"Aha!"
Sermon Presented April 10, 2005
Luke 24:13-35
Last Monday at Rotary, a Hindu doctor, a young Catholic professional woman, a Jewish businessman and this Baptist minister were talking together about the life and death of Pope John Paul 2. The Pope had been dead for two days and yet this topic was on the hearts and minds of people, no matter what their faith background. With tears in her eyes, the young woman stated that this was the only Pope she has ever known. The Jewish man proclaimed that the Pope's efforts for world peace were his greatest legacy. The Hindu doctor asked me how Baptists acknowledged his passing, and I shared that we prayed for those who mourned his death - both Catholic and non-Catholic and that we also prayed for wisdom for the College of Cardinals as they choose his replacement. Another person entered the conversation saying that when he met the Pope many years ago, he could sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in and around the man! What a tremendous affirmation!
Just as the topic at Rotary last Monday was the life and death of the Pope, so the topic in Jerusalem on the Sunday after Jesus' crucifixion was Jesus' life and death. Luke tells the story of two disciples who walk and talk with Jesus and yet, don't recognize him even though Jesus' death is the only thing on their minds.
Luke 24:13-35 (read text)
It's Easter evening and Cleopas and another disciple leave Jerusalem walking toward their hometown of Emmaus. Emmaus, a village of uncertain location, had suffered a long history of violence. Because it was believed to be a military camp for Judas Maccabeus, the village was burned by the Romans as punishment for participating in the revolts of 4 BCE. That year, the Romans crucified 2000 rebels in Emmaus. The village was marked by trauma and defeat.
Even though Jerusalem is where the angels said the risen Christ would meet the disciples, these two leave town. It's been a difficult week and they're glad to be out of there. As they walk along, they tell and retell the events of the weekend, just as we did this past week or following 9-11. They want to leave their sorrow, disappointment and hopelessness in Jerusalem and get on with their lives. They want to forget their smashed expectation that Jesus would redeem Israel by toppling the Romans.
Suddenly Jesus is walking and talking with them, but they don't recognize him. He explains the happenings of the weekend through a new lens - through a reinterpretation of the Hebrew prophets. He reorients their thinking and understanding by becoming both historian and theologian, giving them the opportunity to see the current events differently.
In hindsight, they remembered that their hearts were burning within them while Jesus explained scripture to them, but they couldn't put the puzzle together as Jesus walked with them. Jesus didn't force a new understanding on them; he just waited for them to fit the pieces together and find their "Aha!" moment.
When they reach Emmaus, Jesus is prepared to continue on, but they insist that he stay and eat with them. Jesus does so and it is in the breaking of bread that they recognize him. With recognition Jesus disappears. This second "Aha!" moment comes through the act of hospitality. Both words and deeds ignite an understanding of God's presence.
Ignoring their fear of night travel, the two disciples rush back to Jerusalem to share the good news with the others. Good news must be shared and it must be shared immediately!
One thing that struck me as I thought about this story was the power of hindsight. Mom always said: "Hindsight is better than foresight!" And it is! It's perfect 20-20 vision! It's the historical perspective that helps us to weather new crises as we recall an experience of a similar situation that was botched. The theologian Soren Kierkegaard said: "We live life forward by understanding it backward." Jesus brought new insight and significance into the current happenings by interpreting the threads of the salvation story to the travelers.
We couldn't begin to decipher the ancient texts if it weren't for the insight of those who preceded us. And like Cleopas and the other disciple, we often "read" scripture and don't understand it. We may even be able to quote it, but it has no value for our lives until we internalize it and apply it to the NOW. Real reading adapts the message from words to personal experience.
In her Advent devotional, Irma wrote that the 23rd Psalm - an ancient text - came alive to her at the time of her husband's death and continues to minister to her today. She continues to experience "Aha!" moments with that text. When we become intimate with a text, we become intimate with God. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus gives the disciples intimacy with God's word - and thus intimacy with God.
The burning hearts of the disciples spark their faith. They take this unrecognized Jesus into their lives. His words come alive to them and in them, but they don't yet recognize him.
Just as Jesus was revealed to them through the scriptures and the breaking of bread, so he is revealed to us. The exciting truth of the Bible is that God's word is living - not stagnant. God brings new understanding to old texts as we mature and open ourselves to receive. Through the active participation of the HS, we receive help in dealing with situations our forefathers and foremothers couldn't envision.
It's easy to criticize these disciples for ignoring the women's report of the vision and heading out of town. In Luke's story, several women saw a vision of angels at the tomb, but as yet, no one had seen Jesus. And who among us doesn't tend to question those who have visions. If it isn't my experience how can it be valid? Sometimes we can be in the very presence of God and not recognize God. When we continue to seek God's presence, God will be revealed.
Douglas Steere states in his book Dimensions of Prayer that: "To come near to God is to change." That's what happened to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. When they realized they were in the presence of the risen Lord, they lost their fear and boldly returned to Jerusalem to report that they had seen Jesus. Their grief was transformed into joy and their hopelessness became faith in their awakening awareness.
Even though Cleopas and his friend didn't have the faith or the patience to remain in Jerusalem for the appearance of Jesus, they saw him and he ministered to them. Even though they were preoccupied with their grief, Jesus patiently remained with them until they recognized him and were transformed. Burning hearts indicate feelings and emotions.
Most of us seldom get emotional in our relationship with God - whether in prayer or in worship. We read books and articles by those who have deep, emotional feelings and we sometimes wonder if our relationship with God is deficient because that isn't our experience. But sometimes emotions do pour forth when least expected.
Once I asked the Marysville congregation to keep their eyes and hearts open for "God Moments" and share them spontaneously and briefly at the beginning of worship. I was amazed when two men wept as they shared moments from the previous week when they felt God's presence with them. Neither was emotional by nature, but the emotions came as they verbalized their experiences. They knew they experienced "Aha!" moments, and the faith of all grew when they shared them.
Last night on the plane, I finished the autobiographical work by Barack Obama titled Dreams from My Father. In it he tells that as he began searching for God, he found himself in the church Rev. Jeremiah Wright's pastors in Chicago with tears streaming down his face. It was an emotional experience - an "Aha!" moment. Frederich Buechner related a similar experience of finding God as he listened to a sermon.
We may have as much trouble recognizing God as did the two disciples. That's okay! But if you need some suggestions of where you might find God, here are some places you might look! In the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says that the people who inherit the Kingdom of God are the ones who feed the hungry, give drinks to the thirsty and clothing to the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison. He says that when we minister to those who need help, we minister to him. Jesus is present in the needy. We fail to recognize God in the child, the elderly, the hungry, the homeless, the naked, or the prisoner because we don't look for God in them. When we take the time to listen and help those in need, our "Aha!" moments become more profound and frequent.
Didn't your heart burn within you as you walked through Doctors' Park or along the shores of Lake Michigan? Didn't it burn while serving the needy in the basement of St. Benedict's Church, at a performance of the Milwaukee Symphony or Ballet, or worship at Roundy? Didn't it burn within you as you walked through the Milwaukee Art Museum, visited with a friend, created a work of art, or read a great book?
When your heart is on fire - when you sense the presence
of the living God, how will you respond? I invite you to respond with
a spirit of thanksgiving and praise God for your "Aha!" moment!
I then invite you to share that moment with another.
