Easter 3 A: Poignancy and Possibility

Luke 24:13-35 Dear Partner in Preaching, How are you doing? It’s been six or seven weeks now of doing ministry we didn’t expect and weren’t trained for, and that’s hard. In the few spare minutes between overseeing things in my own shop, I occasionally visit other congregations via the web and have been so encouraged by all that you are doing and trying. What I see regularly is creativity and resiliency and faithfulness that swells my heart with gratitude. Thank you. As we look at this week’s passage, I’m struck that there is also a fair amount of creativity, resiliency, and faithfulness on display as well. Luke,...

Easter 3 A: Dashed Hopes and Surprising Grace

Luke 24:13-35 Dear Partner in Preaching, Notice that it’s a road. Not an upper room or garden or mountain top or any of the other places we expect revelation to take place. It’s a road. And it’s not a pronouncement or discourse, but a conversation. I think these details are important. Sometimes, it’s enough just to see Jesus, or to hear of his resurrection, or to be promised his presence. And sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it takes longer. Sometimes the move from doubt, fear, and grief to faith, hope, and love takes both the time it takes to walk from one town to another and the opportunity for an open and honest conversation. Can...