The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
One of my •
Greatest joys
•
Each week is
Getting to •
Write a sermon
Now …as •
I write and prepare
There are •
Some questions
I try to •
Keep in mind
The first one being: •
Is what I’m saying
Relevant to the •
Daily life of
•
Real people?
The other question•
The one most
Applicable to •
Today’s readings:
Am I trying •
To explain
Something that’s •
Not meant
•
To be explained; 1
Something… •
Way beyond
My, or anyone’s •
Descriptive powers?
I say this •
In light of
•
The fact that
Again we are privy •
To another
Post-Crucifixion •
Appearance of Jesus
Now before •
I get to this
I want to do a •
Little review of
Basic… •
Everyday physics
And I mean •
Really basic
Our physical bodies are •
Limited by
What’s called the •
Space/Time
•
Continuum.
Which means that
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
•
In my body,
If I am here •
I cannot be
•
Somewhere else.
Though this •
Law of science
Once… •
Held true of Jesus
What we •
Learn in the
•
24th chapter of Luke
Is that with the •
Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus’ Presence •
Has no limits.
I mention the •
24th chapter of Luke
From which •
Our gospel comes
Just a •
Little review:
The chapter begins •
With Peter’s
Discovery of the 3
•
Empty tomb
If that wasn’t •
Enough to digest
The action then moves •
Directly to
Another •
Jesus appearance
The passage •
Actually begins
“Now on that •
Same day…”
(The “same day” •
Being the day
Jesus busted out of •
The tomb)
“Two of them were •
Going to a village
•
Called Emmaus,
About seven miles •
From Jerusalem,
And talking with •
Each other about
All these things •
That had happened.
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
While they were talking •
Jesus himself
Came near and •
Went with them,
But their eyes •
Were kept from
•
Recognizing him.”
The pair did end up •
Recognizing Jesus
But he only •
Came alive
When they shared •
A meal together
“That same hour •
They got up and
•
Returned to Jerusalem;
And they found •
The eleven and
Their companions •
Gathered together.
They were saying, •
‘The Lord has
•
Risen indeed,
And has appeared •
To Simon Peter!’
5
Then they told what •
Had happened
•
On the road,
And how he •
Had been made
Known to them •
In the breaking of
•
The bread.”
And then we pick up •
Where we are today:
While they were •
Talking about this,
“This” •
Being Jesus’
Appearing to •
The guys on the
•
Road to Emmaus
Jesus himself •
Stood among them
And said to them, •
‘Peace be with you.’
See What’s •
Going on?
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
Do you see •
The pattern?
Jesus is •
ALL-OVER
•
The place
At the •
Same time
And wherever •
Jesus shows up
He’s either •
Not recognized
Or thought •
A ghost
After all, •
These same guys
Had seen Jesus •
Nailed to a tree
Only to have him, •
Appear to them
In bodily form •
A few days later
The guys are glad •
To see Jesus
But they are •
Understandably 7
•
Flabbergasted
By what •
They are seeing
The Scripture •
Wonderfully
Describes it •
Like this
In their joy •
They were
Disbelieving and •
Still wondering
I love thatIn their joy •
They were
Disbelieving and •
Still wondering
Sensing their unease •
Jesus sought to
•
Bring them into
A more •
Comfortable place:
So he did what •
He always did
He asked
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
•
A question
He asked, simply: •
‘‘Have you
Anything here •
To eat?’
Are you kidding?" Do you have •
Anything here
•
To eat?"
That doesn't sound like •
The question of a
•
Risen Lord.
That sounds more •
Like the question
Graham asks •
When he
Gets home •
From school
But apparently, •
Rising from the dead
Really works up •
An appetite.
•
Who knew? 9
Get this fellow •
Something to eat!
So his disciples •
Do just that…
They give Jesus •
A piece of
•
Broiled fish
And •
He eats it.
Why are •
We surprised
Jesus makes “Himself •
Known in the
•
Breaking of bread”
He said it the •
Last night of his life
Remember me •
When you
•
Do this…
And when he •
Said “Do This”
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
He wasn’t just •
Talking about
•
A ritual meal
We do as part of •
Our worship
He was talking •
About anytime
We gather to •
Break bread
•
Together
I love that •
When Jesus
•
Seized upon
A touchstone •
Meant to evoke
•
His presence
He didn’t pick •
Something obscure
•
Or uncommon
He didn’t say •
When you drink
Warm Pomegranate •
Juice on the
•
5th of May
I’ll… 11
•
Be there
Instead he chose •
Most basic of
•
Human activities-
We all have •
Got to eat-
I want you to •
Think about
Who you •
Eat with-
How you •
Do it
How sacred •
That time is
And I think •
You’ll see that
You already have •
Beloved rituals
As holy as •
Any aspect of
•
Our Eucharist.
I encourage you •
To nourish
Those traditions •
And gatherings
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
To treat them •
Reverently
The truth is: •
If we based
•
Knowing Jesus
On trying to •
Successfully grasp
The physics of •
Jesus’ rising
•
From the dead
And then •
Appearing
•
Simultaneously
All over •
The place
That is•
If we based
•
Our faith walk
On trying to understand •
The ins and outs of
What is meant •
To be a mystery
Our journey •
Will probably
End up being one 13
•
In missing the point.
But so that •
We don’t
•
Miss the point
It’s as if •
Jesus is saying
Pay attention •
To things we are
•
Already doing
And realize that •
God is
•
Already present;
Sometimes •
The simplest truth,
The deepest miracle, is •
An offer of
•
A meal.
It is a mother or father •
Making pancakes,
It is the volunteers •
At a shelter
•
Packing lunches,
Preparing a meal •
And eating it
The Rev. Jeff Hammond Easter 3b 2015
•
With someone
Involves an earthy, •
Real kind of love
A love •
Doesn’t hinge on
•
Anything like
•
Complex theology
Sharing a •
Special meal
Bonds us •
To one another,
Calms us, •
And assures us
•
That we are loved.
Before he was killed •
Jesus tried
To teach us •
This more
•
Than once.
And when he •
Returned after
•
The resurrection
He showed us with •
His actions
What to do when 15
•
We want to
Reassure those •
Who are hurt or worried,
And how is •
This done?
Sometimes as simply •
As saying
Come •
Let’s eat.
Amen.