Burning Hearts - 3rd Sunday of Easter 2020

26 April 2020 

Luke 24:13-35

It is written in Luke’s Gospel, “Jesus took a loaf of bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of Me’.”  (22:19).

I mention this because the so-called Emmaus Moment has always been very odd to me.  The Resurrected Jesus was walking on the road to Emmaus with these two disciples and speaking with them, asking them questions … and they did not recognize Him.  We often speak of a “glorified body”, but it is still strange to me that these two guys did not seem to realize whom they were speaking to.

It was not until Jesus was at the table with them, blessed and broke the bread, and handed it to them that their “eyes were opened, and they recognized Him” (24:31). 

St. Augustine believed this to be the preeminent Sacramental Moment.  He wrote, “Remember, dearly beloved, how the Lord Jesus desired to be recognized in the breaking of bread, by those whose eyes had been kept till then from recognizing Him.  The faithful know what I’m talking about.  They know Christ in the breaking of bread.  It isn’t every loaf of bread, but the one that receives Christ’s blessing and becomes the body of Christ.  That is where [these disciples] recognized Him.  They were overjoyed and went straight to the others.  They found whom they already knew.  By telling what they had seen, they added to the Gospel.  It was all said, all done, all written down.  And it has reached us” (sermon 234.2).

For John Wesley, The Lord’s Supper, mysterious though it is, was very simple.  The Lord Jesus commanded us to receive this mercy.  “Do this”.  In the remembrance of the Resurrected Messiah, we are shown through the Scriptures and through doctrinal history and tradition that the surest way for our eyes to be opened is through the breaking of Sacred Bread; remembering all that goes with it.  It is, therefore, our need, the Church’s need, to be in “constant communion”.

In the early days of American Methodism, infrequent Communion was only because of the infrequency of an ordained elder’s visit, the circuit riders.  Over time it came to be known by many as Methodist Communion Sunday, usually the first Sunday of the month.  This was never Wesley’s intent, however, and he makes reference to our need to be in “constant communion” just as surely as we are encouraged by St. Paul to “pray without ceasing”.  The meaning is found in our need to constantly – and actively - remember Him.

Our need to remember, our need to be nourished, our need to be sustained, our need for constant mercy requires that we obey our Lord’s simple commandment: “Do this in remembrance of Me”.  Judging by what is written in Luke’s Gospel, then, it seems to be that this is when our eyes can be fully opened to experience His Presence, enabled as we are by the Mercy of The Lord to humbly submit ourselves to this Precious Gift our Shepherd and Teacher has left for us.  So we are left to ask, “When is there a time when we are not in need of His enduring mercy”??

Wesley also went to great lengths to answer objections to “constant communion” from those who argued according to St. Paul’s admonishment to the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:17-33) to refrain from receiving the Sacrament in an “unworthy manner” so as to avoid condemnation.  The plain truth as Wesley understood it is we are indeed unworthy to receive such a mercy.  Yet our merciful Lord commands us to “Do this in remembrance of Me”.

The manner in which we receive the Sacrament has everything to do with the means by which the Sacrament is delivered.  The long-standing practice of the Roman Catholic Church has been to require Confession prior to receiving the Sacrament.  This is the Church’s understanding of Paul’s instruction to “examine ourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For all who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment against themselves” (11:28-29).  Then he reminds us that “if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (vs 31).

Though we do not practice the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) as the Roman Church does, we are not excused from “examining ourselves” before we receive this remarkable Mercy.  Failing to do this honestly and openly is how we learn to take The Lord’s Supper for granted.  As Jesus established this enduring Sacred Moment we call “Sacrament”, He still pointed out that that not only would all abandon Him, one would go so far as to betray Him. 

Knowing this and calling them out on their own “unworthiness”, He nevertheless established this Mercy, this Means of Grace by which we are fed and through which we are forgiven – after we “examine ourselves”, of course, and confront and confess our sins.  As ugly as Confession can sometimes be, we acknowledge our “unworthiness” in this examination and feel our profound need to be forgiven.  So through this Enduring Mercy, to the humble and contrite heart, our Holy Father bids us to come, eat, be nourished, and be forgiven.

