Walking with Faith
Luke 24:36-53
April 19, 20, 2008

Greetings! It is wonderful to gather together to worship! And it is great to welcome back many folks who have been traveling the past couple of weekends during Spring Break! Beargrass sent hundreds of “missionaries” to vacation destinations all across the country—even outside the country. So, welcome home! We are in the midst of a seven-week sermon series that is being presented by a committee.Our Evangelism Consultant, Dr. Gary Straub, has been leading a class: “Practicing Resurrection—Walking the Way of Light.” The “Way of Light,” or “Via Lucis,” is a centuries-old Christian devotional practice based on 14 scripture passages. In an effort to complement Dr. Straub’s study, we have been using the “Via Lucis” passages during worship. Dr. Hull was our lead-off preacher, and he offered some helpful ideas about reading these resurrection stories in the Gospels. If you recall John’s sermon, you’ll remember that he said that when he lived in California there was concern about earthquakes—but not here. Right?!

In the words of the great theologian, Elvis Presley, last Friday morning we were “all shook up!” And I slept right through it—I have had to take it on faith from the stories of others that it actually happened! Rev. Julie Richardson Brown spoke eloquently about walking with awe. Last weekend, our super seminary students talked about the story of “The Road to Emmaus” and walking with strength. Next weekend, Dr. Straub will be preaching from another one of the “Via Lucis” passages as he describes walking with love. Today, I invite you to reflect on the passage we have heard from Luke 24 and think about walking with faith.

MOST OF YOU WHO KNOW ME WELL KNOW THAT I AM A PUN-LOVING PERSON. Because of that, one of my favorite cartoons is “The Wizard of Id.” You may have seen the cartoon in last week’s paper? The wee king stops by the zoo to have a conversation with the zookeeper. They are standing in front of the wildebeest area. (Now, please remember that a wildebeest is also called a “gnu.”) The king asks the zookeeper how things are going. The zookeeper says, “Well, I have good gnus and bad gnus.” The next frame shows the zookeeper in prison, in shackles. The prisoner next to him asks, “What kind of crime did you commit?” The zookeeper responds, “A bad pun.”After all of the years that I have pun-ished you with groaners, I would probably be given a life sentence from wee king in the land of Id! But I also want you to know today… I have some good news and bad news! And I’m not talking about wildebeests!

FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. I don’t have to tell you this—but sometimes it is a challenge to remain faithful in this world. With everything that’s going on around us, how difficult it is not to become distressed, depressed, and down-and-out! Sometimes we become perplexed by the pain and problems that people experience—and even wonder about the presence of God. And April…ah, April—this month when love is in the air and we should be basking in the glory of Easter and the beauty of springtime… For our nation, April is also becoming one of the cruelest of all months because of our collective memories of tragedies past. Our son, who just turned 17, has been imprinted with these April images…
April 19, 1993—the Branch-Davidian fire in Waco, Texas.
April 19, 1995—the Oklahoma City bombing.
April 20, 1999—the shooting at Columbine.
April 16, 2007—the massacre at Virginia Tech.
April 18, 2007—the Baghdad bombings—five different locations with hundreds injured and killed—and now we’re into the 5th year of the war.

In addition to these April images, we struggle to remain faithful to political and religious leaders—people who should be living with integrity and taking the high road. Presidential candidates hope their followers will remain faithful. Hillary is trying to regain credibility after taking some shots over taking some shots. Obama is reeling from some remarks about bitter, small-town, gun-totin’ Americans. McCain is being taxed for supporting tax breaks for the nation’s wealthiest. The folks in Frankfort and new governor are experiencing pension tension as millions of dollars get frittered away. Organized religion gets another jolt from the news about the FLDS Texas Polygamy Sect. Over 400 children need care. And many have been separated from their parents as the investigation of Warren Jeffs’ cult gets underway.

Pope Benedict the 16th is touring America in the “Popemobile,” trying to restore people’s faith in the Catholic Church—65 million strong—after years of painful stories of abuse. I don’t know about you, but it feels like we’re going through the “Via Crisis” instead of the “Via Lucis!” We are all too familiar with the “Via Dolorosa” and the “Via Crisis”—the “Way of Suffering and the Cross” and the “Way of the Crisis.” But thanks be to God! Thanks be to God—because that’s not the only way to go!

