“Have You Got Anything to Eat?”

    “While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. 

      Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:36-48, NRSV)

***
 
Sermon for the 3^rd Sunday of Easter

Meditation on Luke 24:36-48

      So Jim and I are at the Super Walmart the other day buying yogurt, cottage cheese and popsicles—staples in our house.  And I say to Jim,  “Do you have everything you need to make our meal for church on Sunday?”

     And he says, “No, come to think of it.”

    “We”—and I say this emphasizing the quotes around the “we”—needed Ziti and mozzarella cheese.

     It was understood that Jim would be preparing the meal we would take to church, without needing to discuss it.  It’s no secret that I would rather be doing almost anything BUT cooking—and, amazingly, Jim married me anyway!

     One of the first things I learned when I moved to Minnesota to be your pastor is that you have to know the language and etiquette of food and eating.  I knew what a potluck was because that is what churches out East have all the time—but Marylynn and Ken Aalderks warned me that someone may mention a “hot dish.” 

    “What’s a ‘hot dish’?”  I asked.

    “A casserole,” Marylynn said. “Or a potluck dinner.”

     After that, I decided I liked the sound of “hot dish” and would adopt it as my new expression. “Potluck” kind of sounds like we are relying on luck for the food to turn out OK. Luck can be good and it can be bad—especially if I am the cook! “Hot Dish” sounds more like comfort food on a cold winter’s day.  Yes, I liked the sound of it.

     Knowing I needed all the help I could get, Marylynn and Ken brought me a cookbook called, “The Great Minnesota Hot Dish.” It has such treasures as “Hue’s Ham-Corn Hot Dish,” “Tater Tot Hot Dish,” and “Ham-Potatoes Hot Dish.”  I was on my way!

    I gave the book to Jim.

    Soon we will know everything we need to know about Minnesota food language and etiquette.  Pretty soon everyone will think we are natives.

    Now if only I can figure out what lunch is and what time you are supposed to eat it….

***

     Well, Jesus and His disciples didn’t have hot dishes or potlucks—not exactly.  But they did share very simple meals together. They weren’t that picky about what they ate—and this came to the attention of the Pharisees, who criticized them for not always obeying the dietary and purity laws.

     I think it was like this.  They got hungry.  They found food or were offered it.  Jesus gave thanks to the Lord. And they ate.

      Sometimes they were blessed by the hospitality of strangers or fed by Christ's friends—such as when Mary and Martha had them over to their house for dinner. That was the time when Martha was stuck in the kitchen grumbling, doing all the work, and Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, hanging on His every word.

       They were not wealthy, and they did not have money for fancy ingredients. They did not have servants to shop for them and prepare their meals.  They didn’t stay in one place for very long on their missionary journeys.  And they often didn’t stop to eat while they were busy with ministry until it was very late in the day—as people flocked to Jesus seeking healing. So when they finally got around to eating, they were exhausted as well as hungry. Who would feel like cooking, then?

    A typical meal might have been a little bread.  A little wine or water.  And a little fish, if they had managed to catch any that day.

    But although the meals were simple—they were intimate and often emotional.  Jesus taught His disciples about God, ministry, and the heavenly kingdom during and after they ate.  He shared with them His heart and soul.  Think of the emotion of His Last Supper on the night before He was arrested, when Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and was saying goodbye to them as He gave to each one, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

    Our gospel passage today follows the walk to Emmaus, when two of his disciples are with the risen Jesus, talking about Him, and are totally unaware of His presence.  They don’t realize it is He until Jesus blesses the bread, breaks it and gives it to them—and their eyes are opened! 

    And then …. He vanishes into thin air!

    Excitedly, they go to Jerusalem and gather the other disciples to tell them the Lord has been raised from the dead!

    And that is where today’s gospel begins.  As they are talking, Jesus suddenly appears and says, “Peace be with you.”  But they are scared to death and think they are seeing a ghost.

     Christ, who knows the hearts and minds of every human being, asks,  “Why do doubts arise in your hearts?”

    He shows them the wounds from where they nailed His hands and feet to the cross. He says, “Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones.”

     Then, while the disciples are both joyful and disbelieving, Jesus asks them, as if it is like old times, “Have you got anything to eat?”

    And they sit down together and have a simple meal. A little broiled fish.

    It must have seemed like a feast to those who loved Him so and thought He was gone from them forever!

     And just like old times, Jesus begins to teach them. He opens their minds to the Scriptures. He says that now that the prophecy of the Messiah suffering, dying, and being raised has come true, repentance and forgiveness must be proclaimed in His name to all the nations. 

    He is saying to them, “This is your job, all of you” when he tells them that they are His witnesses. He is saying goodbye again before He ascends into heaven. But before He leaves, He will promise to clothe them with power from on high—the Holy Spirit. And He will assure them that He is coming back.

***

      Today, we will gather after worship for our hot dish dinner. And Jesus will be with us in Spirit, as He is whenever we gather in His name. It is fitting that we will learn about the Nicaragua mission after our simple meal, just as Jesus taught His disciples about ministry and life in His kingdom during and after their meals.

      Jerry and Liza will share their experiences when they traveled with Marylynn and the others to share Christ’s love by providing medical care and food to people who live with poverty and hunger we cannot imagine.

      We will be reminded of Christ’s compassionate command to His followers to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all the nations. 

       Christ is saying to us, “This is Your job…  All of you...

       Because you are My witnesses.”

Please join me in prayer.  Holy God, thank you for the resources and opportunities you have provided our church so we may serve You by helping needy people around the world.  Thank you for the passion, kindness, and enthusiasm of your servant Marylynn Aalderks, who stirred us to action, made the arrangements, and took responsibility for those who joined her on this mission of love.  Lord, bring us more mission opportunities. Tell us when and whom you want us to serve. Show us how. Give us the talents, energy, generosity, confidence, compassion, patience and passion we need to bring Your love, forgiveness, and hope to a hurting world. Open our eyes to Your presence and Your vision of salvation. Guide our footsteps as you teach us like babies learning to walk. Help us to be your faithful, obedient servants, more like your Son, Jesus Christ.  In His name we pray.  Amen.