Some have expressed concerns about “constant communion” becoming little more than a mechanical response, a ritual that has the potential to become meaningless.  I will grant there is that danger, but I think this is what can happen when we fail to fully and honestly “examine ourselves”.  If we simply walk forward to receive Communion without opening ourselves to this Mercy, it can become just a thing we do.  Frequently or infrequently, the Sacrament can have little meaning for us if we only go through the physical motions while neglecting the spiritual disciple of our need to confess honestly and openly.

The Christian Church established Sunday not as the “new” Sabbath but as the Day of Resurrection, the Day of The Lord when we are to be reminded that neither the Cross nor the Tomb are our final resting places.  Though we must endure both, we are assured of Everlasting Life beyond each.  And we are assured each time we “Do this in remembrance of Christ Jesus”. 

As the two disciples on the road to Emmaus show us, a simple “burning heart” is not enough.  We are as unworthy to See as we are unworthy to Receive.  Yet the One who alone is worthy is the very One who commands us to Receive so we may See.  And when we See, we Remember.  And when we Remember, we will Follow.  And when we Follow, we will finally and fully Live the Life we are created to Live.

Let us never again take this Sacred Gift for granted; for it is through Him, with Him, and in Him where Eternal Life is found.  Amen.

The Long Winter - Easter 2020

12 April 2020 – Easter Sunday

Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 28:1-10

It is the strangest sensation I don’t think I will ever get used to – and I don’t want to!  Usually Easter is one of those special Holy Days when so many who otherwise would not attend formal worship do make time to gather with others.  Though we lament these absences throughout the year, we nevertheless celebrate when they come on those special occasions because it is in those moments when the Body of Christ is complete!

Yet here I stand again in an empty sanctuary, looking forward to the day when this long “winter” we will have endured will finally come to an end and we can gather formally and reconnect in a meaningful way.  It will be for many - hopefully for all - the most joyous occasion we can share; that this which we can so easily take for granted has been restored to us!  Sort of like returning from a long exile cut off from our world and all we only thought we had and knew.

When that day comes when we can gather once again, my prayer is that we will then come close to understanding what the apostles endured in those days after Jesus had been buried.  He who had become for them their True Compass was suddenly no longer leading the way.  They were not only afraid of what may have been coming to them, they were also very disoriented, confused, unsure of what to do except to hide from the religious leaders until they thought it was safe.

It was as if all Jesus had taught them about life, love, faith, discipleship, and what had to come had been completely lost on them.  We may think it strange, but this “long winter” we have been forced to endure may give us some sense of what they went through.  Though we have not been hiding from the “authorities”, we have been somewhat hidden from an unseen, potential danger, unsure of when we can go back out in public, unsure of whom to trust during this “long winter”, unsure of our next steps.

Like the circumstances we currently face, Jesus’ disciples did not really know when their “isolation” would come to an end.  In their great fear, given what they had watched Jesus endure and thinking they may be next, it is easy to believe that whatever they had learned in the past had been completely lost on them in this self-imposed isolation, in this great sense of fear.  It was perhaps the greatest trial any of them had faced.

Trials are ugly things, especially when we cannot know when they will end.  Given that our consistent prayer is that we be spared these trials and temptations, as Jesus taught us to pray, we are often unprepared for those times when our trials cannot be avoided.  Nor should they be - because we have been shown the glory that awaits us, through the Resurrection of our Lord, if we are willing to face these trials faithfully.

The trial we currently face has lasted well beyond the couple of days the apostles endured, but we are no less disoriented, unsure of our next steps, maybe even a little fearful of what may come next.  I try to read the news and stay informed, but my confusion is often exacerbated by the conspiracy theories swirling about as to the origin of this Virus and what may be next. 

The Lord alone knows what will happen next.  Regardless of what we may hear, regardless of our political affiliations, we must – we MUST – become MORE aware of our Lord and His Eternal Word than we are aware of the news from Washington DC.  There is too much uncertainty, too much conflicting information, too much believing “this” one or “that” one only because of their political party affiliation.

