A mom was out walking with her 4-year-old daughter when her girl picked up something from the ground and started to put it in her mouth. The mother tells what happens in her own words:
"I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that."
My daughter quickly asked, "Why?"
"Because it's been lying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs," I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?"
I thought quickly and said, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, as she pondered this new information.
"Oh...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy?"
I smiled and replied, "Exactly."[1]
Does it feel some days as if life is a test for which you didn’t study? Then you are in luck, because in today’s passage, we found two disciples who were in the same boat, and what they discovered that day changed their lives and could change yours as well.
First, Jesus comes into the messiness. Why these two disciples left Jerusalem is not clear, but they are obviously depressed about Jesus’ crucifixion. Are they trying to leave the hard facts of death behind as they head out of town? In the midst of their confusion and sadness, Jesus comes. Two weeks from tomorrow, the packers come to pack up all our things. In the meantime, we are sorting and packing and we are living into the messiness trying to get ready. But ready or not—and yes, we will be ready—the movers will be there. Jesus doesn’t wait until these disciples are organized and ready, and Jesus doesn’t wait until our lives are neat and orderly. Jesus comes into the messiness of our lives.
Second, Jesus cares about what’s going on inside us. You’ll notice that Jesus asks these disciples what they are talking about, and truly listens to their response. At church camp, I saw two of the high school guys standing by each other. This is how the conversation went: “How ya doin’?” asked one. “Fine. You?” “It’s cool.” Then they just stood there, not knowing what to say. Finally, one said, “Want to throw the Frisbee?” and both relieved, they ran out to the field. These guys crack me up, but women are often no better. Why do we ask, “How are you?” if we are not really ready to listen, or really ready to share. Jesus knows what is going on for these two disciples, knows what has upset them, but Jesus knows telling someone what is really on our hearts helps and heals us. Jesus cares enough about what’s going on inside to truly listen to our hearts.
Finally, Jesus explains to the disciples why it had to be. One of the great books I read a while back is The Juvenilization of American Christianity, by Thomas Bergler. He describes how in America, we have become satisfied with a nice God who wants us to be good, and who helps us on the road to self-development. But this empties the Cross of its power, forgetting that we can worship and experience the power of God in our suffering as well as our good times. Bergler writes, “We must be vigilant and creatively compensate for what gets lost in translation when we use the language of youth culture. For example, if we sing songs that highlight the emotional consolations of the faith, what can we do to help young people also embrace the sufferings that come with following Jesus?”[2] Indeed, Paul experienced God saying, “My grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Jesus explains to the disciples why it had to be in a way that made their hearts burn with joy and passion.
What do we do with God’s plan? It’s a question we each have to answer. It’s a question our church has to answer. Max Lucado tells the story “of a group of climbers who set out to scale a large mountain in Europe. The view boasted a breathtaking peak of snowcapped rocks. On clear days the crested point reigned as king on the horizon. Its white tip jutted into the blue sky inviting admiration and offering inspiration. On days like this the hikers made the greatest progress. The peak stood above them like a compelling goal. Eyes were called upward. The walk was brisk. The cooperation was unselfish. Though many, they climbed as one, all looking to the same summit. Yet on some days the peak of the mountain was hidden from view. The cloud covering would eclipse the crisp blueness with a drab, gray ceiling and block the vision of the mountaintop. On these days the climb became arduous. Eyes were downward and thoughts inward. The goal was forgotten. Tempers were short. Weariness was an uninvited companion. Complaints stung like thorns on the trail. We’re like that, aren’t we?”[3] For more than a year, the direction of God seemed clear. We felt God’s power come as we sang and worshiped, worked and laughed together. What do we do with God’s plan? We could see the peak to which God was calling us—life as a family of followers of Jesus Christ…we said it in our Covenant and Mission this morning—but now we cannot see the future as clearly. What will we do with God’s plan?
Life can indeed seem like a test, for which we haven’t studied. But life is always changing, infinite in its diversity and surprises, so we need God’s help to make it through, especially when God’s plan isn’t clear. In many ways, I wish today were not happening. But I know, I know, this is right for me and my family, and for our church family. I am not altogether happy about it—as I have said to some of you, God and I have had words about this—but I have this sense of great blessings around the corner for all of us. I believe God is leading you all forward to a future in which the blessings are greater than we who are now here, can even imagine. In fact, one of the reasons I love this story of the Road to Emmaus is that when we are, like these two disciples, wondering what to do with God’s plan, Jesus comes into the messiness of our lives and really listens to us—what are we thinking, what are we sad and upset about. Then, if we will listen, Jesus will use God’s Word to explain. Jesus tells us of the never-failing, sacrificial love of God, of the way the Christ will help us put God’s Will above our own, and how the Cross (a symbol of death) releases the power of forgiveness and healing. Jesus is with us, though it may be—like the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus—that Jesus will use someone from our family or our church or a complete stranger to explain it to us. And yet…when we worship, and God takes us, and blesses us, and breaks us, and gives us to each other and to the world. Then our eyes will be opened, the eyes of everyone will be opened, and we will all see Jesus Christ is indeed with us in a way that fills our hearts with passion and our limbs with energy to tell the Good News! Jesus is risen and is with us! Hallelujah!
Pastoral Prayer:
Lord Jesus, guard and keep us in our comings and goings. Help us to see your face in each other’s faces, hear Your voice in each other’s voices, and grant us the strength and courage to respond to Your direction with joy-filled hearts. Amen.
[1] From a sermon by Mark Opperman, “Mothers: Guardians of the Heart,” 6/19/2012. SermonCentral.com.
[2]Thomas Bergler, “When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity,” Christianity Today, June 2012, Vol. 56:6, pp18ff. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/june/when-are-we-going-to-grow-up.html
[3]Lucado, Max. God Came Near : Chronicles of the Christ, pp. 189–190. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1987