What Are The Odds?
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
Generally speaking, there are very few people out there who are genuine risk-takers. The vast majority of us tend to play it safe, to play the odds. "I'm not going to take that long shot chance because odds are it won't work." When it comes to playing the odds, we as Christians have something else to consider as we observe the Easter season: What were the odds of a man rising from the dead? Death is a certainty, and yet those odds were beaten. What does that mean for our lives? Scott Suskovic will write the main article, with Barbara Jurgensen writing the response. Illustrations, liturgical aids, and a children's sermon are also provided.
What are the Odds?
Scott Suskovic
Luke 24:13-35
There are people whose job it is to tell you mathematically the chances that something will happen. The life insurance actuary, for insurance, will tell you that if you are a non-smoking, white male who has already lived to be 40, you will live to be 81.3 years old. Medical scientists will tell you that if your parents have heart disease, your chances of having heart disease are increased ten times. And Vegas! Vegas is all about the odds. Before March Madness began, they gave University of North Carolina 5/1 odds of winning. If you had Coppin State going all the way you, you were looking at 5000/1 odds!
The lottery will tell you that your odds of winning are 1 in 13 million. Statistically speaking, that means your chances of winning the lottery are exactly the same whether you buy a ticket or not.
There are also car insurance statisticians who say that if you own a Corvette, it is 38 times more likely to be stolen than a Ford Escort. That makes sense. But did you know that if you are still driving a Ford Pinto Wagon, it is mathematically impossible for your car to be stolen. It's all a numbers game. You go with the odds. Right?
When the men were walking along the road to Emmaus after Jesus' death, Luke wrote that they did not recognize Jesus. Why? They were playing the odds.
THE WORD
Why weren't the disciples who were on the road to Emmaus looking for Jesus? Jesus said very clearly that he would be arrested, beaten, put to death but on the third day rise again. Yet, when they returned home they were not looking for him. Why? You know why. When Jesus said those things, they all nodded, smiled, and said, "You go right on thinking that, Jesus." They didn't need an actuary to tell them the odds of finding a heartbeat or a bookie from Vegas to give them their chances of see Jesus alive. Dead was dead. People stayed dead in 33 AD just as long as they stay dead in 2008 AD. They knew the odds were stacked against them. Death was -- no, is -- irreversible. Right? For many, at least in their mind, so is life. You go with the odds.
On that evening, when they stopped to break bread with this stranger, they soon discovered that Jesus blew past the actuary tables, beat the Vegas spread, and defied the odds. The blind will see. The lame will walk. On this day, "The dead will live again." Now what do you think about your odds?
The interesting thing about this story is the knowledge that these disciples had. Just listen to the raw data that they possessed.
1. As they walked, they were talking about EVERYTHING that had happened.
2. What had happened in Jerusalem was so well known they were convinced that this stranger on the road is the only one who has not heard.
3. They explained to this stranger how Jesus was a miracle worker, mighty teacher, and highly regarded. They knew how he was arrested, condemned, and crucified. They named him as the Messiah.
4. They had even heard that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
They clearly understood everything about Jesus. If that were not clear enough, Jesus himself started from scripture and explained things to them. They had all the raw data. They understood all the correct words. They had heard the reports that he was raised from the dead. Yet, they could not recognize him. Their eyes were closed until the breaking of the bread. Notice the passive voice used once the disciples understood. Luke says, "Their eyes were opened." They did not open their own eyes. They did not turn on the light bulb. It was not through information or knowledge that they came to faith but rather through an encounter with the risen Lord. Then their eyes were opened and they could see.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
It would be fun at this point to go with the odds. These disciples clearly did that as they did not expect to see a dead man living once again. Dead was dead. With March Madness underway, there are many who are going with the odds. (Like me! I went with Duke and Georgetown, favored teams that went down quickly in flames. Sometimes going with the odds isn't the way to go.)
Let's go with some other odds. What do you suppose the odds are that you will die? I would say that they are pretty good. In fact, irreversible. Yet, there are many who still think that they are going to beat the odds. Amazing.
I remember meeting a family following the death of an 87-year-old man. He had a long illness and slowly deteriorated. This was not a heart attack on the golf course or a tragic car accident. There was time -- plenty of time. When he died, they called me. When I met with the family, I asked about the funeral home, cemetery, cremation or burial, and any final wishes he may have had. Nothing. Just a deep, blank, awkward silence until one finally broke the silence and said, "Dad never wanted to talk about his, you know... death. There were no arrangements. He thought that if he didn't talk about it, it would never happen. So here we are."
Really? This was a man who ran a successful business, raised three great kids, planned carefully to retire early, figured out the succession plan to hand the business over to his son, and lived to be well into his 80s but still trying to beat the odds when it came to the grave. He didn't. Neither will any of us here. That part is irreversible. Easter is about new life but to get there, you must walk through the grave. Death is a sure bet.
How about these odds? It is a sure bet that you will live forever. We believe that our souls live on. We do not believe in complete annihilation after death, as do the atheists. We do not believe in reincarnation, as do the Hindu. We believe it is a sure thing, even though this physical body dies, that as individuals we continue on.
Paul says, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet... the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). It is a sure bet that you will live beyond death. The only question is where will eternity be spent -- and with whom?
