What Do You Know?

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
May 8th, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Third Sunday of Easter
Luke 24:13-35
“What Do You Know?”

As you might imagine, with three children, I watch a good bit of children’s television. The other day, I was watching Dora the Explorer. For those of you not well versed in children’s television programming, Dora the Explorer is a about a young Hispanic girl who has adventures with her animal friends. Each episode is set up with a problem that must be solved. It also encourages those watching to help in the problem solving. On this particular day, I noticed something new. When faced with the day’s challenge, Dora encourages everyone to take a step back, take a deep breath, and then try to solve the challenge. In this way, Dora says, we can solve any problem that comes our way.
It is not a bad lesson for adults as well as children. There are plenty of times in my own life where stepping back, taking a deep breath and focusing on what I know enables me to deal with a given problem in a more effective way. This is really what is happening to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. The disciples are talking about what happened in Jerusalem. They “hoped that (Jesus) was the one to redeem Israel.” But instead, Jesus was crucified. On top of that, there were these crazy stories about a missing body and angels. The disciples are so stuck in their grief, confusion, and even fear that they are unable to see Jesus standing in front of them. Jesus enters into conversation with them in order to help them step back, take a deep breath and focus on what they know. As a result, they are able to begin a process which leads them to see Jesus in the face of a stranger.
Jesus’ approach to this is to use questions. In doing so, he is able to change the conversation and their thinking. Each question comes across as innocent and simple; they cut deep. “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” It is so powerful and so revealing that the disciples stop. They are unable to move and their emotions rise to the surface. Jesus has asked them to confront their pain. But instead of confronting their pain, they respond out of anger. “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” When someone pushes us to confront that which we would rather leave buried, our reaction is often to attack the messenger. Yet, Jesus disarms the anger calmly and with one more innocent question. “What things?”
These “harmless and innocent” questions allow the disciples to confront and to speak their pain and disappointment. They are able to witness to this stranger the events of the last few days. Having given them room to share and witness, Jesus then finally challenges them. He does not allow them to stay in the places of their pain without giving them a framework for understanding. Jesus, too, seems a bit frustrated with the disciple’s inability to see what happened in Jerusalem as part of the bigger story. While the disciples can retell the events of the recent past, they cannot place the recent past in the context of the scriptures. This, I believe, is the struggle going on in many churches, particularly what is referred to as the old mainline churches.
How do I know? Ask enough of the right questions to those who know and have been involved over a long period of time in our church and our denomination, and you will hear stories about the loss. There is a real sense of loss around membership, loss of money, death, grief, and a desire not to deal with the deeper issues surrounding “these things.” We are able to recount the glory days of the church and denomination. But there is clear confusion around the future. It is as if we stand with Mary in the garden and ask, “Where did they put the body we once knew as the church?” Like the disciples on the road, we too are in need of the voice of visitors and strangers to ask us what we are talking about. We need the innocent questions that will help expose the places of our grief, loss, and pain before we can hear what is coming next.
For three years running the Southern Baptist Church has been losing membership as a denomination. That has gotten people worried. After all, when Presbyterians, Methodists, and Episcopalians lose membership it is because they are liberal and do not love Jesus or believe the bible. But what happens when good, bible believing denominations begin to decline? The excuse that the loss of membership was around theology is exposed for what it is, untrue. A growing number of religious and social historians believe that we are experiencing a shift in the faith similar to what happened during the reformation. What will come out of this shift? No one can predict with clarity. But, there are plenty of people making a good bit of money who believe they can.
This seismic shift may not seem like good news, but I think it is. If, when are able to admit that the “glory days” in our denomination and our church are over, we might finally hear what Jesus has to say, because when he speaks it isn’t always quite what we want to hear. “Oh, how foolish you have been, how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets declared.” When Jesus reveals the scriptures to the disciples he places their story of loss into a larger story of hope. So too, this is a message for the church. It is only then that we begin to understand our mini story within the setting of the larger story of our faith that we can see and hear the rich treasury in the scriptures that help us to deal with and name our losses. It is only then that we can see the cross and tomb as part of our story too. It is only then that we can hear that hope is possible, even when we cannot see it standing right in front of us.
Because the disciples stepped back, took a deep breath, and focused on what they knew, their eyes were finally opened. They had to confront their loss of hope before they could move beyond themselves. Before they could welcome this stranger in their midst they had to be honest about their struggles. And notice that when the disciples welcome the stranger he is not left on the periphery of the meal. The stranger ends up being the host at the table. What would have happened if the disciples had said to this stranger, “You are welcome to eat at this table, but this is our table and we have a certain way of doing things so until you figure that out you are not about to serve as the host!” Instead, they are open to allowing this stranger to use his gifts without trying to control him. Because of this, they finally can see what had been right in front of them all along.
Stepping back, taking a deep breath, and focusing on what we know is not just good advice for children. Before we can hear what we need to hear, before we can see what we need to see, before we can remember what we have already been taught, we have to step back and breathe. This story is about hearing the scriptures, welcoming strangers, and breaking bread. This is the work of the church. It is that simple. But, it is grounded on a story that begins with death and loss, on the cross, in our church, and in our own lives. So, let us never become unhinged by the recent news of loss but understand it as part of a greater story. Step back, take a deep breath, and focus on what we know. Amen? Amen!