Poetry Where You Live

(In the Crowd)

On the Road to Emmaus
three walked, deep in conversation
animated words exchanged
as they walked along
I heard a brief passage
speaking the words of the prophets
telling the Messiah’s story
the stranger, sharing with the others
like a rabbi and his students
they hung on every word
deep in conversation
as they walked to Emmaus

May 19, 2008
Luke 24:13-35
Walk to Emmaus

Labels: Faith, in the crowd, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prophet, Raymond A. Foss, Walk to Emmaus

A heavenly grace
rained on me there
on that dusty road to Emmaus
a grace I have seen in little bits and pieces
in the everyday and all around
but so much more so real, so vibrant
colors cascading on my
the voice of God
in the words of my brothers
burning in my heart
So meager are my words
so dimly lit in that blurred mirror
Oh if only God could give me the words
proclaim the blessings I have felt
on my Walk to Emmaus
and all the days since
Give me your words Lord
to share your love
to all the world

April 29, 2008
Luke 24:13-35
Walk to Emmaus
1 Corinthians 13

Labels: 1 Corinthians 13, April, blessing, Corinthians, Faith, God, grace, love, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, the word, voice, Walk to Emmaus

The story doesn’t expressly say,
but they appeared to be walking home
despondent perhaps, sad certainly,
confused or so said by all that had taken place
and Mary’s testimony, of the empty tomb
Was this the Messiah, the risen savior,
the king who rode into the city on a donkey
with no army, no claim to the throne,
the seat David once sat upon
They were walking home
A stranger walked up beside them
joining them on their short journey
unaware of the things, but so knowledgeable
about the ancient texts, the law, the prophets
able to weave a story of the Messiah
with authority, with clarity
Coming close to home,
they urged him to stay with them longer
to join them in the warmth of home
In he went with them, accepting their offer
Blessing the meal, this honored guest
breaking the bread, sharing the cup
The savior revealed, and then gone

April 24, 2008
Luke 24:13-35
Walk to Emmaus

Labels: April, blessing, bread, Cleopas, Communion, David, Faith, journey, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prophet, Raymond A. Foss, savior, Walk to Emmaus, wine

He walked beside us; but we didn’t know him
beside up on that road home
we didn’t recognize him, not while he spoke
not while we talked on the road
He was a stranger no more
in the blessing, in the breaking of the bread
in the sharing of the wine, that meal made holy
with our risen Lord, in communion
He was made known to us
in the act of sacrifice
remembered each time
we share his meal

April 24, 2008
Luke 24:13-35
Walk to Emmaus

Labels: April, blessing, bread, Cleopas, Communion, Faith, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, sacrifice, Walk to Emmaus, wine

Luke 24: 13-35

Have you ever passed by something a hundred times and all of the sudden it looks different to you? Has anyone ever said to you “hey. . . look at that design in that rock”. . . you keep looking at it and don’t see anything and then all of the sudden. . . you look at it from. . . a different angle and see exactly what they are talking about? I know I have. There is this figure of a fish that it is the side of this rock formation when you get on to rte 93 from my house. I think I have talked to people about it many times and it takes some of them a while but. . . eventually they see it. We never know what we are missing sometimes because we. . . kind of have these. . . blinders on.

This kind of reminds me of these two men walking the road to Emmaus. They were so consumed with what had happened in the past that they were missing the glorious thing that was happening in their present time. The “RISEN” Lord Jesus Christ was walking along with them. They even had a burning feeling in their heart that they ignored because they were focused on what had taken place in the days before. I wonder how many times “WE” miss our Lord walking with us because we are too concerned with what is going on or has gone on in our life instead of the blessings we receive abundantly each day.

This story of the appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is the most developed and the most beautiful of the appearance stories. Its plot is centered on the failure of the two men to recognize their fellow traveler. The suspense builds in the story until the moment that they recognize the risen Lord and He disappears. . . vanishes. . . from their presence.

Emmaus. . . it was a little-noted town. Luke doesn’t say why the two disciples were going there. They may have been going home. . . going there on business. . . or just going there to get away from the terrible things they had witnessed in Jerusalem. The risen Lord meets us on our road to Emmaus, in the ordinary places and experiences of our lives, and in the places to which we retreat when life is too much for us. The story warns us, however, that the Lord may come to us in unfamiliar guises, when we least expect him.

