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"On the Road Again"
Preaching, both for the one speaking and for the ones listening, is a lot like stepping into a canoe – so much can go wrong so fast. The trick or skill required for success is to do two hard things at the same time -- focus on the task at hand and keep your balance. Therefore let me invite you to focus on four instructive aspects of our text, this many-sided diamond and to balance them together. Here, is a brief over-view of what we will be looking at: The walk along the road, the burning hearts of those who understand scripture, the breaking and sharing of bread for the journey, and finally the Motel 6 Mission of the Church today. Ready? Here we go!
Let us begin with the walk itself – the slow but critical journey of going from one place to the next, trying to get back home to a place of understanding and purpose, trying to make sense out of the seeming chaos and confusion of life. Life is often a bewildering journey – whether we are walking, riding in a Lexus, or taking a quick spin on the roller-coaster. Walking is the ‘I am on the road again" feeling where we try to sort out who we are, how did we get to this point, where am I going, and what will I do – or what do I want to do – when I get there. Luke lifts up several telling words and phrases about the emotional journey process of Jesus’ disciples – walking, talking, discussing, not recognizing, looking sad, losing hope, being astounded, and really being alive. Ah! The many moods of those who bet their lives on Jesus and try to follow him. "On the Road Again," made famous by Willie Nelson over the years, includes these familiar lyrics: On the road again Contrary to what some may argue, I don’t think all Christian disciples are called to be vagabonds and gypsies of the faith – always on the move to a new location in another city or another country. Rather, the journey of faith is more internal than external – we are to grow in faith and understanding of our relationship with God and each other wherever we are and whatever skills we have or need. Each time we come to worship and make music to the Lord with our friends, we should be broadening, deepening, and expanding our faith towards God and His friends. That should start us on "The Road to Emmaus" a rewarding journey that will take us a lifetime of walking with Jesus and listening for his guidance. Another facet of this gem of a story is suggested when the disciples look back on their journey on the road and ask each other (and us): "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" This reminds us that a regular – weekly or even daily – wrestling match with scripture is a necessary way for seeking and knowing God’s will for our lives. Luke is onto something crucial for faith development when he proclaims that we meet, connect, and bond with Jesus when we learn from him, when we allow him to open "the scriptures to us." There is a mysterious warmth and closeness when we allow him to teach, instruct and guide us in community on the road of everyday living. When our joyful sister in Christ Holly Fuqua preaches formally, she often uses a prayer which seems particularly appropriate for us and today’s text. Let us pray it now, right here in the middle of the sermon. Take my lips, Lord, and speak through them. This deeply spiritual prayer asks for God’s Word to work in and through us, and to set our hearts on fire – with the fire of passion, purpose and purification. Cleopas knew that feeling on the road, and so do we when we let the Spirit and scripture guide us as a community to do God’s will. The most familiar and the most amazing part of Luke’s instruction is how their eyes – and our eyes – are opened with recognition and understanding of Jesus with the breaking of the bread and the prayers after hearing the Word proclaimed through Jesus. We are invited to do this – in remembering Him -- again and again – together with other people of faith – over a lifetime, in many places, in different times of our lives, with different people, some living, some not, some we have yet to meet. Each separate communion becomes a part of one magnificent expansive memory and event. In Communion, Holy Communion, The Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, Sunday Dinner – whatever you call it –the most amazing thing happens again and again. We invite Jesus to share our fellowship – and He becomes the Host, not only at the table but for all of our lives. We are nourished and fed, forgiven and energized in His fellowship. Even on the road, wherever we are, we are at home with Him and His friends. He is Lord of the movable feast that feeds us wherever we go. Our call is both to renew and share that fellowship with all the world. Our mission is to proclaim and share the Good News, not to horde it, or squander it, or treat it as our personal "hidden" treasure. Like love, the more you give it away, the more you have of it. The front page of today’s bulletin reminds us "It is the responsibility of the whole congregation . . . to nurture those who are baptized to respond to the invitation to the Lord’ Supper." Welcome the child, the stranger; practice grace and hospitality to those who are unsure about who may receive. Take this fellowship to those who are unable to attend regular public worship. Recently Rabbi Marc Kline at Temple Adath Israel here in Lexington wrote an article in which he compared the eternal flame in his sanctuary above the Torah to Motel 6. He said the light reminds the Jewish people that the altar is always open for business, and that God is always available. Pastor Bill Kincaid, at Woodland Christian Church in Lexington, mentioned that analogy last month in a sermon. He said the church is one of God’s many agents in the world with the mission to remind the world that God is always available. We don’t always get it right. In fact, the church often gets it wrong about who should be included and excluded. So many things that seemed like a good idea at the time end up being not only bad, but embarrassing as one looks back over history. We often stumble, but we keep struggling with our call, our mission. And what is that mission? I like the way Bill Kincaid phrased it, although I have edited his words a little: The church mission in the Lord’s Supper is "To get word to every wounded soul, to every tattered relationship, to every oppressed and oppressing person, to every jaded policy maker, to every unjust institution, to every person searching for the right path . . . (to proclaim) that there’s healing and joy to be found in the church. There’s hope and acceptance. There’s kindness and support. That in the church the heart of the Holy One still shines." Our call, with God’s help and guidance, is "to say to a watching world and to every weary traveler that we are going to make sure that the church lives up to its calling. We’re going to expose what’s been hidden in the darkness. And we’ll promise to all who seek what is good and right and true and fair – that we’ll keep the light (of Jesus Christ) on for you. Sharing the light and life of Jesus is our Motel 6 mission in the church. As I look out at you my friends, and lift my eyes above those in the balcony, I see the stained glass window showing Jesus’ Transfiguration. One small but significant detail in that window now jumps out at me with startling freshness today. Above Jesus’ head, we see God’s light flowing into Jesus, transforming Him into the resurrected Christ. As we let the light of Christ come into our lives through the understanding of Scripture and the sharing of bread and wine, we too are transformed into the people of God, the light for every weary traveler who comes here to find the richest treasure on earth – the forgiving and empowering love of God, which overcomes the darkness in our lives and in our world. In the name of Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Stephen
Palmer