For those who believe that Easter is the cornerstone of their life and faith and hope -- there is no doubt, no chance involved, no luck of the draw -- it is a sure bet. We know where we will spend eternity -- and not just us but also those whom we love.
Years ago I listen to a woman introduce herself this way. "I am a wife of 25 years and I have three children. My eldest son is a sophomore at UNC. My second son is a junior in high school. And my third child, a daughter, Megan, in is heaven and I am excited for that day to see her again. She talked about her daughter's tragic death. Mom was playing the odds. Her child was riding an ATV as safely as possible, helmet, flat, open field, away from other vehicles, riding carefully but when she hit a pothole, she fell off the ATV and landed chest first in the field where the only six-inch stick poking straight up from the ground pierced her heart. What are the odds?
While at the hospital, awaiting the surgery, she was not filled with anger or fear but rather one line from scripture, over and over again, " 'I know that my redeemer lives; on the last day, I shall rise again and in my flesh, I shall see God, on the last day, I shall rise again' -- and not just me, but so will Megan... and one day I will see her face to face." I don't know how anyone could face death without this sure and certain hope. This is a mother who stands by her daughter's grave and can say with confidence not, "Good-bye," but, "I will see you later." That's the Easter promise to those who believe. We know where we will spend eternity and we know with whom. It's a sure bet.
It's a sure bet you are going to die. It's a sure bet that you will live forever. How about these odds? What are the odds that your life will matter? Let me ask that a different way. What if it were true? What if you discovered what those men discovered with the breaking of the bread? How would that change your life? If death is suddenly reversible, maybe my life is, too. Maybe that broken relationship is not irreversible. Maybe that stain is not irreversible. Maybe I'm not too late. If Easter is true, if the irreversible is reversible, what are the odds that your life will matter?
We know that death is a sure bet. We know that you will spend eternity somewhere. Now, what are the odds that your life will matter? The answer is... I don't know. There are no actuary tables on this one. Vegas hasn't bothered to put odds on you. What are the odds that your life will matter? I think that depends on you -- or, more specifically, how you view Easter. When the disciples broke bread with Jesus, perhaps they heard for the first time that it is a sure bet that your life does matter already to God. Where you spend eternity does matter already to God. With whom you spend eternity does matter already to God. How you live your life does matter already to God.
What are the odds that your life will matter? Easter boldly proclaims that it does matter already to God. Your life matters to God so much that he sent his son to kick open the sealed casket, cancel your reservation in hell, and open up the kingdom of God to all who are willing to go with that sure and certain hope that this Jesus who was once dead is now alive through power of God who alone can reverse the irreversible, breathe life into death, and restore sight to the blind.
ANOTHER VIEW
Barbara Jurgensen
The eyes of the world are watching the little Asian country of Tibet these days, wondering how things are going to go. After all, how can such a tiny land as Tibet hope to triumph over such a big and powerful nation as China?
What caused this sudden uprising (besides the fact that in a few months China will be hosting the Olympics and doesn't need bad publicity)? It's been over 50 years since imperial China swept in and took over Tibet. Up till now, Tibetans have wanted their freedom back, both their political and their religious freedom -- their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been in exile all these years. Still, they haven't done much protesting.
So why this sudden revolt?
It all seemed to come to a head after the Chinese built the first railroad from the outside world into Tibet recently. Now outsiders began coming in, and Tibetans could go out and see how the rest of the world lives.
They wanted what they saw: a better life. They wanted good jobs, better health care for their families, better homes, and better education for their children -- the same as we want.
Besides, the Chinese had told them some years ago that bringing in the railroad would give them all of these things. However, now that the railroad is in, their life is no better.
The Tibetans' eyes have been opened. The coming of the railroad has shown them what their life could be like, and they want it.
Their eyes have been opened.
It sounds a lot like our gospel story for today. There they were, these two followers of Jesus, one of them named Cleopas, walking the seven long miles from Jerusalem, back to their hometown of Emmaus. It was still that first Easter Day, but evening was coming on.
Then someone joined them on the path -- a man -- but they didn't recognize him. When he asked them what they were discussing, acting as though he didn't know about any of the things he heard them saying, they gave him a summary of all that had happened regarding Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, in the last few days.
The stranger (who we know was Jesus) began to remind them of all that the prophets had taught regarding the coming Messiah, going all the way back to Moses. Jesus was putting everything together, so that all the past history of the Hebrew nation could be seen to lead up to the coming of the Son of God to give his life for all people.
As they sat down to eat their evening meal and Jesus took the bread into his hands, blessed it and broke it and gave them each a piece, suddenly their eyes were opened, and they knew who he was, and all the things they'd been talking about began to make sense.
"How come they didn't recognize him sooner?" we ask. "How could they not know it was Jesus who was walking with them?" Luke tells us that "their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (v. 16). And later, after Jesus had spoken with them and broken bread with them, that then "their eyes were opened" (v. 31).
Apparently, the Lord God wanted Jesus to have a chance to put the whole salvation story into perspective for them, so they could see how it all fit together, before they saw that it was him. Otherwise, if they'd known that it was Jesus right away, they might have been so glad to see him alive again that they couldn't have paid much attention to what he was saying.
