Luke 24:36b–48
If we were to make a list of the things that Jesus loves to do, what do you suppose might make the list?
Here are some things I can think of:
heal the sick, find the lost, eat and drink-go to parties, challenge assumptions about God, talk to people about God’s love, forgive sins, spend time with friends…
After reading today’s Gospel lesson, though, I thought of two things we can add to that list of things that Jesus loves to do:
1. “pop-in” on people-show up unannounced
2. Surprise, startle, even shock people
2. Surprise, startle, even shock people
In fact, after he is raised from the dead, he seems to really enjoy doing these last two.
On the road to Emmaus, he walks with two disciples but they don’t even know that it’s him…then as they sit down to eat dinner-he takes the bread and blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them-in an instant they realize who they’ve been walking with-to their surprise, it’s Jesus…he surprises them at the table.
In Matthew 28-the two Mary’s watch as an angel descends from heaven, the earth shakes, the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb rolls away…and as if that weren’t shocking enough, when they turn to head back home-Jesus “pops-in” on them.
In John 20-Mary Magdalene is crying outside of Jesus’ grave when a man whom she had mistaken for the gardener calls her by name and she realizes-to her surprise-that it’s Jesus.
Then there’s Thomas, whose story we heard last week-After popping in on the disciples once, Jesus returns a second time, suddenly appearing among them even though the front door of the house is locked-He pops in, shows Thomas his hands and side-and Thomas believes.
And what about the story we read in John 21? Peter and the other disciples have gone back to fishing after Jesus’ death-when Jesus’ arrives on shore, tells them as he did once before to cast the net on the other side of the boat-and he surprises them with an enormous catch of fish.
After his death and resurrection, Jesus spends most of his time doing these two things-popping in on the people he loves-and surprising them.
After his death and resurrection, Jesus spends most of his time doing these two things-popping in on the people he loves-and surprising them.
In our lesson for today, he does both. He shows up unexpectedly, he pops-in among them. And he does startle them-the lesson says they are “terrified” because at first they think he’s a ghost-and then they are surprised to see that it is really him-alive again, beyond the cross and the grave-living and breathing, and speaking to them.
So this leads me to believe that you and I, as Jesus followers today should always be prepared for Jesus to “pop” into our lives at any moment. And, when he does, we should be ready to be surprised, shocked, even startled by his presence.
When you think about it, Jesus’ story is shocking-God lives…and then, unexpectedly, God dies.
Jesus’ message is startling- he tells one follower to sell everything he owns, he asks people to forgive seventy times seven times, he stands up for people when no one else will, he asks all who follow him to carry the cross just as he does-all of it startling.
And maybe the most surprising thing of all about Jesus is how much he loves us-his love is bigger than the cross, and stronger than death.
In fact, maybe that’s why Jesus seems to enjoy popping in and surprising us so much-because that’s exactly what God did to him. When the lights went out, and laid lifeless in the grave-God popped in. Then, in the biggest surprise of all-God raised Jesus to new life. Jesus knows how good it feels when God pops into your life, and when God surprises you with something you never dreamed was possible…I think he wants that same joy for us. That’s why he spends all of his time doing those same things for us.
How often do we as the church follow the example of our Lord? When and where to we “pop-in”-showing up in the real world for real people? When was the last time we surprised someone? Or shocked the world? Or startled our neighbors with God’s grace?
Maybe we should pay more attention to the resurrection stories of Jesus-because here’s what happened every time he popped in and surprised people:
The two disciples who were surprised at the table-they jump out of their seats and run seven miles to tell their friends about it!
The two women who are startled when Jesus pops in on them on the road run and tell the men what’s going on!
Mary Magdalene, when Jesus calls her by name falls on her knees, and then shouts “I have seen the Lord” for all to hear.
Thomas cries out “My Lord and My God!”
Peter jumps out of the fishing boat and swims a hundred yards to shore to see Jesus
And the disciples in our lesson for today-even though they are startled and terrified by Jesus sudden appearance, they go on to start the church!
We are here today because Jesus popped into people’s lives and startled them enough to respond to the amazing new life that God gives. We are worshipping because of unexpected visits, surprising sights, and startling words from Jesus that yielded more visits, more sights, and more words from the people who knew him best.
How can you and I, as people who know Jesus in today’s world get back to that? Where can you show up unexpectedly this week? Who can you surprise with a sense of God’s grace? How can you startle the people around you with God’s love? Where can you be a presence that shocks the world with the kind of forgiveness Jesus loved to share?
Because Jesus loved to do all of these things, and I’ll bet he loves it even more when he sees people like you and I doing them!