This reminds me of something that happened in my life years ago. It was when I was a “new believer”. . . just after I had rededicated my life to Christ. I was in the grocery store and I had one of those cubes that tells the story of Jesus’ life. I don’t know if you have ever seen one before. . . I wish I could find one, I lost mine a while back. . . they look like those Rubik Cubes that were so popular a few years back. Well. . . the High School kid that was bagging my groceries was really interested in it. He asked me about it and I told him that is was a cube and when you flip it around it told the story and went along my way. Well. . . I no sooner got to my car and felt like I had missed divine appointment. I went back to find him and show him how it worked and tell him the story but I couldn’t find him. . . I swore that I would never pass up a chance to witness ever again. Was this High School kid the risen Lord standing before me and I didn’t realize until too late. . . I guess I will never know. But. . . that lesson has stayed with me for many years.

One thing I find interesting about his passage is that as soon as they recognized the risen Lord. . . He disappeared from their sight. God’s presence is always elusive, fleeting, dancing at the edge of our awareness and perception. Now let’s be honest. Do you really feel a constant, steady, predictable presence of God? If you do I envy you (oops sorry. . . that’s one of the Big Ten). I know that there are times in my life when I am praying “Lord I feel alone and confused. . . I need you to be here with me right now”. . . and there is silence. . . but in those silent times. . . in those times that I am walking through that desert place. . . I know that God is watching me and that there is a lesson to be learned. I know that He will pick me up if I fall. . . brush me off. . . and say “Let’s try that again. . . this time my way”. But there is this. . . silence. Maybe. . . this silence is a good thing. If we all felt the presence of God with us at all times. . . we may take for granted that God is always with us. We may not have the joy we feel when we feel God’s presence because it would be too common place for us. I have learned through my life with God. . . to treasure every moment that I feel his presence. I even have learned to look for Him in my day to day dealings. I even think back on the moments when I felt God’s presence when I am going through that dry arid desert and remember how it was. Even the two disciples looked back and remembered. After the Lord vanished they said to one another “Did not our hearts burn within us?” Even the women at the tomb (with the angels prompting) remembered the words that Jesus had told them while He was still with them. They remembered back to a time when the Lord was with them. One of the secrets of a vigorous spirituality and a confident faith is learning the importance of meeting God in the past as well as the present. You need to remember.

Memory. . . we all have it (OK. . . so some are better than others but we all have one). In the Scripture from Acts this morning. . . while Peter was preaching to the people he sparked their memory. Peter reminded them of all the good Jesus did. . . of how Jesus performed miracles and wonders which God did through Him. He reminded the entire household of Israel that with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified. They remembered what had happened and realized what they had done. Their “blinders”. . . the scales. . . fell away from their eyes. The scripture went on to say “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers what should we do?”” They had been blinded of what had taken place but were reminded and they remembered Jesus and who He was. As a matter of fact. . . as we read. . . those who welcomed his. . . Peter’s. . . message were baptized, and that day three thousand persons were added. Talk about your altar call!

Memories. . . to remember something. . . sometimes it is good to remember things while other times it may be painful. Sometimes our memories help us through what we are going through and other times they may cause us to fear. But. . . we can always find a lesson in our memories. For the two disciples and the people that Peter was preaching to. . . their memories helped remove the “scales from their eyes”. It is in our memories. . . when we meditate on what has happened. . . we can see the picture of life more clearly.

Easter was not over when the day was over. It stretches into the rest of our lives. The two disciples might not ever meet the stranger from on their trip to Emmaus again. But. . . that didn’t matter. Their life was changed. The Gospel story we read from Luke has a theological insight when it stretches Easter day into the series of experiences that happened after. The Lord is risen and He comes back to meet us on our road to Emmaus. Opening our eyes to see Christ in our midst is a challenging step on the Christian journey, but this is the step that leads two disciples to recognize the risen Christ. However, opening one's eyes is only a step; for after their experience, the disciples made known to all that had happened to them. We need to share our stories too.