Up until that time, they might have seen Jesus as a great teacher, a great prophet, and a great healer. Now their eyes were opened, and they could see him as the Son of God who fulfilled all the scriptural prophecies.
How far along that Emmaus road have you and I come? Have your eyes and mine been opened? Do we see Jesus only as a great teacher and a fine role model for us? Or do we see him as the Lord of all creation, the one who made all things (according to the opening chapter of the gospel of John) and the one who fulfills all our deepest needs?
Do you and I see Jesus as not only the Lord of all, but as the Lord of our lives? Have our eyes, like those of the people of Tibet, been opened? Do we want the new life that we see, the life that Jesus wants to give us, the life that only Jesus can give us?
ILLUSTRATIONS
It was in "the breaking of the bread" that the two disciples who had walked with Jesus to Emmaus that first Easter evening realized who he was. A contemporary poet has written:
The Breaking of the Bread
As they walked the road to Emmaus on that day,
Jesus walked with them --
and they asked him in to stay.
When he blessed the bread
and he broke it, then they knew
that the word they'd heard
of his rising must be true.
He was known to them in the breaking of the bread,
risen from the dead,
risen as he'd said.
He is known to us
as the firstborn from the dead
in the breaking of the bread.
Barbara Jurgensen, Following You (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990) p. 32
* * *
Luke tells us that the two people walking to Emmaus that evening were "looking sad" when Jesus met them. One of them told him, "We had hoped that he (Jesus) was the one to redeem Israel" (vv. 18, 21). Their hopes had been dashed, and now they were making their way, gloomily, back to Emmaus.
It's easy to be dejected when things don't go the way we hoped they would. We have a definite idea of how things should move along, and if they don't, well, we can feel crushed.
We need to remember that the Lord God might have a different idea of how things should work out. And, like the old Ford ad, God might have a better idea. Oswald Chambers reminds us:
Anything that savours of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If depression and oppression visit me, I am to blame; God is not, nor is anyone else. Dejection springs from one of two sources -- I have either satisfied a [desire] or I have not. [Desire] means -- I must have it at once. Spiritual [desire] makes me demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God who gives the answer.
What have I been trusting God would do? And today -- the immediate present -- is the third day, and He has not done it; therefore I imagine I am justified in being dejected and in blaming God... The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.
-- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour, 2000) p. 38
* * *
One of the religious pictures we see frequently in churches and homes shows Jesus walking with two followers, their long robes flowing, on the road to Emmaus.
Aside from the fact that there are many more trees in the picture than you'd see in that part of the Holy Land today, the picture always reminds me that the two followers who didn't realize that it was Jesus walking with them -- nor did they recognize him when he sat down to share supper with them -- were a lot like us.
Think about what we do. Before we eat we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest," then we go ahead and enjoy our meal, probably not thinking any more about the fact that he might actually be present with us. Yet he promised, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).
You and I are always on the road to Emmaus, with Jesus, though unrecognized by us, walking beside us.
* * *
After September 11th, I heard from a number of friends that I hadn't heard from in a very long time. One of them was a friend I had known in college. He lived in Canada, I lived in West Virginia at the time. We made the effort to meet in Toronto. We went to dinner. We remembered so many things that we had forgotten. It was as though we came to "recognize" each other all over again. It was a special and holy moment.
* * *
I always loved Thanksgiving dinner. All the cousins and uncles were there. Somehow my grandmother prevailed and, against the better judgment and willful objections of some of the more difficult personalities, she became the glue that held our family together. Jesus did that for us in the eucharist. He held us together. It was in the eucharist that we "recognized" him in his risen power. Many Christians still do!
* * *
We feed about 100 people a day at our soup kitchen. It is a daily miracle. There is a church, a fraternal organization, or a wedding party that will have leftovers and bring them by and somehow our cook will find a way to throw a meal together for all 100 people. We don't usually have a lot left over as Jesus did when he fed the 5,000... but we are nonetheless amazed at the miracle of the presence of Christ in the goodness and generosity of God's people.
* * *
Making bread is great fun. First get the yeast the sugar and the salt going in some warm water and let it sit for a bit. Then add some flour, about 3 cups. Mix the ingredients well together and keep adding flour until you form a lump. Now keep adding flour and begin to knead that lump with the palms of your hands on a butcher-block breadboard. At first, it is just a lump. However, in about 5 to 10 minutes, a remarkable thing will happen. The lump will come to life in your own hands. It will develop a spring to it as the gluten develops a hold on the entire loaf. The ingredients have now become one. Let it sit now and cover it with a moist towel. In about an hour it will double in size. Bake it on a baking stone... and breathe in the aromas of the staff of life... and then let it cool. Take a serrated knife; cut it and break off a piece. Taste and see... it will satisfy you unlike any other food on earth. "Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the bread!"
* * *
Notice if you will that Jesus breaks the break and gives it to his friends. It is no mistake to be broken...it is like the brokenness of our lives, the brokenness of our feelings... like life itself. Jesus knew what he was doing. Herman Melville summed it us succinctly: "I feel that the Godhead is broken up like the bread at the Supper, and that we are the pieces. Hence this infinite fraternity of feeling."
-- Herman Melville in a letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, November, 1851 (http://www.melville.org/letter7.htm)
* * *
Painting, writing, sculpting, architecture, even my grandmother's knitting transcend life and even death. Good art (sometimes, even bad art) lives beyond us. As W. H. Auden put it; "Art is our chief means of breaking bread with the dead."
