Sermon for Founders' Day 2017 at Ehrhardt Memorial Lutheran Church

3^rd Sunday of Easter/Founders’ Day at Ehrhardt Memorial- April 30

Luke 24:13-35

            Several years ago I was asked by the Bishop to preach at a church that didn’t seem to have a lot going for it. It had very low weekly attendance, a meager income, & was situated in a community that also seemed to be dying. Both the town & the congregation had seen better days. They were both beleaguered & filled with dusty memories—memories of days of hope.

            They were much like the 2 men walking on the road to Emmaus in our Gospel reading today. They shared words mourning dreams lost; but then a stranger joined them on their journey. "What are you discussing as you walk along?" he questions them. “Are you mad?” they replied. “Haven’t you heard what has happened in Jerusalem?” The men then proceeded to pour the grief out of their hearts & reminisce of miracles once wrought. Healings & renewal, hope born again in people's lives, that have now come to naught. The miracle worker, the messiah, is dead. And on top of that, his body is missing from his tomb! What good was it for them to dream again? What good was it for them to hope?

            The journey continued for those 2 men, accompanied by the unnamed stranger; & for some reason the stranger spoke up! “Oh, how silly you people are! Wasn’t this supposed to happen to fulfill the prophets?” As they continued walking, the man interpreted to them all the things that had occurred regarding this Jesus.

            They neared a village & the man started to continue on. “Stay friend.” They invited the stranger to sit with them. As he blessed & broke bread with them, the 2 suddenly came to their senses & recognized it was Christ who was among them.

            Friends, how easy it is for us to mourn the death of the church in this country & in this place. The young adults are gone, so it’s said. No one wants to come to our church anymore. But an unnamed stranger appears among us saying death has not won. Hope is brimming across the church; & there are young adults who are committing their lives to service & justice & equality & good news.

            I came to Ehrhardt Memorial a little over 5 years ago knowing that, with an average weekly attendance of only 10, it was—at least on paper—a dying congregation. However, it soon became apparent to me that this church’s journey was not over, because those 10 steadfast disciple recognized Christ’s presence & recognized that the God of hope was with them.

            Over these past 5 years, those weekly attendance numbers have increased 50% or more, which still isn’t particularly significant when compare with churches that worship hundreds or thousands each Sunday. But what is significant is the lives of others that have been touched by this congregation—the hope that has been shone into hopeless lives because of the obvious presence of the risen Christ in this place.

            The road forward may still be filled with fear; but there is a table waiting ahead of us. And there seated at the table with all of God's creation is the unnamed stranger; & we will break bread with him & with each other; & we will say "were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road?" And there at that table we will find strength for the journey. We will find renewed with hope to walk towards a new future together. Amen.