Year A 2017 6th Sunday after Easter - The Unknown God made known.

Sermon 6^th Sunday after Easter

Text: 1 Peter 3:13-22 – The Unknown God made known.

When people find out that I am a Pastor I come across so many people who tell me that they aren’t Christian but they are spiritual people.

Sometimes they even say they don’t believe in God but are spiritual.

I think by spiritual they probably mean similar to what Paul encountered today when he visited Athens and found the people there very religious people.

People don’t like the term religious or religion much these days.

In fact a lot of Christians don’t like the term either being applied to themselves.

It has a bit of negative feel about it when someone uses the term.

But what does it mean to be spiritual or religious as Paul referred to the Athenians?

I think it means that they understand that there is something bigger than themselves that exists but they don’t really know what it is.

Paul called it “the Unknown God”.

They are searching but have not yet discovered the personal relationship that God invites them to.

They know there is something there but not quite sure what.

So many people are on a search for the truth.

So many people are on a search for meaning in life.

There are various ways that people undertake that search.

People use their careers as a way of finding meaning and purpose in life.

But the problem with that is that careers can actually suck the life blood out of us rather than give us meaning.

We have seen those who have been burnt out in their careers.

Those who have neglected family in order to build up their career so they can support their family better.

Or sometimes we have seen those who have given their life and soul to their career only to be called in and sadly advised that they are being offered a retrenchment because the business is going in a different direction.

Some find their search for meaning in their sport – as a participant or spectator.

As a participant sport can be a very short lived search.

An injury or illness can sideline you.

In team sport there is always someone who is vying for your position.

As a supporter of sport there can be great highs when your team is winning but even lower lows when your team loses.

Sport is probably one of the biggest areas that is challenging the church in people’s search for spirituality.

The MCG is often referred to as the Spiritual Home for football clubs.

Sport is played on most sacred days.

Sundays is not even given a second thought.

Football on Good Friday went off without much negative feedback.

Sport is being used to create the new voice of ethics taking on issues like sexism, racism, drugs and same-sex marriage.

Many refer to their sport as their religion.

When we hear things like that it can be very disheartening.

But Paul didn’t find it disheartening at all but found an opportunity to speak to them about what they were searching for.

But what is interesting is that Paul doesn’t begin by firstly rejecting what they have found as their spiritual direction.

In fact he upholds them and praises them:

Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.

He doesn’t say – you foolish people for believing in false Gods.

There is no doubt that the church has a challenge today.

But we need to be careful that we don’t demonise and make enemies of those who are spiritual but not yet in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

At the end of the day the journey of their Spiritual quest will let them down.

When Peter and the disciples were causing disruption the people wanted them put to death.

But Gamaliel gave very good advice that is still relevant today:

“Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:34-39)

This is our strategy also.

To remain strong in our faith in God and be there in time of need.

That was the advice Peter gave in our bible reading: He said:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. (1 Peter 3:14-16).

Sometimes it is hard.

The criticism against Christians can get very personal and hurt and we are tempted to retaliate.

But Jesus promises that we are not alone.

He says: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

When you look at what Paul had to go through because of his faith it didn’t turn him away from God but made his faith stronger:

Put in prison, whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

So Paul didn’t see opposition as something to fight against or be concerned about.

Jesus also recognised the opposition we would receive and reminds us “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” John 15:18.

We don’t want to see an “us and them” situation but rather what Paul saw when he went to Athens and found a point of entry to bring the Gospel message.

We have points of entry into people’s lives and it is usually when there is a time of suffering or grief.

We can be there to share the hope we have with gentleness and patience that Peter talks about.

We don’t know when that opportunity may arise so Peter says – always be prepared.

God has placed each of us in various places to be his message of hope and he will use us when the time is right.

And we don’t have to worry about what we’ll say or what we’ll do because God will send his helper, the Holy Spirit to be with us.

And if you feel inadequate because you don’t know how to witness then don’t despair but be prepared to simply share the hope you have.

And if you feel as if you’ve let God down because you’ve never witnessed to anyone, again don’t despair because that’s up to God and we are simply to always be ready to do so.

Paul did not judge the people of Athens because of their idol worship and their non-Christian ways of living.

Rather, he uses their culture that acknowledged their worthiness as children of God.