-- W.H. Auden, New York Times (August 7, 1971)
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Responsive Call To Worship
Leader: Sometimes good things are right in front of us and we fail to see them.
People: Our fears and our prejudices blind us.
Leader: Open your eyes this day to see the goodness of the Lord.
People: Open our hearts, gracious God, to receive your blessings.
Leader: Let us worship God.
People: Alleluia!
Responsive Invocation
Leader: Jesus Christ, you meet us:
your hands still holed,
but your breath warm,
and your conversation engaging.
Death has not changed your accent
or diminished your love.
And though the world
should still show signs of its imperfection,
the good news is that you have destined it
and all its people to be made whole.
People: So, as we are gathered in your house
and cheered by your gospel,
join us,
as you joined your first disciples
and make our worship your Emmaus Road.
Amen.
-- Adapted from the Iona Community, Stages on the Way: Worship Resources for Lent, Holy Week and Easter (Chicago: GIA Publications, 2000), p. 199
Responsive Prayer Of Confession
Leader: We have failed to love you with all our heart and to be good stewards of your creation: Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: We have failed to take up the cross of discipleship and to be good stewards of your gospel: Christ, have mercy.
People: Christ, have mercy.
Leader: We have failed to be faithful members of your church and to be good stewards of your spiritual gifts: Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Assurance Of God's Pardon
Leader: The good news is that all who trust in Christ will have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life. As you hold this faith, I declare that you are set free from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
People: Thanks be to God.
Great Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right for us to give thanks and praise.
Leader: It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, Creator and Ruler of all,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But most of all we praise you
for the glorious resurrection of your Son,
the true Passover Lamb,
who has taken away the sin of the world.
By his death he has destroyed death,
and by his rising again he has restored life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter
and all the other witnesses of the resurrection,
with earth and sea and all their creatures,
and with angels and archangels,
cherubim and seraphim,
we adore and praise your glorious name:
(Sanctus)
Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts,
we take this bread and this wine from the gifts you have given us,
and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ.
As grain that was scattered on the hillside
was gathered together and made into one loaf,
so too, we, your people, scattered throughout the world,
are gathered together at Christ's invitation
around your table and become one.
As grapes grown in the field
are gathered together and pressed into wine,
so too are we drawn together by your Holy Spirit,
and pressed by our times to share a common lot
and are transformed into your life-blood for all.
O risen Christ, you made yourself known to the disciples
in the breaking of the bread at Emmaus;
through our sharing in the bread of life
in our many Christian communions,
open our eyes and hands to the needs of all people.
Let our hearts burn to share your gifts
and help us to go forth with one another with bread:
bread of hope, bread of life, bread of peace.
Grant, O God, that we may truly be one church
with one baptism, one hope;
to proclaim one Lord Jesus Christ,
to the end of the age, to the praise of your glory. Amen.
Unison Prayer After Communion
Almighty and merciful God,
you made the disciples glad
by the sight of the risen Lord.
As he has come to us in this meal,
remind us that he is always with us,
and that we now share in his resurrection.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Benediction
As you have been fed at this table,
go to feed the hungry.
As you have been set free,
go to set free the imprisoned.
As you have received -- give.
As you have heard -- proclaim.
And the blessing that you have received
from Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
be always with you.
-- Kathy Galloway, ed., Worship in the Celtic Tradition from the Iona Community (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist, 1996), pp. 158-159
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Bread of life
Object: a loaf of unsliced bread
Luke 24:13-35
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. (v. 30)
Good morning, boys and girls. Easter was a busy time for God. Let's think about the things that Jesus did and how he did them. We have talked about the way he left the tomb and spoke with Mary Magdalene, and most of the disciples. Last week we saw how Jesus could just appear in front of people. One moment they were alone with the door locked and the next moment Jesus was in the room sharing the peace.
In our lesson today, there were two people walking on a road that led to a village called Emmaus. This village was almost seven miles from Jerusalem, which is not very far in a car but if you had to walk it would take you about two hours. Remember, it was Easter Day, and Cleopas and his friend were talking about the things that had happened that day. While they were walking Jesus came close to them and after a little bit he joined them in the walk. Even though they were disciples of Jesus they did not recognize him and when Jesus asked them what they were talking about they were surprised. What else is there to talk about when a dead person, buried in a tomb, is alive again? It was the only thing everyone was talking about. They wondered if he was a stranger or if he had been living in a tree or somewhere that no one visited. They began to tell this stranger all about the wonderful things Jesus did, but they finished by telling him that no one knew where Jesus was and how sad they were.
Then Jesus began to tell them about the scriptures. He talked about the mighty things that God did since the beginning of time. Jesus told them about Moses and all of the prophets, Cleopas and his friend were amazed. As a matter of fact, when they came to a spot where the two men were going to stop, Jesus walked on and they called him to please stay with them since it was almost evening. Jesus agreed and when they sat down at a table to eat their dinner, Jesus took a loaf of bread that looked something like this and he began to break it and give it to them. Suddenly they knew they were in the presence of Jesus and they were amazed. But as soon as they recognized Jesus, he vanished. He was gone like he had never been there. They were so excited that instead of going to Emmaus they went back to Jerusalem and found the disciples of Jesus and told them everything that had happened to them. It was the most exciting day of their lives.