When we read the bible. . . . There are times that our “heart is strangely warmed” (as John Wesley would say). Christ meets us there on our road to see more clearly and understand what God’s has to say about our lives. We recognize Him when we celebrate communion in the “breaking of the bread.” We meet Him in our daily lives unaware, as did the two disciples, until it is too late at times. We need to remove our blinders. . . have the scales fall away. . . so that we can see Him more clearly in our daily lives. You never know. . . the next stranger we encounter may be our risen Lord in disguise. We may meet Him in an unfamiliar place or right in our own back yard.

Amen.

Labels: Acts, angels, apostles, April, Bible, blessing, bread, brother, Christ, christian, church, disciples, Easter, eyes, Faith, Family, fear, God, heart, Jesus, journey, life, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, Pastor Ruth L. Foss, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, resurrection, risen, Ruth, Sanbornville United Methodist Church, savior, schools, scripture, secrets, Sermon, sheep, sight, the word, treasure, Walk to Emmaus

That road, holy ground
where they walked with the risen savior
our Lord, our brother, the stranger
In his presence, with the father, the son
walking on holy ground
on a journey, a pilgrimage
the road to Emmaus,
holy ground, walking with the Lord

April 19, 2008
Exodus 3:5
Luke 24:13-35

Labels: April, brother, Exodus, Faith, father, journey, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, risen, savior, son, Walk to Emmaus

In remembrance, bread and wine
your sacrifice, of your life for all of ours
your body broken for the sins of man
the creator becoming the savior
the shepherd the sheep
obedience to the master’s voice
going even to death, because of the master
his faith strong enough, despite awareness
knowledge before the passion
We break the bread we share the cup
so we can see Jesus, as Cleopas and the other did
sharing with Christ the holy meal
Bread and wine, simple food
blessed are we when we share

April 16, 2008
Psalm 23
Luke 24:13-35

Labels: April, body, bread, Christ, Cleopas, Communion, creator, death, Faith, father, God, Jesus, life, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, master, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Psalm, Psalm 23, Raymond A. Foss, sacrifice, savior, sheep, shepherd, voice, Walk to Emmaus, wine

Welcoming the savior into our house,
into our hearts, after the long journey
the walk to Emmaus, the story of his life
We open the door to the father’s house
to his offer of grace, when we let him in
a joining, a baptism, of the spirit, in the offer
the acceptance of love, of grace
Living in his house, all of our days
receiving the gift of grace
over and over
on the journey of faith
our ministry to the world
sharing Christ in all we do

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, baptism, Christ, church, disciples, Faith, father, grace, heart, Holy Spirit, journey, justifying grace, life, Lori Eldredge, love, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prevenient grace, Raymond A. Foss, savior, Sermon, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

Open the door, step through the threshold
enter the house of the father
accepting his gift of grace
his reconciliation, relationship once more
saying yes to the father, living in his grace
confession and repentance
becoming his sheep, his disciple
being the hands and feet, the voice
of the savior, the living Christ
for the world

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, Christ, church, disciples, Faith, father, feet, hands, justifying grace, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prevenient grace, Raymond A. Foss, savior, Sermon, sheep, shepherd, voice, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

On the walk, the journey
the road to Emmaus
they learned from the master
the story of his life, his ministry
the fulfillment of all the prophets
in the living of his days
Sharing an afternoon with them
but so much more
Changing their lives
in the instant of awareness
the stranger the Christ
discovered in his holy sacrifice
remembered in the blessing,
in the bread, the wine,
just as we do when we share
when we partake of that holy meal
When we share the memory
of his saving grace
And, like Cleopas and the other,
we must tell the good news
proclaim it; Christ is risen!

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, blessing, bread, Christ, church, Cleopas, Communion, Faith, grace, journey, life, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, master, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prophet, Raymond A. Foss, risen, sacrifice, Sermon, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

Run to Jerusalem
to the eleven, the apostles
tell his disciples the good news
the Lord is risen, he walked with us
on the road home, revealed in the blessing,
the bread and wine, the savior risen
alive with us on the road
sharing all the scripture, the prophets
his story told to us proof by proof
our hearts burning within us
joy walked with us
his grace heaped upon us
on the road to Emmaus

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: apostles, April, Bible, blessing, bread, church, Communion, disciples, Faith, grace, heart, Lori Eldredge, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, risen, savior, scripture, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

It was his act of sharing, this honored guest
a stranger revealed as the savior
the risen messiah, breaking their bread
welcomed into their home, sharing the sacrifice
the saving of his grace, his gift
disciples whose eyes were opened
the pilgrims on the road home
learning directly from the master
but made to see in his communion
his sharing of the bread and wine
with them in their home

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, bread, church, Communion, disciples, eyes, Faith, grace, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, master, Messiah, Methodist, pilgrims, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, risen, sacrifice, savior, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

His blessing, his act of sacrifice
revealed his identity
to the shocked disciples
they who had walked the road to Emmaus
with the stranger that day
Suddenly aware of the savior
in that split second of realization
before he disappeared from their presence
Tell the eleven! The savior lives!

