May 24, 2009

Sermon: "The Tomb, the Fish, the Table"

Scripture: Luke 24: 44-53

Reverend Larry M. Gerber

The mission of the apostles begins not with a visit to the empty tomb, but with a conversation over a piece of broiled fish.

One should never underestimate the power of table talk.

Adam Bellow has written a book that approaches this topic in a fresh and surprising way. Called In Praise of Nepotism, it defends the practice of showing favor to your relatives, and it makes the case that many "self-made men" were really nothing of the kind. In fact, they were family-made men. From Abraham and King David to John F. Kennedy and other prominent persons, the influence of families has been felt in the shaping of generations of leaders. According to Adam Bellow, nepotism really boils down to the transmission of family legacies, and the cycle of generosity and gratitude that knits our whole society together.

Described in this way, nepotism is not such a bad thing.

Everyone knows the story of Easter morning. A group of women. Two angels. One amazed apostle.

What does this have to do with Bellow's thesis?

While the empty tomb is of HUGE importance to our faith, it's what happens at the table, after the tomb, that spurs the movement forward.

The women discover the empty tomb, and report to the apostles that two angels have told them that Jesus has risen. But the women are not believed -- at least not initially. Peter runs to the tomb, looks in and then goes home, amazed at what has happened (Luke 24:1-12).

So that's Easter morning, followed by Easter afternoon. Another story, one that most people know.

Two disciples -- one named Cleopas -- make the seven-mile trip from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and along the way they encounter a mysterious stranger, who interprets the Scriptures for them. When he joins them for dinner, he breaks bread with them, and their eyes are opened and they recognize him -- it's Jesus!

Then poof -- he vanishes from their sight (vv. 13-31).

Which brings us to Easter evening. Who knows what happens then? The Table happens. Easter evening has never packed the punch of Easter morning, mainly because it involves a table instead of a tomb.

The two disciples race back to Jerusalem, and find the 11 and their companions in a dining room. Jesus appears, and scares them half to death -- they think they're seeing a ghost (v. 37). But he says, "Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And then to prove that he's no poltergeist, he asks them for some food. They give him a piece of broiled fish, and he eats it in their presence (vv. 38-43).

Then sitting around the table, Jesus tells 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." He opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, and says to them that what was written has come true -- the Messiah has suffered and risen from the dead, and now "repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (vv. 44-47).

 Jesus leans across the table and makes it clear. "You are witnesses of these things," he says, looking them straight in the eye. "And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (vv. 48-49).

Then he leads them away from the table. He hikes them out to Bethany, gives them a blessing ... and is carried up into heaven. Easter evening ends with the ascension, according to Luke. The apostles return to Jerusalem, worshiping Jesus, and they bless God continually in the temple (vv. 50-53).

Notice what has happened here, on Easter evening. The mission of the apostles begins not with a visit to a tomb that's empty, but to a table full of food -- broiled fish -- and conversation with the risen Lord.

This is important for us to digest because we sometimes underestimate the significance of what happens when we break bread together. This is eucharistic theology here, missional theology, discipleship (practical) theology. We need to remember that the disciples first recognized Jesus when "he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" (v. 30). Jesus gave the apostles their marching orders as part of an after-dinner conversation.

So what is the message for us on this Memorial Day weekend when many of us will be thinking of family, and sitting down at table together? As we think about the bond between Jesus and his disciples, clearly, there is a sense in which there's a theological form of nepotism/table talk going on here. Preaching the good news is a family legacy that Jesus wants his followers to be a part of -- a legacy of proclaiming a message of repentance and forgiveness. He wants the disciples to maintain the cycle of gratitude and generosity that they're feeling in his presence -- gratitude that death has been conquered by the resurrection, and generosity toward those who need to hear this good news.

In a stunning act of spiritual nepotism, Jesus leaves everything to his spiritual brothers, including the keys to the kingdom. He promised the Holy Spirit and says, "You are my witnesses of these things." But he is not giving them this opportunity with any selfish goals in mind. They are being sent out in the power of the Spirit to take the good news of the resurrection to all the nations of the world.

It all begins right here, after the empty tomb. Around the table, eating fish. Jesus ascends and the Disciples begin their mission.

As the disciples embark on their mission, they are clearly not "self-made" -- instead, they are Jesus-shaped. They maintain a cycle of gratitude and generosity, and carry forward the legacy of their Messiah. Luke tells us that they are "continually in the temple blessing God" -- that's gratitude (v. 53). Acts reports that the disciples share their possessions, and there's "not a needy person among them" -- that's generosity (4:34). Acts also tells us that Peter proclaims that everyone who believes in Jesus "receives forgiveness of sins through his name" -- that's the legacy of the risen Christ (10:43).

The disciples have been shaped well by Jesus, and they're carrying his family values forward.

So how can we better use our table conversations to influence our children and grandchildren, friends and neighbors? We can begin by talking about gratitude. One of our contemporary problems is that we've come to see the good things of life as an entitlement, rather than a gift, and we've lost the sense of wonder and surprise that gives birth to true thankfulness.

We need to understand and practice gratitude as the one quality that can make a person truly happy. Focusing on the gifts we have been given, rather than wishing for others beyond our reach, creates contentment. Because the disciples received the resurrection of Jesus as a pure gift, they felt tremendous gratitude and contentment, and they blessed God continually.

Another Christian family value is generosity, shaped by conversation around the dining room table. Too often we keep decisions about our charitable giving to ourselves, and treat them as a private matter. But why not discuss giving as a family, and involve children in decisions about where the family generosity will go? This not only brings acts of giving out of the shadows, but it teaches children to see themselves as givers -- instead of only recipients. Because the first Christians created a culture of generosity, there was not a needy person among them.

The message is that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness and new life. Jesus himself mentions this in the text, verse 47.

And then there's love. You can't have a discussion of the cross without getting to the heart of Jesus' life and work: selfless love and service.

The question is: How do we do this? 

You start with generosity and gratitude around the table and then you go to the wider table, outside your own enclave. You go to forgiveness and love, and service.

When you begin to develop relationships with people outside the church, one must realize that they're looking to have their lives changed, and even transformed. They want to feel welcomed and accepted. They want to learn about God and how to experience spiritual growth. They want the forgiveness and new life that comes through a relationship with Jesus. The good news is that we can help people to experience this kind of transformation, because we have been shaped by the family values of Jesus and the disciples.

We offer prayers for forgiveness and newness of life. We talk about what Jesus has done for us, and in so doing help others with the spiritual growth they desire. This can happen around tables in our homes, or tables at church.

The story of Easter morning will always be at the heart of the Christian faith, because it proclaims that God has conquered death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But equally important is the tale of Easter evening, which tells us how a mighty spiritual movement began with a talk around a table of broiled fish.

Let's continue the conversation around the table, beyond the empty tomb, beyond the broiled fish, and beyond the walls and into the marketplace.  Let's continue or conversation because of our great faith. Let us stand and sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord Unto Thee."
 
Sources:

Bellow, Adam. In Praise of Nepotism: A Natural History. New York: Doubleday, 2003.

Brinton, Henry G. "Here is the church. Where are the people?" The Washington Post, November 19, 2000, B4.

Reese, Martha Grace. Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2007.