Paul begins to tell them about this unknown God that they are already worshiping.

Paul does not condemn the Athenians for who they are; nor does he begin with what separates them, but with what they have in common.

Paul knew God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He knew God as the One who keeps promises.

He knew God as a God of a second chance, and a God that saves, a God that can convert.

He knew God as a God of love even loving his enemies.

A God who came to serve us.

Our God, who has given everyone life and being, and is interested in every aspect of your life, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

So who do you know God as?

We cannot tell of something if we do not know for ourselves, first-hand.

We cannot share a God we do not know for ourselves with others.

We are witnesses for the God we know.

We are sent to tell people about the love God has shown us in Jesus Christ.

Our God should no longer be unknown.

Our God is too good and too generous to remain unknown.

God is known by loving-kindness to us, shown in the One who lived and died and rose again, so that we too might live with God.

We are all called to be witnesses to the God we know and love and make the unknown God known to the world.

Year A 2017 5th Sunday after Jesus - Jesus is the Way

Sermon 14^th May 2017

Text: John 14:1-10 – Jesus is the Way

There’s a knock at the door.

You open the door and there is a nicely groomed couple perhaps with a young child with them.

They greet you with a smile and you suspect what it’s about.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are there to share with you about their faith.

I admire their commitment and courage to knock on a door to speak about their faith.

One of the major differences that separates us from Jehovah’s Witness is their translation of John chapter one verse one which reads:

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

Their translation is slightly different.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was a God.

You mightn’t think there is much difference but one little word that can make a world of difference and can take away so much meaning.

Their understanding is that Jesus was a god but not equal with God the Father.

One little word that makes a world of difference.

Earlier in our service we witnessed Mackenzey being baptised.

God made a promise – whoever believes and is baptised WILL be saved.

So much power in that one word – WILL be saved.

Not might be saved or has a good chance at being saved.

Will be saved.

In our bible reading today we also saw some quite definite promises made by Jesus.

He says that in his Father’s house there are many rooms and that he is preparing a room for us and that he WILL return and take us to be where he is.

I find that so comforting knowing that Jesus speaks in absolutes and he can do so because he is God.

There are never any doubts and never any confusion when Jesus speaks.

So when Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life – no one comes to the Father except through me – it can sound rather exclusive and limiting.

It is a passage often used to reject other religions.

But that was not the reason Jesus said those words.

Jesus is providing us with absolute assurance that if we want to be sure about going to heaven then he is the only way to have that assurance.

And that’s because he IS God – not a god.

We live with so much uncertainty in our lives and in most cases we can handle that.

But the one area that we do not want uncertainty is regarding what happens when we die.

I have seen the grief and despair that death causes so many times and the only comfort that can be given is knowing that the person who has died was a Christian and that they are now in heaven.

And the only way that I can bring comfort is by speaking in absolute confidence.

And the only way that I can have absolute confidence is because Jesus is God and has made that promise to us.

Eternal life is not something that we want to second guess with terms like – he should be in heaven because he was a good person.

Or I really hope that he is in heaven.

Those sorts of words don’t bring comfort.

It’s like doing an exam at school and feeling you went well but not knowing how you went or if indeed you actually passes until it’s been marked by an examiner.

Or sitting your VCE and waiting for the ENTER score to see if you get into your preferred University course.

We don’t want that same uncertainty when it comes to our appearance before God on Judgement Day.

We want to know NOW that it’s guaranteed.

And so Jesus speaks in absolutes when it comes to our salvation.

Whoever believes and is Baptised WILL be saved.

Whoever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish.

This IS my body – this IS my blood.

When Jesus spoke these words he was just about to be arrested.

His disciples would see some very worrying things and wonder whether they had made the right decision to follow Jesus.

So he says – don’t let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God and trust in me.

Don’t trust what your eyes see – trust what I have said to you.

Trust what I have promised.

Jesus won’t magically take away the terrible things happening in our lives and in the world

But he will bring comfort by assuring us that our home in heaven is absolutely guaranteed and in heaven there will be no more suffering, crying or death.

That’s what Jesus has prepared for us and he will personally return and bring us home.

In this day and age home ownership is such a discouraging topic especially for our younger people who firmly believe they will never be in a position to own their own home;

How amazing that Jesus himself has built our heavenly eternal home and will personally escort us there when our time comes.

