Share the story…

April 23, 2023

Scriptures: Luke 24:13-35

Our scripture readings for the last three weeks, including today’s, all speak to the telling of stories…of people sharing stories about their faith and belief…excitedly sharing how they had seen and encountered the risen Lord after the resurrection.  Two weeks ago we heard of Mary Magdalene and Jesus’s mother Mary’s early morning encounter with Jesus after leaving the empty tomb, and of how they ran quickly to share their amazing story with the disciples who were still fearful and hiding out of sight for fear of the authorities.

Then last week we heard about Jesus coming to the disciples himself, appearing to them in the upper room. We heard how he breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit telling them that his work was now theirs to carry on. And then there was Thomas who was not present when Jesus came. And we listened as the others excitedly shared the story of their encounter with Thomas, which he promptly rejected saying he had to see Jesus for himself in order to believe!  And then of course our loving Lord obliged, and a week later he appeared again, apparently coming right into the locked room somehow in order to bring Thomas into the circle of those who had seen and now believed that indeed, he had risen.

And then for today we have the charming story of the two followers of Jesus who were traveling on the road to Emmaus and of how Jesus drew near and joined in with their conversation. We heard them share with Jesus how depressed they were, and of their struggles since the death of Jesus. Then we heard how their eyes were opened when Jesus blessed and broke bread with them at dinner. Our story goes on to say that ‘in that hour’ they left where they were staying and returned with haste back to Jerusalem in order to share their own incredible ‘resurrection encounter story’ with the rest. They ran all the way back the seven or so miles to Jerusalem…just to share their story.

So, for the last three weeks we have witnessed the importance and the power of telling stories when it comes to sharing our faith, for in truth, it is what we are called to do.  For you see, our faith grows and is strengthened each time we tell our story…each time we share with others the amazing journey we are traveling together alongside of our Lord. In fact, it could be argued that faith is dependent on ‘story’…dependent on both experiencing, and then sharing one’s story with others. Faith is a shared experience, and it cannot exist within the soul and heart of one person alone. Every time we share of how we have encountered the Lord in our daily walk and life with each other, and with others in our community, we grow stronger in our belief and more comfortable speaking of the wonder that is our God. Faith is expressed most authentically within that space between two or more individuals in human relationship. 

Some think of faith as an intensely personal thing…as the substance of a personal one on one relationship with God. And to be sure it is. However, faith finds its power and purpose when it is shared and practiced within the body of believers, when it is brought to life in word and action.

In the second chapter of the book of James we hear that faith cannot just be words, but rather must be accompanied by actions for it to have any usefulness in the plans and purposes of God. For faith to have real substance then, and for faith to have its true and anointed power and purpose it must be a part of the human story.

Faith is all about community, a community that finds its origin and strength in the telling and sharing of stories. They are its starting point, its regenerative power, and its very sustenance. Without community, faith is without a home and without a locus of purpose. And faith ‘as lived out by people’ is a story. It is the tale of a journey, the story of the people of God together. A tale of people searching together, striving together, and together continuing to write the story of God’s love as it is brought to fullness of life in our midst. 

Here in our own church community we have our own story.  It is a tale of resilience, of authentic care and compassion lived out in the midst of this small community. And it tells of a very loving and very persistent God who for so many years has encouraged and actively supported a dream and vision as to how this small little band of Christians can give holy life and purpose to our community through the living out of faith in our everyday lives.

The first half of our bible…the scriptures we refer to as the ‘Old Testament’, are now coming to be called the ‘Hebrew Bible’.  And it is called this because it is a record of the faith story and life of the Hebrew people from before the dawn of time up until the time of Jesus. It is a story that tells of all of God’s attempts during those times to break in upon and redeem the human story.  Over all of those centuries and throughout the whole course of the Hebrew faith journey God drew near and spoke words of truth and compassion into the life of the Hebrew community.  Sometimes those words were clearly heard and the people responded well, pushing forward with God’s plans for a more just and peaceful world. And then at other times, it seems that the story that was written down told a tale of a people who had somehow missed the mark…of how they behaved in ways that were anything but loving or godly…and of how they suffered greatly as a consequence of those wrong decisions.

And yet, through it all, and behind all the words of these stories, there lingers a certain holy presence…a presence revealing a God who is merciful beyond measure, loving beyond belief, and tireless when it comes to forgiving our oft-repeated failures to listen and to learn. And that story of our God is still being written out in the lives we live and the stories we share.

Today, we are blessed to be able to add a brand new chapter to our own story of what the Lord is doing with us and for us. Today we are celebrating the sacrament of baptism…a new chapter in our story telling of new life, and the responsibility that comes with a pledge to care for and shepherd that new life.  We are honored that Michelle and Anthony have chosen to allow us to participate with them in this sacred act. Baptism truly is a holy obligation, wherein we are being obedient to our Lord’s direct instruction telling us to ‘Go therefore, and make disciples of everyone and every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’

With all of us joining in this sacrament today, we are affirming together some of our deepest beliefs, as well as making a solemn promise.  Our faith tradition upholds baptism as central to our faith for many reasons.  It is not something we celebrate privately, or at a time other than during the gathering of the community in worship, because for us baptism contains a number of covenants. 

First it is an affirmation by the Spirit of our God to care for and to carefully guide the life of the individual being baptized.  It is God’s seal upon this one’s life, a sign that this one belongs to our God, that this one shall come to be known as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Secondly, baptism is a promise made by the parents of the child, that they will seek to raise their child in the ways of God and teach their young one to reflect the love of God in the living out of their life as a family.

And thirdly, baptism is a promise made by every person here to assist the parents in these holy efforts.  During the sacrament we take this promise seriously, and commit to providing support and encouragement. We solemnly promise to be there for Michelle and Anthony as they seek to share the love of God together, and the blessing of that love with their child.  Baptism is God’s way of saying, ‘Welcome, my dear child’…and our heartfelt affirmation of the same.

Anthony and Michelle…you are members of our family…now…and for the rest of your lives.  We are here for you in a very real way, ready to help you in any way within our ability…you just need to ask…and we will be there. Thank you again for granting us the privilege of sharing with you today, and may God bless you and your family with a fullness of grace, overflowing peace, an abundance of joy, and…the deep sense of humor that is so needed when raising a child. Help us to continue telling the story of God’s amazing love.

…amen