The next time you sit down to dinner at your house and you take a piece of bread, think about Cleopas and his friend and the day they spent with Jesus. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 6, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
What are the Odds?
Scott Suskovic
Luke 24:13-35
There are people whose job it is to tell you mathematically the chances that something will happen. The life insurance actuary, for insurance, will tell you that if you are a non-smoking, white male who has already lived to be 40, you will live to be 81.3 years old. Medical scientists will tell you that if your parents have heart disease, your chances of having heart disease are increased ten times. And Vegas! Vegas is all about the odds. Before March Madness began, they gave University of North Carolina 5/1 odds of winning. If you had Coppin State going all the way you, you were looking at 5000/1 odds!
The lottery will tell you that your odds of winning are 1 in 13 million. Statistically speaking, that means your chances of winning the lottery are exactly the same whether you buy a ticket or not.
There are also car insurance statisticians who say that if you own a Corvette, it is 38 times more likely to be stolen than a Ford Escort. That makes sense. But did you know that if you are still driving a Ford Pinto Wagon, it is mathematically impossible for your car to be stolen. It's all a numbers game. You go with the odds. Right?
When the men were walking along the road to Emmaus after Jesus' death, Luke wrote that they did not recognize Jesus. Why? They were playing the odds.
THE WORD
Why weren't the disciples who were on the road to Emmaus looking for Jesus? Jesus said very clearly that he would be arrested, beaten, put to death but on the third day rise again. Yet, when they returned home they were not looking for him. Why? You know why. When Jesus said those things, they all nodded, smiled, and said, "You go right on thinking that, Jesus." They didn't need an actuary to tell them the odds of finding a heartbeat or a bookie from Vegas to give them their chances of see Jesus alive. Dead was dead. People stayed dead in 33 AD just as long as they stay dead in 2008 AD. They knew the odds were stacked against them. Death was -- no, is -- irreversible. Right? For many, at least in their mind, so is life. You go with the odds.
On that evening, when they stopped to break bread with this stranger, they soon discovered that Jesus blew past the actuary tables, beat the Vegas spread, and defied the odds. The blind will see. The lame will walk. On this day, "The dead will live again." Now what do you think about your odds?
The interesting thing about this story is the knowledge that these disciples had. Just listen to the raw data that they possessed.
1. As they walked, they were talking about EVERYTHING that had happened.
2. What had happened in Jerusalem was so well known they were convinced that this stranger on the road is the only one who has not heard.
3. They explained to this stranger how Jesus was a miracle worker, mighty teacher, and highly regarded. They knew how he was arrested, condemned, and crucified. They named him as the Messiah.
4. They had even heard that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
They clearly understood everything about Jesus. If that were not clear enough, Jesus himself started from scripture and explained things to them. They had all the raw data. They understood all the correct words. They had heard the reports that he was raised from the dead. Yet, they could not recognize him. Their eyes were closed until the breaking of the bread. Notice the passive voice used once the disciples understood. Luke says, "Their eyes were opened." They did not open their own eyes. They did not turn on the light bulb. It was not through information or knowledge that they came to faith but rather through an encounter with the risen Lord. Then their eyes were opened and they could see.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
It would be fun at this point to go with the odds. These disciples clearly did that as they did not expect to see a dead man living once again. Dead was dead. With March Madness underway, there are many who are going with the odds. (Like me! I went with Duke and Georgetown, favored teams that went down quickly in flames. Sometimes going with the odds isn't the way to go.)
Let's go with some other odds. What do you suppose the odds are that you will die? I would say that they are pretty good. In fact, irreversible. Yet, there are many who still think that they are going to beat the odds. Amazing.
I remember meeting a family following the death of an 87-year-old man. He had a long illness and slowly deteriorated. This was not a heart attack on the golf course or a tragic car accident. There was time -- plenty of time. When he died, they called me. When I met with the family, I asked about the funeral home, cemetery, cremation or burial, and any final wishes he may have had. Nothing. Just a deep, blank, awkward silence until one finally broke the silence and said, "Dad never wanted to talk about his, you know... death. There were no arrangements. He thought that if he didn't talk about it, it would never happen. So here we are."
Really? This was a man who ran a successful business, raised three great kids, planned carefully to retire early, figured out the succession plan to hand the business over to his son, and lived to be well into his 80s but still trying to beat the odds when it came to the grave. He didn't. Neither will any of us here. That part is irreversible. Easter is about new life but to get there, you must walk through the grave. Death is a sure bet.
How about these odds? It is a sure bet that you will live forever. We believe that our souls live on. We do not believe in complete annihilation after death, as do the atheists. We do not believe in reincarnation, as do the Hindu. We believe it is a sure thing, even though this physical body dies, that as individuals we continue on.
Paul says, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet... the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). It is a sure bet that you will live beyond death. The only question is where will eternity be spent -- and with whom?
For those who believe that Easter is the cornerstone of their life and faith and hope -- there is no doubt, no chance involved, no luck of the draw -- it is a sure bet. We know where we will spend eternity -- and not just us but also those whom we love.