SO, HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS! Into a “Via Dolorosa/Via Crisis” world, God offers us the “Via Lucis”—the invitation to practice resurrection and remember these powerful stories from the Gospel! As Dr. Hull has pointed out, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John offer different insights and perspectives about the resurrection. Today’s lesson from Luke seems to focus on the physical resurrection of Jesus. The disciples’ doubt and disbelief are transformed into joy! As a demonstration of his physicality, Jesus asks for food. And I know it sounds fishy—but they give him some. And he eats it—and they don’t seem to flounder any longer!

Good news! Jesus lives! His dearest disciples become dynamic witnesses to his testimonies as well as to his physical risen body! Jesus says, “You are witnesses of these things!” “You will be empowered by the Holy Spirit!” “You will offer forgiveness and walk with faith! And I believe that the promise of His presence and the power of the Holy Spirit are still available to us today! -But sometimes we prefer to be stuck in the rut of the “Via Dolorosa” or the “Via Crisis!” We expect life and death and God to follow a certain set of rules and to meet certain rational criteria. Sometimes we scramble around trying to find alternative explanations for the empty tomb. But isn’t the resurrection where Christians start speaking a different language from everyone else—the language of miracle, the litany of faith? Aren’t these resurrection stories signposts that lead us to the “Via Lucis” and equip us to walk with faith?

The Apostle Paul proclaimed it simply and powerfully—“If Christ be not raised, then your faith is in vain.” Recognizing and celebrating the love of God and the presence of Christ is the spiritual glue that holds us together as the Church! And if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear and hearts that are open, resurrection moments are happening all around us. Let me share a few that happened for some of us during our Spring Break “missionary” vacation trips. Several of our families headed to “Louisville South,” Destin, Florida. Last week I received this note from one of the children. “Dear Mr. Leigh, Sorry we weren’t here last week, but at the house in Florida, Kate and I were the ministers.” “Sarah and Lauren (little, broken-arm girl) did the communion song (Every Move I Make), and we used Tostitos and Sprite for communion.” “It was the kids’ service—we had the adults come up and dip the Tostitos in the Sprite—and it wasn’t half-bad.” The note made me laugh at first—but then I thanked God! I gave thanks that our Beargrass children felt strongly enough about their faith to lead worship on a Sunday vacation morning in Florida.

On the first day of Spring Break, Ellen and I took an unexpected detour to Oxford, Ohio, to attend the memorial service for her cousin, Suzanne. We didn’t know Suzanne all that well or see her very often, but she had served for a long time as the Dean of Women at Miami of Ohio University. We also didn’t realize was that she was a person of immensely deep faith who positively influenced countless students and colleagues. Suzanne expressed her love of God in many ways, including writing meditations, which she called “Stillpoints.” A number of them were read at her service—here’s an example:
“The wilderness has enfolded me; I am never alone, for you, O Lord, are always on my right and left hands.”
“I have found my way, yet You have provided the markers.”
“I have sung a song of my own making, yet you have provided the harmony.”
“I re-enter the world changed!”
“I have been made new through You, with You, in You. Alleluia!”
And a part of me grieved—not only because of her death at a relatively young age due to ovarian cancer—but because we didn’t spend enough time together. But most of me rejoiced—because of her strong and vital faith.

And then I received this unexpected letter from my mother, who will celebrate her 80th birthday next month.
She writes: “I just wanted to share some thoughts with you.” (“My friend goes to your church’s website each week and runs off a copy of your sermon for me.) “It is my practice to set aside a special time to read your sermons.” “It has become a very meaningful experience for me.” “I have felt your growth and maturity and the depth of your faith and commitment.” “I just finished reading ‘A Heart of Awe,’ and I found it to be awe-some.” “I can sense that ‘things’ are happening to you—but what I really want you to know is that something is happening to me, also, as I share in your thoughts.” “I’m feeling a deepening of my own spirituality in a way that I have long searched for—but which always seemed to elude me.” “Jesus said, ‘A little child shall lead them…’” “Isn’t it amazing—awesome—that my child is leading me?!!” “Whatever is happening to both of us, I say, ‘Praise the Lord!’” “And may we continue to be open to his calling.” “I love you—Mom.”

And I gave thanks. And tears of joy rolled down my cheeks because of my mother’s new-found faith. A child of God shall lead them… It happened for my mother… It happened for those who knew Suzanne… It happened during a family vacation in Florida… And it continues to happen because Mary and Joseph’s child, God’s child, lives among us… And gives us strength and power to walk with faith.