If nothing else, our long “winter” has been extended perhaps because The Church has yet to take from what has happened what must be lessons learned and applied to our next steps.  As I had previously shared, we have endured much worse in this nation’s past.  Each time we recovered with lessons learned but soon forgotten. 

Each time we went right back to business as usual … until the next time, the next “winter”.  It is not unlike the many times Israel stumbled, faced great challenges, and prayed The Lord to come rescue them.  The Lord heard their prayers and restored them.  It wasn’t long, however, before they were right back where they had been, having forgotten The Lord, having forgotten His Law, and having forgotten themselves and their true identity in Him.  Until finally the Exile was upon them, perhaps the longest “winter” they had faced.  Until The Lord had finally had enough of their seasonal faithfulness.

Easter is the holiest Day of the Christian calendar.  Because Easter falls in the Spring, it is easy to see the earth awaken from its long winter slumber.  It is readily seen with our eyes that which had once appeared dead suddenly appear to be full of life, never having really died.  We celebrate these things as we should, but it isn’t long before we, too, are back to “business as usual”.  The Holy Day passes and is soon forgotten.

Maybe this time the “winter” we must endure is going to take longer.  And maybe it is that, aside from all the conspiracy theories, we need this extended “winter” more than we realize.  Maybe it is we are not yet fully awakened.  Maybe it is our Holy Father is determined that we will not so quickly return to “business as usual”. 

Maybe it is our Gracious Father knows that in the midst of our uncertainty, our disorientation, we need more time to find our footing, to reconnect to Him before we can reconnect to one another and the world we still have to live in and navigate.  Maybe it is our Solid Rock on which we SHOULD stand knows we are not yet prepared to stand, to cast aside all else – especially our worldly affiliations - and follow His lead.

Maybe it is this pandemic is among the great gifts we can possibly receive because we are reminded of what is written in the Scriptures: “The Lord disciplines those whom He loves and chastises every child He accepts” (Hebrews 12:6).  For it must be, as the writer maintains, “If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not His children” (Hebrews 12:8).

In the midst of this long “winter”, however, we still have Easter.  We still have the knowledge of the Resurrection, and thus it is we still dare to hope.  And when our Father has determined we are indeed prepared and willing to bloom in His Glory, He will set us free from this long “winter” so we may truly begin to live.

Let us remember always to give glory where glory is due.  It is Him and Him alone who is worthy of our praise and adoration and full trust.  Let us be unafraid to claim His Name, and let us never forget the long “winter” we endured for His sake.  Glory to The Lord our God, and peace to His people on earth!  Amen.

"Signs" - Palm Sunday 2020

5 April 2020 – Palm Sunday

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Matthew 21:1-11

Writing to a dear friend this past week, I came to realize how completely consumed many of us are with the Virus – or maybe it’s just me ...  Reading through the prescribed Palm Sunday text (Matthew 21:1-11), I thought of the irony of Jesus riding into Jerusalem to a cheering and welcoming crowd even though we know they would soon turn on Him.  My mind immediately altered verse 8 without much thought: “A very large crowd … was called out on social media for being careless and inconsiderate idiots and were soon arrested and fined for violating stay-at-home orders”. 

Aside from my sarcasm, I have often wondered how we would react if we knew the Messiah were riding into town – especially today.  Would we gather?  If we gathered, would we practice “social distancing”, being more mindful of those around us than of the One coming into town?  Or would we stay home and hope someone live-streams or records it?  You know, someone from among the crowd we would still call out and curse for not being socially responsible …

I don’t mean to make light of what we face, and I certainly do not wish to diminish the importance of the reasonable precautions we must always take.  Yet even with our reasonable precautions and awareness, there is still this awareness that gets past many of us: we do not know when He is coming – only that He is.  We also do not know what He will look like.  By this, I refer to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus whose “eyes were kept from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:13-16). 

The people gathered in Jerusalem knew, or knew of, Jesus of Nazareth.  Some had only heard of Him, but it is also reasonable to assume many in the crowd had been touched by Him in some way.  It is reasonable to believe many were only excited about the prospect of the warrior-king “Son of David” driving the Romans out and reestablishing the Throne of David. 

