Grace Congregational UCC

“Along the Road”
Luke 24:13-35
Romans 1:16-17

July 15, 2007 - Kim M. Henning

A couple weeks ago a letter arrived in the mail that had my name on it but the address on the envelope was an address from years ago. Our family has lived on 43^rd Street for 19 years. The address was older than that. The envelope was not sent to Iowa where we lived for six years, neither was it sent to St. Louis, MO or Toledo, OH—homes along the way. The letter came to my father’s home where I was raised and where I lived for 22 years outside of Kiel.

After being away for nearly 30 years, it was odd receiving a letter at that address. It was a first class letter from an out-of-state cheese factory, inquiring if I was looking for a job and interested in relocating.

Though I still retain a cheese making license, the writer of that letter probably doesn’t know that I haven’t worked in a cheese factory for 28 years. There was a time, another time—long ago, when I was not bad at that vocation. In fact, I hoped for many years as a child and I honestly thought that I would follow in the steps of my father, and my grandfather before him.

What is a person supposed to do with life? What is the purpose to our existence here on earth? If God has anything to say at all what would God want from us?

Similar to Peter, Andrew, James and John who once upon a time were fishermen making a living, the cheese factory was what I was born into by the providence of God. We begin life in many different places. I could have been born in a Third World Country. I could have been born in Central Appalachia, in a city, on a farm, in a place that is different from where I was raised.

Life’s road is paved with mystery. How could it be that one who was totally disinterested in Christianity as a child would choose this as a vocation? There is nothing here to be self-congratulatory about. How could it be that a toddler who sighed with resentment when taken to worship on a Sunday morning would somehow find a life here that I fail miserably at and yet I believe is still the best?

It’s all God, I’m fully convinced. It’s all Spirit from God directing us, it’s all Spirit from God grabbing hold of us and it’s all Spirit from God walking with us along roadways that otherwise we would never walk.

The Bible is full of stories like this.

Take, for example, Abraham and Sarah being told in their old age, when it ceased being with Sarah the way of women—that they would bring a child into this world? Who, but God, could do something like that? And who but God could lodge that story into our heads?

Take Moses. I am startled every time I heard that story of a burning bush, and a voice that says, “take off your shoes for you are standing on holy ground?” Who, but God, would invite a shepherd to become a leader of justice? A liberator of Hebrew slaves?

What about Jesus, preaching, ‘turn the other cheek’ or ‘let the greatest become as a servant’? What about Jesus walking on water, calming a storm? Imagine, just imagine, letting his teachings get a hold of us and what his teachings are capable of doing if we listen with half an ear or even half a heart?

As you have done it onto the least of these, you have done it onto me.

This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.

Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.

Along the road, what voices do we listen to?

Along life’s way, who do we trust?

In this pilgrimage, what do we believe as much as we believe in ourselves? What do we believe as much as we believe in our feelings, as much as we believe in our human rights?

It was on the evening of Easter.....two disciples walk along a road that goes from Jerusalem to Emmaus. I’ve always loved that story. Long before I knew anything about Emmaus Home in Marthasville, MO, the story of those two disciples ‘along the road’ has always gotten to me.

Two disciples are simply walking along the road like you and I many times walk along the road. They are kicking up dust, and slowly walking home—and they’ve got all kinds of questions going through their heads. Those two disciples don’t know what to believe. They had been in Jerusalem when Jesus had been put to death on Friday. That was real enough. But now another story started circulating. There was a rumor be passed around of a resurrection, but how real could be?

So these two disciples are just kind of walking along.... a little talking, I suppose, a whole lot of silence when they were mysteriously joined by another.

What are you talking about?

Are you the only one who doesn’t know what has happened in Jerusalem?

What?

The things having to do with Jesus who was crucified but some say now has been resurrected? We had hoped he would be the one to redeem Israel but we’ve been waiting three days and nothings been happening.....

And with that he began to open to them the scriptures and he began to tell them all kinds of stories about himself but of course they did not know that he was Jesus.

It’s a beautiful story. When all other conversation runs out.....or at least when all other conversation becomes meaningless, this stranger opens to them the scriptures. Isn’t that the truth?

And then, they arrive at Emmaus, and the stranger appears to be going onward, beyond Emmaus. But the two disciples with some radical hospitality (using Pastor Kristy’s words), somehow convinced the stranger to stay with them.

And then Jesus came into their home and he took the loaf of bread that was on the table, and he broke it, and in that instant they knew Jesus was with them.

We are all walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Often times, many times, our heads are bowed down. Often times, many times, we don’t know how to make sense of life. Often times, many times, we can’t quite figure out what it is we are expected to do with these lives.

But along the road....a stranger joins us. ..... We are never left alone.

When we start looking, there are many times along the road that we are blessed with presence that could be only from above.

God help us, we don’t have 20/20 vision to know what to do with our lives. God help us, we make all kinds of mistakes. God help us, we sometimes just don’t know what we do what we do. But the truth be known, Jesus joins us and walks with us more than we’ll ever realize.