick, is God dead?” And that one question instantly changed the mood of the meeting and filled Frederick Douglass and his listeners with hope. In fact, this question was so powerful that it is inscribed on Sojourner Truth’s gravestone. Is God dead? We aren’t facing the enormous and painful struggles of slavery and systemic injustice that Douglass and Sojourner Truth and so many African Americans faced back then. But we face our own challenges and fears and an uncertain future. How do we live with unshakable hope? By remembering that we serve a living God, and that God has always had a plan to save us and ensure our eternal life with Him. This life is not the end. Rev. Kenneth Kovacs shares a story he heard about a woman from Indiana who was volunteering at a refugee camp in El Salvador. As this woman witnessed the suffering of the refugees, sadness covered her like a black cloud. She couldn’t see any hope for their future. Until a refugee woman asked her why she looked so troubled. She pointed to the challenges the refugees were facing. The woman said that every time the refugees had to move to a new camp, they created three committees: “a construction committee, an education committee, and a committee of joy.” This third committee had the job of celebrating what is good in the present moment and pointing the refugees toward a hopeful future. The refugees made a choice to trust God and to live in hope. (4) And the final insight we get from this passage is that the truth of the resurrection motivates us to live in hope. Think for a moment. Where in your day-to-day living has new life taken root? Where have you found healing? How have new beginnings come upon you? Are these not the resurrection? Have you experienced forgiveness? Have you tasted the joy of grace in a relationship? All of this is of God. All of it echoes the beauty of that empty tomb, and if we can embrace it, we are witnesses to it all. Each of us has FOUR choices in life. These are basically the only choices we have in life. And we're told to pick one. We can choose to DO MORE of certain things. We can choose to DO LESS of certain things. WE can choose to STOP doing old things. We can choose to start doing new things. (I adapt this from Brian Tracy's Focal Point (New York: AMACOM, 2002), 4-5.) We can do more: more good; more exercise; more for our family; more for our community; more for our schools, more for the environment. We can do less; less consuming; less complaining; less needing; less demanding. We can stop; stop hating; stop being afraid; stop focusing on ourselves; stop rejecting all who differ from ourselves; stop hiding. We can start; start to care; start to feel; start to empathize; start to open up; start to see our unity; start to love again. He Rose Again! A man stood in front of the window of an art store in which a picture of the crucifixion of our Lord was on display. He was gazing intently at the display; the bleeding, dying, suffering form of the man on the middle cross had captured all his thoughts, and he was barely conscious of another person who stood beside him. Finally, turning around, he noticed a little boy with his eyes, too, fixed upon the scene. He was just a ragged little mite of humanity, standing there in torn clothes. The man thought he would see if the boy knew what the picture was about, so he said, "Son, do you know who that is?" The child was quick to reply, "Yes, sir," pointing to the man on the middle cross, "That’s our Savior." He was so surprised that that the man seemed not to know about him, and with a bit of pity in his voice, the boy eagerly told him the story of Jesus. "So," he continued, "them’s the soldiers," pointing to the Romans who had nailed Christ to the cross. Then, pointing to a woman near the edge of the crowd, he said, "That’s his mother, see. The woman who is crying." He pushed his hands deep into his pockets, as if waiting to see if the man wanted another answer about the scene. After a long silence, the boy said, "Yes, sir, that’s Jesus, and they killed him." "Where did you learn all this?" the man asked. "At Sunday school, sir," the boy replied. The man, with mingled feelings, turned once again to the crucifixion scene in the window and after a moment slowly walked away. The little street urchin was left looking at the picture alone. The man had not walked more than two blocks when he heard the sound of small feet beating exultantly on the sidewalk and a childish voice crying, "Mister! say, Mister!" Turning around, the man saw the same little lad running toward him. He was nearly out of breath, but when he reached him, he cried out triumphantly and joyously, "I forgot to tell you, HE ROSE AGAIN! Yes, Mister, HE ROSE AGAIN! That’s the most important part!" It is the most important part. We have no need for "After-Easter-Letdown." We are now made not just spectators, but participants, joyful witnesses to a sick, doubting, sinful, dying world, that because he lives, we live - and they can live also! CSS Publishing Co,. Inc., Bitter-sweet Recollections, by Barbara Brokhoff Automobile genius Henry Ford once came up with a revolutionary plan for a new kind of engine which we know today as the V8. Ford was eager to get his great new idea into production. He had some men draw up the plans, and presented them to the engineers. As the engineers studied the drawings, one by one they came to the same conclusion. Their visionary boss just didn't know much about the fundamental principles of engineering. He'd have to be told gently his dream was impossible. Ford said, "Produce it anyway." They replied, "But