It is also reasonable to assume many of those who had been touched and healed by Him were also among those who would demand His life only a few days later.  It is the harsh reality of being mortal – AND – impatient.

Sometimes we sanitize Bible stories to the point of convincing ourselves we would not turn so quickly in such a barbaric way, knowing Jesus as we think we do ... Yet a quick glance through some social media posts, many by known Christians - and what we surely know about “mob mentality”, reveals we do indeed have the capacity to be just as cruel, just as barbaric now as they were then – if not in deed, most certainly in word.

 We must be willing to find our own places in these stories as they unfold in the Bible.  Christ is indeed the Living Word, but the Word itself comes alive when we take our places in the stories and be honest with ourselves about where we would actually stand.  We cannot be disinterested or disconnected as though these stories are from so long ago that they no longer have any real meaning for us now.  And if we think we would recognize Jesus now as they did then, we’re really not paying attention.  Or we’re not being totally honest.

Yes, the angels did tell the apostles The Lord would return the same way He went (Acts 1:11), but did The Lord not also tell His apostles He would be with them (with His Church) until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)?  Did our Lord not also say that whatever we do to “the least of these” is a direct action toward Him (Matthew 25:40)?

My point is this.  I’m not sure what the “coming in the clouds” will look like exactly, but our Lord has taught that He is with us now.  Our Lord looks like any number of persons who struggle just to get through each day.  He looks like the millions who have lost their jobs.  The Lord has starved to death in the streets of slums throughout the world, and I am quite certain The Lord went to bed hungry and alone right here in Arkansas just last night.  I’m also pretty sure that if He looks like He did when He walked the earth some two-thousand years ago, being of Middle Eastern descent, we might more likely look upon Him with suspicion rather than welcome Him with open arms.

It is not always easy to know the right thing to do, and our impulses often deceive us.  Even adults, who are well versed in the Scriptures, struggle with navigating day-to-day obligations to our employers (if we’re still fortunate enough to have one), to our families, to our churches, and to those in need.  We want safety and security for ourselves and for those we love, but sometimes our fears and suspicions drive us to such extremes that our faith becomes strictly an internal feeling separate from our external lives.  As we should know, that is not faith.  Not even a little bit.

These are not unprecedented times we are faced with even as our reaction to this crisis is.  This country has struggled in the past through two world wars, the Great Depression, numerous recessions, and other pandemics – some deadlier than this one.  Each time we came out with the determination to remember the lessons learned, but it is not long before we forget, things get good again, and we go back to business-as-usual as if nothing happened – or will happen again.  This is portrayed by the welcoming crowd in Jerusalem that turned into a jeering and mocking and blood-thirsty crowd only a few days later. 

I am not prepared to suggest this pandemic is The Lord’s judgment on our nation and the world.  Maybe it is.  Truth be told, I have not asked Him directly more than I have only prayed for mercy, for wisdom, and for guidance. 

If it is Judgment, we are compelled to ask why and to be open and prepared to receive the Answer honestly.  If it is another Test, as one of many Israel faced in the wilderness, we must ask if we are only residually caught up in the sins of the many, or if we are among the many and refuse to acknowledge our part. 

We must be honest with ourselves and with one another because, on this Palm Sunday, this may be the real challenge we have yet to face: who is riding into town to announce His presence and to give us hope?  Caesar with “stimulus checks”, or The Lord who asks us to trust Him?  To whom are we looking for answers?  In whom do we hope?  And which will we turn on in only a matter of days when things don’t turn out the way we hope?

There is always a measure of triumph and hope on Palm Sunday.  What is expressed and conveyed by Jesus riding into town, however, is not always what is received.  The challenge for us always is to ask and to measure where our true hope resides; in Washington DC … or in the Eternal Kingdom?  Our honest answer may surprise us – and may also chart the course for the coming days.

In Jesus’ time, He rode into town to face what He would have to face for our sake.  In the time to come – perhaps in our own time - He will ride into town to collect His own for the sake of the Kingdom.  It is our challenge always to determine where we will be standing when – WHEN – He does.  And if we are being as honest as we are human, we can only pray - Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.  Amen.