The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about.

They were expecting from Jesus a military style battle against the enemy.

But what Jesus was doing was giving them a farewell speech.

Jesus knew that there was not going to be a battle.

He was going to succumb to the violent arrest – an unfair trial – and a death he didn’t deserve.

So his disciples were going to see some horrific things.

So as his farewell speech he says to the – don’t let your hearts be troubled.

In life we will see some horrific things at times.

Sickness, death, financial crisis, wars, natural disasters, relationship breakdowns.

These can really trouble our hearts wondering how we are going to get through them.

So Jesus says to us also – don’t let your hearts be troubled.

Trust God – trust Jesus.

And we can trust Jesus because he is God – not a god.

Jesus is God.

Because no matter how bad things get – and even if the worse thing happens – Jesus has prepared a new home in heaven for us.

That new home will be nothing like we have ever experienced or can ever experience in this life.

It will be a home where God himself will be with us and be our God. He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.

Year A 2017 4th Sunday after Easter - Jesus our Gate

Sermon 7^th May 2017

Text: John 10:1-10 – Jesus our Gate.

I’m always intrigued about the image used for our relationship with God that focuses on sheep and shepherd.

Whereas there are some endearing pictures of Jesus the Good Shepherd carrying the lost sheep home on his shoulders the reality is that sheep are not that glamorous as an image.

Sheep are considered as dumb animals.

Calling someone a “sheep” is often said with a negative term.

When a person goes off without using common sense we say they are acting like sheep.

If you’ve ever seen a sheep shearer in action they seem to grab the sheep without much regard for their comfort and cut off all their wool and then push them down the ramp and grab the next one.

It’s not a very glamourous image in reflecting our relationship with God.

But is that the image of a sheep that the bible is wanting to paint for our relationship with God as sheep and shepherd.

Is that the type of relationship that God is pointing out by using the image of sheep and shepherd.

It’s an image in both the Old and New Testament.

We especially hear that in our Psalm today – the Lord is my Shepherd.

But this is not the aspect that Jesus wants to highlight when he speaks of our relationship as sheep and shepherd.

What Jesus speaks about is the vulnerability of sheep to predators.

David spoke of that vulnerability when he spoke of his confidence in taking on Goliath.

He said he used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth

And the main predator when it comes to God’s children – his sheep – the sole predator – is Satan, or the Devil.

Jesus speaks of Satan’s sole purpose of destroying our relationship with God when he refers to him as:

A thief and a bandit.

A stranger.

The thief who comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

In other places Jesus speaks in similar ways about Satan:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

So, again, you can see that connection between King David fighting lions to protect his sheep and Satan as the roaring lion looking to devour us with Jesus as our Good Shepherd.

Likewise he spoke of the very personal attack against his disciples: 

Simon, Simon! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; (Luke 22:31,32).

Isn’t that such a comforting image that Jesus is praying for us!

We speak about how powerful prayer is – imagine that Jesus Christ himself is praying for us!

So we need to understand that Satan’s attacks on us become very personal as he attempts to attack our faith in God..

So what are Satan’s tactics in destroying our faith which we learn from our bible reading?

First of all, Jesus jumps straight in and says:

Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.

Jesus would be thinking back to the very first entry by Satan when he climbed into God’s creation as a thief and bandit when he entered into the Garden of Eden.

There Satan entered by climbing over with temptation and stole Adam and Eve away from the sheepfold of God’s perfect creation.

He came to steal, kill and destroy Adam and Eve and achieved what he came to do.

Satan came in and stole them away with a voice of temptation creating doubt in their minds by asking them – did God really say you couldn’t eat from that tree?

Today Satan continues to sneak into our lives with the voice of temptation asking us – did God really say?

Did God really say you can’t do that?

Did God really say you couldn’t say that?

Did God really say you couldn’t look at that?

The voice of Satan’s temptation is so strong today especially as there is growing ignorance of what God says as so many bibles remain unopened.

So many families today don’t even have a bible in their home.

There are so many voices telling us how we should live our lives that we don’t know what God’s voice sounds like.

How can we know if God really did say something when we don’t know what God has said?

So Jesus says: God’s sheep follow him because they know his voice.