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, blessing, bread, church, Communion, disciples, eyes, Faith, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, sacrifice, savior, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

He was for them,
a stranger, unknown to them
this man, joining them on the road home
Lost in pain, in doubt, confusion
they walked the dusty trail
He fell into their gait, walking with them
asking questions, probing questions
Sharing scripture, his story
burning hearts within them,
in the telling of the story,
reclaiming, renewing their spirits
In the breaking of the bread, the blessing,
the cup of salvation, awareness, joy
a stranger no more, our savior revealed

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, Bible, blessing, bread, church, Communion, disciples, Faith, heart, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, savior, scripture, Sermon, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

As they did, calling him, asking him in
we call Christ, into our homes, into our hearts
to dwell in us, with us, to be in communion
to share our lives, our days; hot, tired from the road
they begged him to stay a while longer
to enter their house, to bless them with his presence
Entering in, they saw the risen Christ

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, Christ, church, Faith, heart, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, risen, Sermon, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

We too must be aware
hear the message there is for us
to walk with Jesus, as God intended
to share the road, the journey with him
walking the path of life, following the shepherd
the master’s call for us; feeling his presence
on the way with him
We are free to choose,
to accept the offer of grace
always there, always ready
constantly new, arms wide open
Walk with Jesus, be his disciple
so the rest of the world
will know his saving grace
and come home to the Father
each one of us a prodigal child
Each one wanted by the father
each one valued, very good

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, child, church, disciples, Faith, father, God, Jesus, journey, life, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prevenient grace, Raymond A. Foss, savior, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

If we are ready, prepared to enter into the house
our father’s house, into the rooms with our names
we have dust on our feet, with the disciples,
walking the ancient road home
walking with our Lord, our savior,
our shepherd, following his footsteps
hearing his story anew for us
offering him welcome in our homes
recognizing him in the breaking of the bread
the drinking of the wine
just as they did that Easter day
Feeling their joy
in that moment of awareness
when their blindness was transformed
into joy; He is risen indeed

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, bread, church, Communion, disciples, Easter, Faith, feet, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, Offering, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, resurrection, risen, savior, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church, wine

Living history, living ministry
the story of the walk to Emmaus
the disciples on the road,
real for me, in the truth
their blindness real to me
the failure to see Christ
in the stranger walking with them
that Easter day, their hearts too heavy
to know the joy beside them
immersed in the story,
the steps they walked
not merely studying the words
walking the road with Cleopas,
with his companion
and with our risen savior
joining them on the journey of grace
all the days of our lives to come

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, Christ, church, Cleopas, disciples, Easter, Faith, grace, heart, journey, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, resurrection, risen, savior, Sermon, sheep, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

On the walk, we are there, with them
on the road with our savior
feeling his story, his message
real and alive for us
hearing the words of his life
his mission, ours now
in new and right ways
Feeling the presence
of our Lord,
our hearts burning as theirs were
so long ago, on the road to Emmaus

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, church, Faith, heart, life, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Messiah, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, savior, Sermon, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church

By grace, we enter in,
into our Father’s house
We have squatter’s rights
immediately given, by grace
living in our Father’s house
day by day learning, growing
knowing more of the treasures there
the hidden rooms, the joys
of living there, day by day
growing in grace

April 13, 2008
Luke 24:13-35, the Walk to Emmaus,
and the sermon by the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
“Seven Miles to Eternity: Recognized Him”,
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

Labels: April, church, Faith, grace, justifying grace, Lori Eldredge, Luke, Luke 24:13-35, Methodist, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, prevenient grace, Raymond A. Foss, sanctifying grace, Sermon, treasure, Walk to Emmaus, Wesley United Methodist Church