it's impossible." "Go ahead," Ford commanded, "and stay on the job until you succeed, no matter how much time is required." For six months they struggled with drawing after drawing, design after design. Nothing. Another six months. Nothing. At the end of the year Ford checked with his engineers and they once again told him that what he wanted was impossible. Ford told them to keep going. They did. And they discovered how to build a V8 engine. (4) Motivation that lasts comes from having someone greater than ourselves instructing us, encouraging us, prodding us, exhorting us. The disciples were changed because now they had the inner witness of the living Christ. They had more than excitement. They were changed persons. The Spirit had come and now dwelt within them. They were excited. They were also forever changed. One thing more needs to be noted. Look what kind of change took place. It is the kind of change that takes place every time a person truly comes under the Lordship of Christ. THEY LOOKED UPWARD AND THEY LOOKED OUTWARD. They devoted themselves to Bible study, prayer and praise. They also devoted themselves to increased fellowship with one another. Even more important, they opened their fellowship to the world outside. They were so eager to share what they had received that new persons were added to the church daily. When Fanny Brice, the renowned comedienne, was first offered a job from the much-acclaimed Florenz Ziegfeld, she accepted the job very quietly without much show of emotion. She thanked his secretary and his doorman very politely. As soon as she was out of the building, though, she raced down to the theater where she would be performing. All afternoon, she stood in front of the Broadway theater and grabbed people off the sidewalk to tell them that she would soon be working there. Wouldn't it be great to leave church this morning with that kind of excitement, that kind of enthusiasm--so that no matter how calm and sophisticated we look while we are inside these walls, we couldn't wait to get outside to share Christ's love with somebody else? That happened to the church on the day of Pentecost. Let's pray that it happens again--to us--our church--here and now. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes." This week we would not question the validity of what he said. The difference, however, is that April 15 and the time for paying our income taxes comes around once a year. Death comes only once in a lifetime to each of us as human beings. So we look at them and we deal with them differently. WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THE EXCITEMENT. We all need excitement in our lives. We need it in our work. We need it in our marriages. We also need it in the church. I say that knowing that some people are scared to death of getting excited in church. It reminds me of a story David McCullough tells in his book MORNINGS ON HORSEBACK about young Teddy Roosevelt: Roosevelt's mother discovered one day that her son was so afraid of the Madison Square Church where their family attended that he refused to set foot inside if alone. He was terrified, she discovered, of something called the `zeal.' This zeal was crouched in the dark corners of the church ready to jump at him, he said. When she asked what a zeal might be, he said he was not sure, but thought it was probably a large animal like an alligator or a dragon. He had heard the minister read about it from the Bible. Using a concordance, she read him those passages containing the word zeal until suddenly, very excited, he told her to stop. The line was from John, 2:17, "And his disciples remembered that it was written, `The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.'" Young Teddy wanted nothing to do with this zeal that could eat people up. There are people today who are scared to death of the zeal of the Lord. They associate excitement or enthusiasm or zeal with emotionalism. They associate it with dancing in the aisles and jumping pews. Most of us would not be comfortable in such an atmosphere. Nevertheless, we do hunger for a little more excitement--a little more enthusiasm. The word `enthusiasm' comes from the Greek word ENTHOUSIASMOS which means `the God within you.' Is there anyone in this room who does not hunger for a greater sense of God's presence within? Maurice Boyd tells about a book called THE ENTHUSIASMS OF ROBERTSON DAVIES. Davies' enthusiasms described in the book range all the way from Mozart to figgy-pudding. "Do you have any enthusiasms?" Boyd asks. He tells about Eugene Ormandy who dislocated his shoulder while conducting the Philadelphia orchestra. Boyd speculates that Ormandy may have been conducting Brahms. In the margin of one of his symphonies Brahms wrote, "As loud as possible!" Only a few bars later, however, he wrote in, "Louder still!" Boyd concludes, "I know some people who have reached middle-age and have never had an enthusiasm great enough to dislodge a necktie let alone their shoulder." (1) That first Pentecost, there was a great enthusiasm. There was excitement. A.W. Tozer, that great preacher of a previous generation, was right. Perhaps we Christians can be seen as a bit odd: We love someone we have never seen; we daily speak aloud to someone we do not hear. We are strongest when we are weakest and richest when we are poorest. We die so that we might live and give away so that we can keep. We see the invisible, hear the inaudible, and know that which is beyond knowledge. Christian strange? Are we delusional? No. We just know the end of the story and that makes all of the difference.