But how well do we know God’s voice today?

Satan’s way into our lives today is made even easier.

Satan doesn’t have to ask – did God really say – because so many don’t even know what he has said.

So in Jesus image today as a Shepherd to battle against Satan - he says – I am the Gate for the sheep.

Tradition has it that Shepherds in Jesus’ time would lie down across the entry to the sheep pen so the predator would have to climb over the shepherd to get to the sheep.

The shepherd would then wake up and protect his sheep.

So Jesus says that he is our Gate to protect us from Satan’s attacks.

And so Satan must go through Jesus in order to attack us.

And Jesus has placed himself in Satan’s path.

Firstly with our Baptism where the waters of Baptism protect us from Satan’s attack on our guilt.

Peter talks about that protection in his First Letter when he says:

Baptism now saves you … as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Look at what sin did to Adam and Eve’s conscience as their guilt didn’t let them be able to be in the presence of God.

“We hid because we were ashamed”.

When Satan attacks us by using our sin to destroy our relationship with God, our Baptism reminds and reassures us that we are God’s children whom he loves.

When Satan attacks our conscience with the same doubt he used on Adam and Eve having us ask whether or not we are loved by God and saved from our sin, our Baptism reminds us of the very words of God – this is my child whom I love.

Legend has it that Luther when he was struggling with his conscience threw an inkwell at Satan yelling – “I am Baptised’.

Not – I am a good person – not I’ve done more good than bad - but claiming God’s righteousness and not his own.

The other way that Jesus protects us is by placing his very body and blood in Satan’s path as he places in our hands those very items – his body and blood – broken and shed for us.

Satan has no comeback against Jesus’ body and blood.

They are the price of our forgiveness and they are placed in our very hands.

Just as the blood of the lamb was splashed against the altar in the Old Testament sacrifices to forgive God’s people so too the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is splashed against God’s altar as St Paul reminds us that our bodies are the temple of the living God.

We need to remember that Satan is cunning and will use any tactic he can to attack our faith – as Jesus said:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

But Jesus protects our faith and even more he says:

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Maybe we don’t feel at times that special in our relationship with God.

We may feel unworthy to approach God  because of our poor choices and falling to temptation.

But we are not on our own.

Jesus is praying for us.

Jesus says he is the gate through whom we are assured access to God.

He guarantees that whoever enters through me will be saved.

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life says Jesus.

We can be sure that despite our sin, failures and shortcomings, we are always welcomed into God’s presence because through baptism and by Jesus’ body and blood, we have entered through Jesus, the gate into our heavenly pasture.

Year A 2017 3rd Sunday after Easter - Recognising Jesus by faith

Sermon 30^th April 2017

Text: Luke 24:13-35 – Recognising Jesus by faith.

Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing God’s creation is?

I find the colours and variety in nature amazing.

God could have created a world full of bland experiences but chose to have colour and beauty imbedded in his creation.

God could have chosen one type of fish, one type of bird, one type of livestock as a source of food and company for us but chose a variety of species for us to enjoy.

But what I find totally remarkable is the human being created in God’s image.

Presently there are over 7 billion people living in the world today.

And just think of our facial features – 2 eyes, 2 ears, a nose and a mouth are our main identifiers.

And yet with just those few things to work with we all look different.

How does God do it?

And the leading technology companies use the uniqueness of our features as security features on their devices with fingerprint and eye retinas used to lock and unlock telephones and other secured devices.

The human creation is unique.

Our bible reading today is very similar to the Easter Sunday reading where Mary was speaking with Jesus face to face and didn’t recognise him – thinking he was the gardener.

I struggle to understand what was different about Jesus’ features that made him unrecognisable.

Today we have 2 disciples walking to Emmaus who are having a long deep and meaningful talk with Jesus.

And even though they spoke with him in such a deep and meaningful way – and in fact were speaking about Jesus to Jesus, like Mary did, they were kept from recognising Jesus.

That has always intrigued me.

Did God change the facial appearance of Jesus or did God affect their minds to not recognise him.

And why would God do that?

Wouldn’t God want to have eyewitness proof that Jesus has risen from the dead.

The interesting thing about these 2 events is that God didn’t withhold Jesus’ identity from them permanently but used a certain trigger to reveal him.