Years ago I listen to a woman introduce herself this way. "I am a wife of 25 years and I have three children. My eldest son is a sophomore at UNC. My second son is a junior in high school. And my third child, a daughter, Megan, in is heaven and I am excited for that day to see her again. She talked about her daughter's tragic death. Mom was playing the odds. Her child was riding an ATV as safely as possible, helmet, flat, open field, away from other vehicles, riding carefully but when she hit a pothole, she fell off the ATV and landed chest first in the field where the only six-inch stick poking straight up from the ground pierced her heart. What are the odds?
While at the hospital, awaiting the surgery, she was not filled with anger or fear but rather one line from scripture, over and over again, " 'I know that my redeemer lives; on the last day, I shall rise again and in my flesh, I shall see God, on the last day, I shall rise again' -- and not just me, but so will Megan... and one day I will see her face to face." I don't know how anyone could face death without this sure and certain hope. This is a mother who stands by her daughter's grave and can say with confidence not, "Good-bye," but, "I will see you later." That's the Easter promise to those who believe. We know where we will spend eternity and we know with whom. It's a sure bet.
It's a sure bet you are going to die. It's a sure bet that you will live forever. How about these odds? What are the odds that your life will matter? Let me ask that a different way. What if it were true? What if you discovered what those men discovered with the breaking of the bread? How would that change your life? If death is suddenly reversible, maybe my life is, too. Maybe that broken relationship is not irreversible. Maybe that stain is not irreversible. Maybe I'm not too late. If Easter is true, if the irreversible is reversible, what are the odds that your life will matter?
We know that death is a sure bet. We know that you will spend eternity somewhere. Now, what are the odds that your life will matter? The answer is... I don't know. There are no actuary tables on this one. Vegas hasn't bothered to put odds on you. What are the odds that your life will matter? I think that depends on you -- or, more specifically, how you view Easter. When the disciples broke bread with Jesus, perhaps they heard for the first time that it is a sure bet that your life does matter already to God. Where you spend eternity does matter already to God. With whom you spend eternity does matter already to God. How you live your life does matter already to God.
What are the odds that your life will matter? Easter boldly proclaims that it does matter already to God. Your life matters to God so much that he sent his son to kick open the sealed casket, cancel your reservation in hell, and open up the kingdom of God to all who are willing to go with that sure and certain hope that this Jesus who was once dead is now alive through power of God who alone can reverse the irreversible, breathe life into death, and restore sight to the blind.
ANOTHER VIEW
Barbara Jurgensen
The eyes of the world are watching the little Asian country of Tibet these days, wondering how things are going to go. After all, how can such a tiny land as Tibet hope to triumph over such a big and powerful nation as China?
What caused this sudden uprising (besides the fact that in a few months China will be hosting the Olympics and doesn't need bad publicity)? It's been over 50 years since imperial China swept in and took over Tibet. Up till now, Tibetans have wanted their freedom back, both their political and their religious freedom -- their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been in exile all these years. Still, they haven't done much protesting.
So why this sudden revolt?
It all seemed to come to a head after the Chinese built the first railroad from the outside world into Tibet recently. Now outsiders began coming in, and Tibetans could go out and see how the rest of the world lives.
They wanted what they saw: a better life. They wanted good jobs, better health care for their families, better homes, and better education for their children -- the same as we want.
Besides, the Chinese had told them some years ago that bringing in the railroad would give them all of these things. However, now that the railroad is in, their life is no better.
The Tibetans' eyes have been opened. The coming of the railroad has shown them what their life could be like, and they want it.
Their eyes have been opened.
It sounds a lot like our gospel story for today. There they were, these two followers of Jesus, one of them named Cleopas, walking the seven long miles from Jerusalem, back to their hometown of Emmaus. It was still that first Easter Day, but evening was coming on.
Then someone joined them on the path -- a man -- but they didn't recognize him. When he asked them what they were discussing, acting as though he didn't know about any of the things he heard them saying, they gave him a summary of all that had happened regarding Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, in the last few days.
The stranger (who we know was Jesus) began to remind them of all that the prophets had taught regarding the coming Messiah, going all the way back to Moses. Jesus was putting everything together, so that all the past history of the Hebrew nation could be seen to lead up to the coming of the Son of God to give his life for all people.
As they sat down to eat their evening meal and Jesus took the bread into his hands, blessed it and broke it and gave them each a piece, suddenly their eyes were opened, and they knew who he was, and all the things they'd been talking about began to make sense.
"How come they didn't recognize him sooner?" we ask. "How could they not know it was Jesus who was walking with them?" Luke tells us that "their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (v. 16). And later, after Jesus had spoken with them and broken bread with them, that then "their eyes were opened" (v. 31).
Apparently, the Lord God wanted Jesus to have a chance to put the whole salvation story into perspective for them, so they could see how it all fit together, before they saw that it was him. Otherwise, if they'd known that it was Jesus right away, they might have been so glad to see him alive again that they couldn't have paid much attention to what he was saying.
Up until that time, they might have seen Jesus as a great teacher, a great prophet, and a great healer. Now their eyes were opened, and they could see him as the Son of God who fulfilled all the scriptural prophecies.
How far along that Emmaus road have you and I come? Have your eyes and mine been opened? Do we see Jesus only as a great teacher and a fine role model for us? Or do we see him as the Lord of all creation, the one who made all things (according to the opening chapter of the gospel of John) and the one who fulfills all our deepest needs?
