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

Jesus is the answer

January 14, 2024 Second Sunday of Epiphany Year B John 1:43-51 Jesus is the answer Greeting Opening Prayer Awesome God, you knew us before we were born. You love us into life. Open our hearts and our spirits today to hear your word for us. And, upon hearing the word, may we be convinced of our call to ministry and mission through the church. Bless us with your presence and your powerful love, for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Scripture John 1:43-51 Common English Bible 43 The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?” Philip said, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here is a genuine Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are God’s Son. You are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these! 51 I assure you that you will see heaven open and God’s angels going up to heaven and down to earth on the Human One.”[a Sermon So this is the second week of January, so it looks like we are approaching Blue Monday season. Back in the 90’s it appears that a marketing company in England did some research and determined that there is a certain time in the month of January that is the most depressing time of the year. The exact date is supposed to be January 24th – which is why it is called Blue Monday. But it has been snowing all weekend, and now it is -20 below with the windchill with no hope of things getting better I would say that this qualifies as blue Monday season. The good news is that this is also the second Sunday of Epiphany. Epiphany season is all about finding the light in the midst of the darkness. If we can find the light then we can find Jesus. Jesus is the messiah that gives us hope that things will get better – and warmer eventually. The gospel lesson for the second week of Epiphany is always John. John’s whole mission is to help us to understand that Jesus is the son of God, and that God understands what it means to be human, if Jesus is with us, then God’s hand is working in the world and in our lives. Jesus is here to help us from feeling the effects of blue Monday and any other thing in life that may be holding us down. During Epiphany we always look at some part of chapters 1and 2 of John. John starts out telling us that Jesus us the word of God that became flesh and came to earth. Next it starts with the ministry of John the Baptist. John became so influential in baptizing and telling people to repent of their sins that he had disciples of his own. Until Jesus comes along and steals his ministry and his disciples. Well Jesus didn’t particularly steal them – John admits that the ministry that he is starting is not his own – it belongs to Jesus. Jesus takes over for his cousin, and if you read through the gospels, especially John, you will see that Jesus never forgets his cousin and all that he did to spread the good news of God’s presence. Originally, I had a whole service planned about the baptism of Jesus – but I changed the whole theme for this service so that we can do that service in person next week. I can’t believe that I have never done a sermon on that last part of John, but I think it is a fascinating story – and an important lesson for us. This scripture is a call story – usually when we hear the word call – we think of ordained ministers and missionaries. But this story is a call to the laity – the ordinary people. In reality God calls everyone – not everyone listens. The Goodness and Joy Are Everywhere Long before Frederick Buechner was a well-known Christian author and Presbyterian minister, as a young man he sat in the dead of winter in Army fatigues somewhere near Anniston, Alabama, eating supper out of a mess kit. The infantry training battalion that he had been assigned to was on bivouac. There was a cold drizzle of rain, and everything was mud. The sun had gone down. He was still hungry when he finished and noticed that a man nearby had something left over that he was not going to eat. It was a turnip. He asked if I could have it and the man tossed it over to him. He missed the catch; the turnip fell to the ground. But Buechner wanted it so badly that he picked it up and started eating it anyway, mud and all. And then he had a transforming moment. Here is how he describes it, “as I ate it,” he says, “time deepened and slowed down again. With a lurch of the heart that is real to me still, I saw suddenly, almost as if from beyond time altogether, that not only was the turnip good, but the mud was good too, even the drizzle and cold were good, even the Army that I had dreaded for months.” He concluded: “Sitting there in the Alabama winter with my mouth full of cold turnip and mud, I could see at least for a moment how if you ever took truly to heart the ultimate goodness and joy of things, even at their bleakest, the need to praise someone or something for it would be so great that you might even have to go out and speak of it to the birds of the air." Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com In John’s gospel, he is not talking to the birds – he is talking to us the people of God – helping us to understand and recognize Jesus as messiah. In chapter 1 Andrew and Peter had been disciples of John, but when they meet Jesus, they recognize the light and become his disciples. Philip is from the same town as Andrew and Peter, he too recognizes the light and he tells his friend Nathaniel. Scripture says that Nathaniel is sitting under a fig tree – he is not convinced and asks what good can come out of a place like Nazereth. Sitting under the fig tree – is symbolic for just hanging around hoping and waiting for a change, but having no real idea of what that looks like or how it is going to happen and being doubtful that it will ever come – that is most of us isn’t it. Philip preaches the lesson in this scripture – just three words – come and see. That is the invitation to salvation. All of us are hanging around waiting for the messiah – the messiah is in the world – all we have to do is come and see. When Jesus comes to meet John’s disciples he asks them what are they looking for – he tells them that whatever it is that they are looking for – Jesus is the messiah and cam make it happen. Jesus ministry unfolds from there and it is the disciples that spread the word that the messiah is here for the salvation of all of us. As I said, most of us are sitting under the fig tree waiting for a change. We are all in this world waiting for something to happen. We are all hoping for a better day. We have all experienced blue Monday – maybe not on a specific day – but at some point in our life. The good news is that Jesus has a way of coming into the world and shedding some light on the situation. Jesus came to the disciples, Jesus came to Fred Beuner in the form of a dirty turnip. Jesus came to Martin Luther King in the form of a dream for a better world. If we could just get people to try Jesus. It is eaiser than you think. Evangelical Attitude One day St. Francis of Assisi, invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. At the end of the day, the two headed back home, however, not even once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis, “I thought we were going into town to preach?" St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!” It’s no secret that we, the church, have forgotten what it means to preach the gospel, what it means to bring to others the good news, what it means to evangelize. The word evangelism has become a dirty word in some churches, and if it isn’t outright dismissed altogether, then it is relegated as a task for only those who have been ordained, or for those who are the professional speakers, who make a living giving their testimonials and asking for altar calls, or for those who are missionaries overseas. Author Unknown Now, let me close with the story of the man with two umbrellas. Dr. Gordon Targerson, a Baptist pastor in Worcester, Massachusetts, was crossing the Atlantic by ship some years ago. He noticed on several occasions a dark-skinned man sitting in a deck chair reading a Bible. One day Dr. Targerson sat down beside him and said, "Forgive my curiosity. I'm a Baptist minister. I notice you are a faithful Bible reader. I'd like to meet you." After introductions, the dark-skinned man said, "I am Filipino. I was born into a good Catholic home. I went to the United States as a young man to study in one of your fine universities, intending to become a lawyer. On my first day on campus, a student dropped by to visit. He welcomed me and offered to help in any way he could. Then he asked me where I went to church. I told him I was Catholic. He explained that the Catholic church was quite a distance away, but he sat down and drew me a map. I thanked him and he left. "On the following Sunday morning it was raining. I decided to just skip church. But then there was a knock on my door. There stood my new friend and he was holding two umbrellas. He said that he worried that I might not be able to read his map. So, he said he would escort me to the Catholic church. I hurriedly dressed, thinking all the while what an unusually thoughtful person he was. I wondered what church he belonged to. "As we walked along I asked him about his church. He said that his church was just around the corner. So, I suggested that we go to his church this Sunday, and then to mine the following Sunday. He agreed. But somehow I felt so much at home in his church that I never got around to finding mine. After four years I felt that God was leading me into the ordained ministry rather than into law. I went to Drew University Seminary and was ordained a Methodist minister. Then I returned to the Philippines to serve in a Methodist parish. My name is Valencius, Bishop Valencius, Bishop of the Methodist Church in the Philippines." The hero of the story is not the Bishop, important though he is. The hero is that anonymous young man with two umbrellas. Whether they ended up at the Methodist or Catholic churches doesn't really matter. Go all the way back to the beginning of Christian history and you'll always find him. He is behind almost every Christian convert...that unnamed man or woman with two umbrellas...that person with a winsome faith who builds a bridge of friendship with another person. And across that bridge walks the living Christ and claims another eternal soul. You can be that person with two umbrellas. You can be like Andrew! Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com He comes to us as he came to his disciples, and says to us, "Follow me." To "follow me" means, identifying with the poor and the oppressed, loving the sinner, and living sacrificially for others in this world, taking up your cross. That is the sole qualification for everybody to be his disciple - that you will take up your cross. Martin Luther King understood that, I think, probably better than anybody else in our time. Like all historical figures, he will be interpreted from different perspectives. But the way he would want to be interpreted is that he was a "servant of Christ." Mark Trotter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com God calls some people to do great things, God calls all of us to do little things in a great way. We all have been called to spread the light of Christ and tell others about a man named Jesus. We don’t have to have any special skill – it is as simple as us being like Andrew and inviting a friend to come and see – the messiah is here in the world. We don’t have to invite them to a special event, just invite them to see Jesus as the lord and savior. Jesus can take it from there. Jesus has a way of breaking through the darkness of the world to bring peace, comfort and hope. Jesus comes to us in special moments, in a spirit of love, in a relationship, in a call to be the light of the world. We have all had a touch from God in our ordinary life. In our scripture Jesus assures Nathaniel – You will see greater things that these. I assure you will see heaven opening up and God’s angels at work on earth. Wow! What a promise. There Was a Man in the World Who Loved Me James Baldwin, in one of his novels, says, "There was a man in the world once who loved me, and because that was the case, I can dare now to continue the struggle to become a man myself." For Christians there is a man in the world who loved us, every one of us. His name is Jesus of Nazareth. The love with which he loved us is not just human love. This is the mystery. The love with which he loved us, in the words of Dante, was "the love that moves the sun and the stars." Mark Trotter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The Church depends on volunteers to do ministry. At some time in our lives we all received an invitation to follow. But, unfortunately we are not always willing. In John we have one of the first recorded volunteers that Jesus invited to help. Jesus asked Phillip to “follow” and Phillip responded by asking Nathaniel to “follow.” Thus began a series of volunteers who eventually became disciples. Keith Wagner, Not So Great Expectations We will talk more about that in person next week. We are in the season of blowing snow, cold dark days, blue Mondays, searching for something better. But we are also in the season of deeper listening, deeper understanding, and recognizing the light in a brand new way. We are all called to invite others to just come and see, we are called to bring the light to the world – how are we spreading the light of christ in these cold days? Let us pray…… Pastoral Prayer Patient and Wise God, you have called this church into being to serve you in this world by helping others. We rejoice in the many ways we are able to be of help. We offer our prayers for each other, for those near and dear to us, for the situations of difficulty and strife in community and world. You hear our voices cry out and with your eternal compassion you respond in loving care to each of us. We gather here this day, meeting and greeting each other, celebrating fellowship and friendship, welcoming each other in your name. You remind us that you are with us always. What have we to fear? But we fear far too often the unknown tasks that lie ahead of us. We always want to be assured of the happy out come of our efforts. Help us to trust your guidance and presence, Lord. Help us remember that there is no time in which we are out of your care. Enable us to be in serving ministry and mission with joy and confidence. Heal our wounds, bind up our bruises and broken spirits. Put us on a pathway of peace. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Benediction, Blessing, Commission Go into God’s world, aware of God’s call in your life. Follow our Lord Jesus Christ who will lead you in paths of service and hope. Lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage and strength. May peace, joy and love flow through you to others, in God’s name. AMEN. Moment for Stewardship In John’s Gospel, we hear of Jesus calling Philip and Nathanael to become his disciples. Gratefully, the scripture details Nathanael’s skepticism! He wasn’t sure any good thing (or person?) could come out of Nazareth. Philip’s response was not a proclamation to persuade…it was a simple “come and see”. In the life of our congregation, we may have moments of skepticism about this whole faith business. Yet again and again, we urge each other to “come and see”. Here, we can see (name one or two specific ministries of your congregation). Here, if we come, we can see (name one ministry which is not well known, but is living out the Good News). Here, each of us has opportunity to participate in making ministry happen as we share our tithes, our gifts and our offerings of time, talent and treasure. Knowing our actions can become the invitation to others: “Come and see!”, let’s bring the symbols of our lives to offer back to God. Prayer of Thanksgiving God, today we remember the times our skepticism has been overcome by what we can see – right before us, or in our mind’s eye. Thank you for accepting this offering, that we might continue to grow in our ability to follow Jesus with our whole lives. AMEN