We need to think back also to last week’s experience where Doubting Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw him.

But not just his facial features – he wanted to see the scars of his death to prove it was him and not just someone that looked like him.

While Jesus did agree to Thomas’s request he did say that there would be a greater blessing for those who believed without seeing.

And today’s experience of the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, I believe, continues this teaching of Jesus about how we are going to be truly blessed in our experience with Jesus by faith and not by sight.

God wanted Jesus recognised in a particular way and in the account of Mary and the 2 Emmaus disciples we see that recognition.

Mary didn’t recognise Jesus until he called her name (John 20:16).

Likewise we recognise Jesus when he calls our name which first occurs in our Baptism.

In baptism we link the child’s name and the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God’s name is important.

It’s how we recognise God.

How do we know God is with us in our worship even though we cannot see him?

Because we call upon his name at the start of our worship – In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

God gave Moses his name to free the enslaved Israelites in Egypt and – not weapons – his Name.

And now God frees us as we hear God’s forgiveness in the words – I forgive you all your sins – in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

God’s name is enshrined in the commandments – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

It was the power and authority given to Jesus when he humbled himself unto death on the cross by which God gave to him the name that is above all names – that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow and every tongue confess him as Lord.

We recognise Jesus with us not by physical means but by the use of his name.

Today we are given another way by which we see Jesus.

And that was in the “breaking of the bread” or by the 2nd Sacrament of Holy Communion.

When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him;

We don’t see Jesus in everyday ordinary ways.

There were no cameras – no sketch artists.

Jesus said – blessed are those who believe without seeing and he is now teaching us how that actually happens.

Believing by faith is a much more powerful thing in life.

Over these past few weeks with the threats going on between the USA and North Korea, we see many images from North Korea where the people are lining the street as they parade their military strength and a procession of their bombs.

That is their strength.

And with that – what you see is what you get.

What you see is the extent of their power.

But God chose differently.

God chose a way by which his power would not be bound by physical limitations.

As St Paul said in 1 Corinthians:

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are. (1 Corinthians 1:28).

God is hidden in mystery not in physical presentation.

God is hidden behind what appears to be weakness:

Water – bread and wine – forgiveness – meekness – mercy – servanthood – and above all LOVE.

God’s power is not limited by space and time or by what we can see with our eyes.

God’s power is unlimited and it is seen by faith.

Today, like the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, you come to the Lord ’s Table where bread will be broken and the cup poured out for you.

Here you will experience the true presence of God through the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

If our hope is based on physical strength then we will not only be limited to “what you see is what you get”.

Sometimes what you see is very disappointing, as we hear in the voices of the 2 disciples:

They were telling Jesus about what they saw and it was very disappointing.

“Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. But, our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

You can hear and feel their disappointment: “We had hoped”!

And as Christians sometimes we too have our hoped dashed when we focus on what we see:

We had hoped that Jesus would have answered our prayers and healed.

We had hoped that our church would have grown.

We had hoped that our children would have stayed in the church.

And the list of dashed hopes can go on and on if we base our experience with God on what we see.

We had hoped he wouldn’t have died.

But Christian hope is different.

Christian hope is not based on what is seen but what is promised, as the writer to the Hebrews reminds us:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

It’s so important to understand how we see God because God’s presence doesn’t always seem to be present particularly when we go through difficult times.

God doesn’t always reveal himself in the way we would hope just as the 2 disciples today show their disappointment – we had hoped that Jesus would be the one to relieve us from our difficulties.

Jesus is always with us but sometimes it is only after a time of difficulty that we see that Jesus has been with us to get us through.

Just like the 2 Emmaus disciples.

It was after Jesus had opened their eyes that they saw he was with them along the way.

But as soon as they realised that and their eyes were opened – Jesus disappears again.

And that can be our experience too.

Sometimes we can feel so close to God and other times so distant.

It’s not about how or what we feel but about what God has promised.

Sometimes we only see Jesus as we look back after a time of suffering where our hearts were burning – longing for Jesus to be with us – and realising that he was and got us through.

Looking back and seeing one set of footprints thinking we were alone and then realising that those footprints were God’s while he carried us.

Like Mary and the 2 Emmaus disciples, sometimes we don’t recognise Jesus with us but he is there as he was with them.