Do you and I see Jesus as not only the Lord of all, but as the Lord of our lives? Have our eyes, like those of the people of Tibet, been opened? Do we want the new life that we see, the life that Jesus wants to give us, the life that only Jesus can give us?
ILLUSTRATIONS
It was in "the breaking of the bread" that the two disciples who had walked with Jesus to Emmaus that first Easter evening realized who he was. A contemporary poet has written:
The Breaking of the Bread
As they walked the road to Emmaus on that day,
Jesus walked with them --
and they asked him in to stay.
When he blessed the bread
and he broke it, then they knew
that the word they'd heard
of his rising must be true.
He was known to them in the breaking of the bread,
risen from the dead,
risen as he'd said.
He is known to us
as the firstborn from the dead
in the breaking of the bread.
Barbara Jurgensen, Following You (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990) p. 32
* * *
Luke tells us that the two people walking to Emmaus that evening were "looking sad" when Jesus met them. One of them told him, "We had hoped that he (Jesus) was the one to redeem Israel" (vv. 18, 21). Their hopes had been dashed, and now they were making their way, gloomily, back to Emmaus.
It's easy to be dejected when things don't go the way we hoped they would. We have a definite idea of how things should move along, and if they don't, well, we can feel crushed.
We need to remember that the Lord God might have a different idea of how things should work out. And, like the old Ford ad, God might have a better idea. Oswald Chambers reminds us:
Anything that savours of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If depression and oppression visit me, I am to blame; God is not, nor is anyone else. Dejection springs from one of two sources -- I have either satisfied a [desire] or I have not. [Desire] means -- I must have it at once. Spiritual [desire] makes me demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God who gives the answer.
What have I been trusting God would do? And today -- the immediate present -- is the third day, and He has not done it; therefore I imagine I am justified in being dejected and in blaming God... The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.
-- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour, 2000) p. 38
* * *
One of the religious pictures we see frequently in churches and homes shows Jesus walking with two followers, their long robes flowing, on the road to Emmaus.
Aside from the fact that there are many more trees in the picture than you'd see in that part of the Holy Land today, the picture always reminds me that the two followers who didn't realize that it was Jesus walking with them -- nor did they recognize him when he sat down to share supper with them -- were a lot like us.
Think about what we do. Before we eat we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest," then we go ahead and enjoy our meal, probably not thinking any more about the fact that he might actually be present with us. Yet he promised, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).
You and I are always on the road to Emmaus, with Jesus, though unrecognized by us, walking beside us.
* * *
After September 11th, I heard from a number of friends that I hadn't heard from in a very long time. One of them was a friend I had known in college. He lived in Canada, I lived in West Virginia at the time. We made the effort to meet in Toronto. We went to dinner. We remembered so many things that we had forgotten. It was as though we came to "recognize" each other all over again. It was a special and holy moment.
* * *
I always loved Thanksgiving dinner. All the cousins and uncles were there. Somehow my grandmother prevailed and, against the better judgment and willful objections of some of the more difficult personalities, she became the glue that held our family together. Jesus did that for us in the eucharist. He held us together. It was in the eucharist that we "recognized" him in his risen power. Many Christians still do!
* * *
We feed about 100 people a day at our soup kitchen. It is a daily miracle. There is a church, a fraternal organization, or a wedding party that will have leftovers and bring them by and somehow our cook will find a way to throw a meal together for all 100 people. We don't usually have a lot left over as Jesus did when he fed the 5,000... but we are nonetheless amazed at the miracle of the presence of Christ in the goodness and generosity of God's people.
* * *
Making bread is great fun. First get the yeast the sugar and the salt going in some warm water and let it sit for a bit. Then add some flour, about 3 cups. Mix the ingredients well together and keep adding flour until you form a lump. Now keep adding flour and begin to knead that lump with the palms of your hands on a butcher-block breadboard. At first, it is just a lump. However, in about 5 to 10 minutes, a remarkable thing will happen. The lump will come to life in your own hands. It will develop a spring to it as the gluten develops a hold on the entire loaf. The ingredients have now become one. Let it sit now and cover it with a moist towel. In about an hour it will double in size. Bake it on a baking stone... and breathe in the aromas of the staff of life... and then let it cool. Take a serrated knife; cut it and break off a piece. Taste and see... it will satisfy you unlike any other food on earth. "Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the bread!"
* * *
Notice if you will that Jesus breaks the break and gives it to his friends. It is no mistake to be broken...it is like the brokenness of our lives, the brokenness of our feelings... like life itself. Jesus knew what he was doing. Herman Melville summed it us succinctly: "I feel that the Godhead is broken up like the bread at the Supper, and that we are the pieces. Hence this infinite fraternity of feeling."
-- Herman Melville in a letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, November, 1851 (http://www.melville.org/letter7.htm)
* * *
Painting, writing, sculpting, architecture, even my grandmother's knitting transcend life and even death. Good art (sometimes, even bad art) lives beyond us. As W. H. Auden put it; "Art is our chief means of breaking bread with the dead."
-- W.H. Auden, New York Times (August 7, 1971)
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Responsive Call To Worship
Leader: Sometimes good things are right in front of us and we fail to see them.
