When Will You Believe - Easter 3A

When will you believe

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Luke 24:13-35, Psalm 114, 1 Peter 1: 17-23

Opening prayer

There are times in our lives when we journey with someone and have conversations. Or even, when I walk with Reno, we get the chance to be in our environment and consider points. 

Then you notice things along the path and trail like blooms of spring, birds in the tree, other people walking and talking and riding. I also see the garbage that has been dumped in the stream next to our trail. How so much lands there and even clothes like that infamous missing sock from someone’s laundry room. I have often thought it would be good to organize our youth to help clean those areas - to get sense of what happens when we disregard our environment.and the mess that it causes. 

When I was in high school, I had a paper route that included the whole town. When I would finish, I would walk into the local cafe (the kind that served plate-sized pancakes) and sit with the fellows having coffee. The conversations ranged from politics to weather and farming. Never did I see someone get to rattled or annoyed. It was a joy to start the day with such conversations.

Back to our lesson, these fellas walking and having a conversation. A person joins them. “What are you talking about?” Then the two give testimony, “Where have you  been that you haven’t heard about the great Jesus, what we hoped he would be, what he preached and how he was betrayed and murdered??”

What happens in this story is people on a journey, conversation, teaching, dinner and recognition. Some of the best parts of scripture are the conversations like the woman at the well in John or the conversation between Martha, Mary and Jesus. 

What happens in these discussions? News, learning, sharing and ultimately caring. After all, these two invite Jesus to be with them after this great discussion to stay with them for dinner. “Its getting dark, come eat and stay  with us.” 

All the while, there must be some curiosity of who this “stranger” is but nonetheless a welcome is extended. When they sit and have supper, Jesus does something familiar - blessing and breaking the bread with them. Then eyes open, mouths drops, and “wow”!

They have told what they believed and hopes of Jesus to find that Jesus was right there the whole time. How astounding and awesome that would be? 

That raises great questions for us today “When will you believe?” When will you realize that Jesus has been and will be there with you. 

This is a moment of clarity for the two and a discovery at the same time. In this conversation, they reveal what they know and hope. In the dialog, they learn. (That is something sorely missing in our lives today, an honest conversation between folks about what we believe and hope in order that we might together share and learn. 

Yes, this is a moment of clarity that is uninhibited by distraction or ego even. Moments of clarity, moments of truth, of realization are powerful but these are not elusive.

Every time we share Eucharist, we have opportunities to meet and be with Jesus. Every time you have a meal, you go for a walk, have a conversation, or just be. These are moments of clarity and learning and sharing. Even by oneself, these moments are of sharing because what you share with the world is what you share with God. If you can share with God in the solitary moments, then you can share with others in the breath of conversations.

Jesus appears and has conversations with these people. Yet, they do not recognize until something familiar breaks the dissonance and curiosity: they break bread.  That is the power of the Eucharist because we, here, meet Jesus when we bless and break bread together.

We have moments many times in our lives to take notice of who and what is around us.  We have moments where understanding can happen and recognition of what has happened and what we need to do. These are tremendously powerful moments because they are not pretend but honest-to-goodness needed coming to terms with something or someone - even God.

Just think of one, and you may even experience that today where you need to come to terms. Day of reckoning, as it were, does not have to have to be scary but an invitation, a welcome, to something so much more. If you are missing someone, start with a conversation. If you are wanting connection, start with a conversation. If you are needing something, perhaps, start with a conversation. 

Maybe you are having a difficult time believing or you have doubts, sounds like perfect times for a walk, a journey, or to have a conversation. 

Additionally, the familiar can be all that we need and (might be needed to start the conversation.) When I have visited folks in nursing homes or on the streets, one way to bring focus is to talk about familiar, a picture, music, a touch or breaking bread. Even in the midst of dementia, people can recognize familiar. Then conversations take off.

The conversations are just as important as the recognition too. They are journeys to and about the recognition: where we learn and share with each other. That is where we take time to listen to each other and learn what makes each other tick - what you and I believe. These are not one-sided lectures. They are dialogs allowing each other to express ideas, hopes and knowledge so that, together, we learn learn from each other. When we do, we experience the presence of grace and spirit among and with us. 

When you recognize that, like the Eucharist meal with Jesus, when you understand in your heart that dimension, so much more is possible to you.  Then for those moments, you have glimpses of the holy promise and all that is meant to be. For those moments, feel the love that is truly given and poured out to you. Beloved, feel the power of the spirit lift you. 

Then you too can and will say I have witnessed the living Christ. You too can say that I have learned and shared with Christ. Let us today share and learn together. Lets have a plate of pancake with coffee and have a conversation too.

That Beloved is…

Thanks be to God.