Sometimes he is there in a friend or neighbour.

And sometimes we are there for others.

It is not his physical presence which makes him present but his promise to be with us always till the end of the age.

3rd Sunday After Easter - The Road to Hope

3rd Sunday After Easter Sermon 4^th May 2014

Text: Luke 24:13-35 – The Road to Hope

It is the road we have all walked at some time in our life.

It is the road we will all walk again in the future.

The Emmaus Road is a road that is symbolic of hopes that were dashed.

The 2 Disciples are saddened – you can hear it in their voice:

They stood still, their faces downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, asked Jesus, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.

We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. (v18-21)

The road to Emmaus symbolises the road of broken hopes.

How has the Road to Emmaus let you down?

We had hoped in our marriage vows, till death do we part.

We had hoped in our careers that would last till retirement.

We had hoped in our health to enjoy our old age together.

We had hoped in our church.

We are living in a society where institutions and heroes have let us down.

Hey Dad star Robert Hughes a family favourite years ago charged with sexual abuse.

Even Aussie favourite Rolf Harris charged with similar offenses.

Our Aussie sporting heroes, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett have falled from glory and then this week Geoff Huegill and his wife were charged with drug possession.

We’re told again this week that Australia is in the grips of an Ice epidemic because this is where people seem to think they find hope.

Even our most trusted institutions have been rocked by accusations letting people down where they had put their hope.

None more prominent than the church that is being investigated by a royal commission for sexual abuse against children.

A church should be a place where our children should be safe and we should feel sure they are safe.

If we can’t put our hope in the church – the body of Christ, where can we put our hope?

What can people put their hope in today?

Real Estate, Banks, Superannuation, all of these have been sources of broken hopes and dreams for many people who have lost their security especially in the recent Global Financial Crisis.

Politician after politician seem to be embroiled in corruption whether it’s a seemingly innocent bottle of wine or an under the table cash deal.

Police caught up in crime.

Doctors charged with infecting patients with Hepatitis.

Who can we put our hope in?

What can we put our hope in?

The road to Emmaus is a road of broken hopes.

But the Road to Emmaus is more than a road of broken hopes and dreams.

It is a road of hopes restored when we walk it with Jesus.

Walking with the 2 downcast disciples is Jesus.

They don’t recognise him, but more importantly, he recognises them.

He recognises their downcast broken hopes so he reaffirms their hopes by redirecting them away from the tragic days of his crucifixion to the promises of God.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (V25,26).

Jesus restores their hopes by pointing them to the Word of God and the glory that awaited him at the resurrection, and therefore the glory that awaits us at our resurrection.

The Road to Emmaus is a long road for us as we journey the road of Good and Evil – the consequence of our disobedience in the Garden of Eden.

But it is a road that is leading to glory as St Peter reminds us:

Through Christ you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. (1 Peter 1:21)

When we take our eyes of Christ, our eyes refocus on the broken dreams and hopes that the world continuously throws at us.

Like the disciples, we stand still and become downcast.

We need to keep journeying the road because it is leading us to our glory.

Along the way God feeds us, as he fed the 2 disciples with his body and blood, which we are about to do in Holy Communion.

When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.

As we come to his table we too are strengthened for the journey and our eyes are opened to see Christ clearly in our lives.

But, like the transfiguration, we can’t stay here.

We need to keep journeying the Emmaus Road including the broken hopes and dreams it throws at us.

Just like the 2 disciples, as soon as they recognized him, he disappeared from their sight. (v31)

And so too, Jesus will at times seem to disappear from our sight as the hopes of the world are broken time and again.

But remember, even though we can’t see Jesus clearly at times, he sees us.

And so we need to return, again and again, where we can clearly see Jesus for that hope to keep journeying the Emmaus Road.

In God’s word, in our Baptism, in our Worship, in Holy Communion.

In our love of God and our neighbour.

As we forgive as we have been forgiven.

These are where our hearts will burn in our desire for God as we hear again the promises and hope that God gives.

The Road to Emmaus is a difficult journey but the destination is glorious.

May you journey it with hope as Christ, Immanuel, God with us, journeys that road with you.

The peace of God that surpasses our understanding, keep your hearts and minds forever in Christ Jesus. Amen.