Pastor Jonah Sage preached Luke 24:9-27. He encouraged us to prepare to be surprised by hope.
Pastor Jonah Sage preached Luke 24:9-27. He encouraged us to prepare to be surprised by hope.
Welcome to Sojourn, thank you for making us part of your holiday tradition this year
I have good news and bad news for us.
Today’s a holiday, so I’ll start with the bad news so we can get on to the good stuff.
Two weeks ago I came home from work to terrible news.
A mosasaurus was attacking us in the living room.
For those who don’t know…
Mosasaurus
I was scared. My wife was scared. But my four year old, Salem, was not.
His name comes from the Hebrew word for peace and wholeness. Fitting name.
He came to me filled with confidence and calm and said, “DADDDY. Good news. Chase is on the case. The pups are ready!”
Paw patrol
For the next half hour, the pups defended adventure bay from a mosasaurus
Laying there on the floor, we were transported into a world of wonder.
The pups became super pups when it turned out the mosasaurus could breath fire
Skye got out her special mobile (Salem’s words) when he started flying.
Rubble and Rocky and Zuma were able to flip the monster onto it’s back exposing his Smaug-like underbelly. We defeated him. Pups saved the day.
Children so often are wonder-machines. They are hope-factories.
I miss that. One of the most surprising parts about being an adult is how hard hope is.
Every rock was a mountain to climb. Every tree a giant to slay. Every puddle an ocean to explore. The snails in my back yard fascinate my children like a buried treasure.
I miss that. Easter is hard for me, because it’s a day of hope…and hope feels hard.
I want to hope that the night is almost over.
I want to hope that this was the last school shooting, the last unprovoked war, the last unexpected diagnosis, the last word spoken hastily that turned into another argument with the one I love most. I want to hope the night is almost over.
But hope feels hard, and when hope feels hard I want to escape.
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened
-Luke 24:13-14
Two of Jesus’ followers hoped the night was almost over.
They hoped he was the hero who would slay the monster and save the day.
But Jesus died and was buried…and everyone went into hiding.
These two went to Emmaus…seven miles away. How must they have felt?
Emmaus is a real place they went to, and it’s a place we all go to, too, especially when hope feels hard.
Emmaus is the place that we go in order to escape--a bar, a movie, wherever it is we throw up our hands and say, "Let the whole damned thing go hang. It makes no difference anyway"...Emmaus may be buying a new suit or a new car or smoking more cigarettes than you really want, or reading a second-rate novel or even writing one. Emmaus may be going to church on Sunday. Emmaus is whatever we do or wherever we go to make ourselves forget that this world holds nothing sacred: that even the wisest and bravest and loveliest decay and die; that even the noblest ideas that men have had-—ideas about love, freedom and justice—have always in time been twisted out of shape by selfish men for selfish ends.
-Frederich Beuchner
Where is Emmaus for you? Where do you go when hope feels hard?
Don’t know what was waiting for these men in Emmaus, but we know why they went
Hope had grown hard. Caught in the pain of deep longing and deeper disappointment
The promises of the prophets, even the words of Jesus, did not numb their pain.
So they ran. They escaped. They went to Emmaus.
As they were talking…
Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them.
-Luke 24:25
How does Jesus respond to their lack of faith?
He himself came suddenly. And what? To yell? Correct? Chide or tease?
He walked with them…
But God kept them from recognizing him.
-Luke 24:26
Why did he do this? I don’t know. I wish I did! But that’s not the good news here.
God was with them even though they didn’t know it. Did you hear that?
God was with them even as they were escaping, doubting, depressed and disappointed
Was God with them because of their faith? Or their hope? Or their love? No.
Why was God with them? Because he chose to walk with them.
They didn’t see. They didn’t ask for it, and they certainly weren’t expecting it.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
-Luke 24:17
The comedy of God! How disarming. How kind.
Do you know how God usually responds to our lack of faith, times of disappointment and discouragement?
He shows up unexpectedly with a posture of curiosity. Here are some of God’s favorite questions: Where are you? Who told you? What do you want? Where are you going?
What are you guys talking about?
I know hope is hard. But I want you to know that God is close to you, even now.
I know you don’t see it. I know you aren’t expecting it.
And maybe you’re afraid to believe that, because no one ever told you God comes to you with questions, not condemnation.
If you read this story in Luke 24, these men pour their hearts out to Jesus.
They share their deep pain with him, their longings and disappointments.
They didn’t know they were speaking to God, but they were honest.
God’s favorite place to show up is honest places.
Not holy places, not pretty places. Honest ones.
When the night seemed darkest, and even on the road of escapism, they were honest.
Jesus’ response to their honesty might be the response you’re afraid of:
You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.
-Luke 24:25
There it is, right? The hammer drops! I knew God would be angry! Maybe…maybe not.
The pain of people’s doubt was real for Jesus, it grieves God.
But it grieves him like a father watching his child make another painful choice.
Look what Jesus does next:
Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
-Luke 24:27
Oh the patient kindness of God.If God was just angry, he would have stormed off.
Instead, God slows to a walking pace with them.
He patiently explainS to them that everything was going according to plan.
He meets them at their pace and in their place. Patiently. Slowly. Kindly.
He helps them to understand…but that did not help them to see.
They wanted more from this man. The Bible lesson was not enough.
The answers were not enough. They wanted more.
They begged him to stay for dinner. And he did! Consider with me!
In their deepest pain, what does God do?
He shows up unexpectedly. He meets them where they are. He goes at their pace. And then he eats with them.
As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem.
-Luke 24:30-33
When the Bible study was over, they were sad and wanted more. When they saw that it was Jesus, EVEN THOUGH HE DISAPPEARED, WHAT DID THEY DO?
They didn’t even finish eating. They went back to Jerusalem. another seven mile walk!
See…the Bible study made their hearts burn. They wanted more. It was good and beautiful and powerful, but they still burned for more.
It was Jesus They wanted. It was Jesus that was enough. Seeing him was enough.
It was enough to turn from their pain. It was enough to go back home.
He was enough.
I don’t know what disappointments you carry with you this morning.
I don’t know if hope has grown hard for you like it has for me.
But I want to invite us this morning to be prepared to be surprised by hope.
He is with you, even if you don’t see it.
He is meeting you in your place, at your pace, even now.
He is not setting you up to tease or chide or condemn, but to save, inspire, and heal.
Be prepared to be surprised by hope. Expect his coming. Expect his nearness.
He may come to you on your way to Emmaus, maybe in his word, maybe even over a meal. I don’t know where, but he will come to you.
Be prepared to be surprised by hope.
You may not see it. But he is coming, he is near, and he is enough.
Look for him. You cannot escape him, he will find you, he will come for you, even as you head to your Emmaus.
Be prepared to be surprised by hope.
You are not forgotten. Hope is not lost. He loves you, he won’t stop pursuing you, and he is with you, because He is risen.
Be prepared to be surprised by hope.
Pray with me.