May 4, 2003

Third Sunday of Easter

Luke 24:36b-48

 “To Tell the Truth”

      Have you seen the Amistad docked at the New London pier these past few weeks?  Kay and I were down by the water the other day and saw her sailing proudly by under full sail.  Beautiful.  We were there when the construction of this new version of Amistad began and the keel was first laid at Mystic Seaport.  We returned several times to see her coming together, frame by frame and plank by plank.  I was there when they first towed the boat out of the shop into the sunlight and was there again when it was first launched into the water of the Mystic River.  I witnessed all these things and learned the story of the original Amistad along the way, a freedom story of African people revolting against slave traders, the ship’s capture near New London and Congregational abolitionists from this area advocating justice and freedom for the people it carried.  I learned that our United Church of Christ was one of the primary sponsors of the construction of the Amistad replica that today serves as an educational platform traveling far and wide to tell the story of slavery and those who overcame it. 

     I actually knew the Amistad story for a number of years before witnessing the new boat’s construction, but it wasn’t until I saw these things for myself that the story pulled me in and influenced my life.  Since then, I’ve told the story to a lot of people - from this pulpit and others and recently, to this year’s Confirmation class.  Why?  Well, for one thing, it’s a really great story, but also because it is now my story for I have witnessed these things.  Now, because of what I have seen and heard, I have a responsibility to tell the story.

     Have you ever witnessed something that left such a positive imprint on your life that your story was forever changed?  Did you come away with a different perspective, redirected with a new story to tell?

     The story from Luke today repeats to some extent the one we heard last Sunday where Thomas missed Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples.  Again today, the disciples are shocked at Christ’s post-resurrection appearance.  They find themselves witnessing something they had never seen or heard before.  The experience changes everything.  Of course, their shock is soon overwhelmed by the joy and excitement of seeing Jesus alive again, victorious over death.  Their entire world view is changed in that moment and their lives are completely redirected:

“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 with Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.”

     In a few moments, we will witness the Gospel story ourselves through the sacramental experience of Holy Communion.  In our own way, we will meet the resurrected Lord here.  Here, we will see the mystery of his presence among us and hear of his death and resurrection.  We will witness these things.  If we allow it, this moment can change everything for us, too, because we will step into the story and taste it for ourselves, the story of God’s truth revealed in Jesus Christ.

     When I became the pastor of United Congregational Church in Pawcatuck, I found the old church bell sitting on some rotting timbers in a flower bed out front.  It fell during the 1938 hurricane and was never raised.  Consequently, the whole community was robbed of the bell’s beautiful tone.  Sunday after Sunday, year after year passed, as did countless weddings and other happy occasions that could have been celebrated with the glad chiming of that beautiful bell.  When we finally got it mounted again, it rang out clear and bright, welcoming members and neighbors to worship after all those years.  The people of the church loved that old bell, but sadly, they had allowed it to sit in silence for 60 years.

     All too often, that’s the way it is for Christ's people.  We may love our old church, but we are silent and don’t share its glad tidings with others.  Even while we love the truth of God in Christ Jesus we keep it to ourselves.  But the Good News is not just to be cherished, but told!  It’s not to be neglected, but lifted up and rung loudly for all the neighborhood to hear!

     We struggle to have a vital church presence in this community and sometimes openly wonder why the Good Lord doesn’t send people to fill our church.  Well, friends, Jesus never sent people to church - he sent the church to people!