People: Our fears and our prejudices blind us.
Leader: Open your eyes this day to see the goodness of the Lord.
People: Open our hearts, gracious God, to receive your blessings.
Leader: Let us worship God.
People: Alleluia!
Responsive Invocation
Leader: Jesus Christ, you meet us:
your hands still holed,
but your breath warm,
and your conversation engaging.
Death has not changed your accent
or diminished your love.
And though the world
should still show signs of its imperfection,
the good news is that you have destined it
and all its people to be made whole.
People: So, as we are gathered in your house
and cheered by your gospel,
join us,
as you joined your first disciples
and make our worship your Emmaus Road.
Amen.
-- Adapted from the Iona Community, Stages on the Way: Worship Resources for Lent, Holy Week and Easter (Chicago: GIA Publications, 2000), p. 199
Responsive Prayer Of Confession
Leader: We have failed to love you with all our heart and to be good stewards of your creation: Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: We have failed to take up the cross of discipleship and to be good stewards of your gospel: Christ, have mercy.
People: Christ, have mercy.
Leader: We have failed to be faithful members of your church and to be good stewards of your spiritual gifts: Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Assurance Of God's Pardon
Leader: The good news is that all who trust in Christ will have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life. As you hold this faith, I declare that you are set free from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
People: Thanks be to God.
Great Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right for us to give thanks and praise.
Leader: It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, Creator and Ruler of all,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But most of all we praise you
for the glorious resurrection of your Son,
the true Passover Lamb,
who has taken away the sin of the world.
By his death he has destroyed death,
and by his rising again he has restored life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter
and all the other witnesses of the resurrection,
with earth and sea and all their creatures,
and with angels and archangels,
cherubim and seraphim,
we adore and praise your glorious name:
(Sanctus)
Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts,
we take this bread and this wine from the gifts you have given us,
and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ.
As grain that was scattered on the hillside
was gathered together and made into one loaf,
so too, we, your people, scattered throughout the world,
are gathered together at Christ's invitation
around your table and become one.
As grapes grown in the field
are gathered together and pressed into wine,
so too are we drawn together by your Holy Spirit,
and pressed by our times to share a common lot
and are transformed into your life-blood for all.
O risen Christ, you made yourself known to the disciples
in the breaking of the bread at Emmaus;
through our sharing in the bread of life
in our many Christian communions,
open our eyes and hands to the needs of all people.
Let our hearts burn to share your gifts
and help us to go forth with one another with bread:
bread of hope, bread of life, bread of peace.
Grant, O God, that we may truly be one church
with one baptism, one hope;
to proclaim one Lord Jesus Christ,
to the end of the age, to the praise of your glory. Amen.
Unison Prayer After Communion
Almighty and merciful God,
you made the disciples glad
by the sight of the risen Lord.
As he has come to us in this meal,
remind us that he is always with us,
and that we now share in his resurrection.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Benediction
As you have been fed at this table,
go to feed the hungry.
As you have been set free,
go to set free the imprisoned.
As you have received -- give.
As you have heard -- proclaim.
And the blessing that you have received
from Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
be always with you.
-- Kathy Galloway, ed., Worship in the Celtic Tradition from the Iona Community (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist, 1996), pp. 158-159
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Bread of life
Object: a loaf of unsliced bread
Luke 24:13-35
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. (v. 30)
Good morning, boys and girls. Easter was a busy time for God. Let's think about the things that Jesus did and how he did them. We have talked about the way he left the tomb and spoke with Mary Magdalene, and most of the disciples. Last week we saw how Jesus could just appear in front of people. One moment they were alone with the door locked and the next moment Jesus was in the room sharing the peace.
In our lesson today, there were two people walking on a road that led to a village called Emmaus. This village was almost seven miles from Jerusalem, which is not very far in a car but if you had to walk it would take you about two hours. Remember, it was Easter Day, and Cleopas and his friend were talking about the things that had happened that day. While they were walking Jesus came close to them and after a little bit he joined them in the walk. Even though they were disciples of Jesus they did not recognize him and when Jesus asked them what they were talking about they were surprised. What else is there to talk about when a dead person, buried in a tomb, is alive again? It was the only thing everyone was talking about. They wondered if he was a stranger or if he had been living in a tree or somewhere that no one visited. They began to tell this stranger all about the wonderful things Jesus did, but they finished by telling him that no one knew where Jesus was and how sad they were.
Then Jesus began to tell them about the scriptures. He talked about the mighty things that God did since the beginning of time. Jesus told them about Moses and all of the prophets, Cleopas and his friend were amazed. As a matter of fact, when they came to a spot where the two men were going to stop, Jesus walked on and they called him to please stay with them since it was almost evening. Jesus agreed and when they sat down at a table to eat their dinner, Jesus took a loaf of bread that looked something like this and he began to break it and give it to them. Suddenly they knew they were in the presence of Jesus and they were amazed. But as soon as they recognized Jesus, he vanished. He was gone like he had never been there. They were so excited that instead of going to Emmaus they went back to Jerusalem and found the disciples of Jesus and told them everything that had happened to them. It was the most exciting day of their lives.
The next time you sit down to dinner at your house and you take a piece of bread, think about Cleopas and his friend and the day they spent with Jesus. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 6, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
