An Adventure with Your Name on it, Part 1

This post is Part 1 of a sermon that will be continued on April 26.

Steve and I really enjoy the movie Apollo 13 – it’s one of our favorites. If you haven’t seen it, go fix that.

Anyway, the movie begins on July 20, 1969. That is the day that two astronauts from Apollo 11 – Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren – first walked on the moon.  Jim Lovell, who was head of the backup crew for Apollo 11, threw a party that night for other people in the program so that they could watch the moon landing together.  Everyone is gathered in his living room, sitting, standing, laughing together as Walter Cronkite narrated the event from the television. There was champagne and snacks, friends gathered.

 

Do you remember the first moon landing? In the movie, you can feel the awe and anticipation as Armstrong steps onto the surface of the moon, and says those now famous words – one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

 

After the party, the scene cuts to the Lovell’s backyard.  Jim is in a lounge chair, looking at the night sky, and his wife, Marilyn, is walking in the backyard, looking at the mess from the party, dragging a bag of trash, overwhelmed by the detritus of the big event.  She says, “I can’t deal with the cleaning up – let’s sell the house.”

 

I think this Sunday, today, feels a little bit like that.  Last Sunday, we were here, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. There were tulips lining the aisles. There was music – every good party needs great music – we had trumpets and trombones. We had a great meal together – communion – and we sang Alleluia.  Christ is Risen, Indeed!

 

Today, though, it feels more like the aftermath of a party.  The meal is gone, even the crumbs have been swept away. The flowers are still here, but the chairs are stacked up, and the trumpets are back in their cases.  We’re singing a song we’ve never heard before. Not as many people got up early enough to come to church, and we don’t even have our regular pastor to preach.

 

Christ is still risen, but what are we going to do about it? Last week, we celebrated – we could almost feel the presence of Christ, and we were strong in our faith. This week, it doesn’t feel like that. Do we even believe it all happened?