Sermon

I was graced to be invited by the RUMC congregation to preach this morning. I fretted for a couple of weeks about this, because there was not flash of inspiration forthcoming. There were strands of this thought and that in my head, but I did not seem to have a clear focus for a homily. I took a quiet breath and hoped for a spirit-filled moment. It seemed appropriate that, on the final Sunday of Easter, we stop and recap. Where did all of this begin, where have we travelled thus far, and where will we go from here. I do believe that gospel is a living story, and that its meaning changes in relationship to the experiences and the people we encounter when we hear a familiar gospel account again. I do not mean to suggest that truth is relative. The truth is constant. How we come to see that is a function of all that we have been through.

We have had a couple of weeks of commentary about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. We have also had opportunities to hear him. Whatever we may think of his message, there is a point that seems to have been lost in all of the Fox News hubbub. It is the responsibility of Christians to take on the prophetic role, and in that role to speak truth to power. It is not a part of our story to call ourselves patriots first and Christians second. To do so is to miss the message of the gospel, which is to hold up the truth as a mirror in which the world can gaze upon itself, and see that it is divergent from the creative vision of God. At RUMC, as in many Christian churches, there is a flag in the sanctuary. There is also a cross. Perhaps these are there to underscore the tension that must exist between them, as we work to form a world conformed with God's vision. Or maybe it is a reminder that we must conform to our national story and national interests at the expense of letting go of some or all of the story that the cross symbolizes. I would hope this latter perspective is the one we adhere to. The cross reminds us of the cost that truth often carries. Jesus was executed not as a friend of the state, but as an enemy. Probably, from the Roman point of a view, an insignificant enemy, but an enemy nonetheless. Imagine what the Fox News commentators would have said about his "incendiary messages." Imagine how many presidential candidates would want to distance themselves from him!

God's vision is of love, of compassion and justice. When the church and state develop an easy comfort, we stray from this vision. We start to explain why love is a great ideal, and an impossible reality. We recognize that compassion is a wonderful thing to extend to those who are easy, those whom we like. And justice is for you and me, but not for those who illegally cross borders to work and feed their families. You see, Christians are not just a "voting block," a group you go to and spout the slogans to and then all is well. Christians are those irascible sorts who say that there is no "just war," because we do not choose who to love and who not to. That is not our story! Christians are the stumbling blocks who want to feed the hungry and house the homeless, even if they don't seem to want to work, or to contribute, or pay it back. We extend compassion to all; we do not get to pick and choose who should benefit from compassion. Christians are the ones who stand and say NO to all that threatens social justice. It is simply unacceptable. We must be willing to fully embrace God's creative vision and all that implies. It does, in fact mean, that we have to come to grips with our own mortality, our own vulnerability, the sense that someone, somewhere may think we are in the way and need to be punished for it. Look at the cross. What do you see? If you see anything less than the responsibility to be fully in love, fully compassionate, and fully committed to justice, you are not seeing the cross.

Several weeks back, we read the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. These travellers were a discouraged pair. They saw what was immediately in front of them, and nothing else. Even when Jesus reinterpreted all of the Hebrew scriptures for them in a way which would allow them to see through their time and place and enter into God's vision, they could not do it. These two were certainly admirers of Jesus. But notice that they are walking away from the action. They are certainly no going to Emmaus to spread the word. They have left Jerusalem because it's all over. Jesus was a good thing, they are thinking, but all good things come to an end and he did. And yet, imagine, his tomb was empty. Huh.

Good things do not come to an end, but grow and grow until their light outshines evil. Good things come of love, compassion and justice. That is just true.

These admirers-- not disciples of Jesus-- invite him to dine with them, and in an instant their eyes are opened when they recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Back to Jerusalem they trotted to spread the news. And the news is simply, "I get it! He is alive!" He is alive because after the resurrection, everything is different. After the resurrection their is more than ever a reason for taking love, compassion and justice into the dark, suffering world. If we can see Jesus in such a simple thing as a loaf of broken bread, what prevents us from seeing him in everyone we encounter, at every moment of our lives? That is the difference between admirers of Jesus, and disciples of Jesus. True disciples are able to let go of everything that most of us cling to in order to be in this time and place. True disciples do not see the world as it is, but for all of the possibility that God's love has infused into it. True disciples cannot be anything but compassionate. True disciples cannot tolerate even one instance of injustice. We are called to be different, to act different, to be prophetic in this world. And the truth is, that gets us into trouble. This is our story. Are you willing to take it on and live it?

The journey we have travelled since Easter Sunday has been toward recognition of God at work always and everywhere in the world. The message of Pentecost will be that God's work breaks through all divisions, all obstacles to human love, compassion and justice because God love is human love. God's love, though always present and available, is expressed through the actions of God's creatures. Talk about responsibility! And yet, that is the message of Christianity. It is not about privilege, but about responsibility. We must each be responsible to love, to act with compassion, and to bring justice into this world.

Blessings for week, and Christ's peace to you and all whom you encounter this week. Alleluia!