Sermon 3rd Sunday of Easter Year B April 14, 2024
Throughout the great 50 days of the Easter season, we keep reading stories of various appearances of Jesus following his resurrection. In some ways it can feel like we are repeating ourselves week after week. But there are so many varying accounts in the gospels of post-resurrection experiences to express the disciples’ coming to terms with the reality of resurrection that we must tell them all over and over.
Today we hear Luke’s story of what happened on the day. The story actually begins in the first part of chapter 24 with two disciples telling a story to the other disciples in Jerusalem that they have seen the risen Lord as they were heading to their home in Emmaus. The first story is the story of Cleopas and his wife returning home when Jesus appears to them. Once they recognize him, they return at once to Jerusalem to tell the others.
Today we hear them telling the disciples their encounter of Jesus on the Road. Suddenly Jesus appears standing in the midst of the disciples. He says to them, Shalom aleikhem, peace be with you…the common greeting shared by people of the Middle East both Jews and Muslims to this day. The story on the road to Emmaus and the gathering of the disciples in Jerusalem we just read follows a similar pattern.
First there is an Encounter of the Risen Jesus and their failure to recognize him.
Secondly, there is an Explanation – like in the story we heard last week of Thomas’ Doubt Jesus shows his followers his wounds. Jesus shares stories about himself, that the Messiah was to suffer and die.
Third there is eating Jesus eats with them.
Fourth Enlightenment—they finally recognize him.
And fifth Exit — Jesus departs and His followers are commissioned to be witnesses of these things.
Just as in the Emmaus story the disciples do not recognize Jesus and thought they were seeing a ghost. To show them he isn’t a ghost he shows them his wounds. Moreover, just like in the Emmaus story he eats something in their presence…this time fish.
Then just like he did in the earlier story he provides an explanation…describing the events of death and resurrection through the lens of scriptures. Once he had done that there is enlightenment…their eyes were opened and they recognized him.
Today’s reading ends with the commissioning of the disciples. One can make the connection with today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. There Luke begins to paint the picture of what it looked like when the disciples fulfilled their calling as witnesses. We read Peter’s proclamation of what God is doing in Jesus Christ. Peter’s message in Acts is direct and to the point. Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.
It is here where we are able to enter the story. We come like the disciples with our doubts, confusions, fears, and misunderstandings. Each week, through worship we encounter the risen Christ. In the reciting of the scriptures and the preached word… we are offered explanation, proclaiming the good news of what God has and is doing. We eat with Christ, breaking the bread of resurrected life in the Eucharist.
The Spirit brings enlightenment, opening our hearts and minds, setting our hearts on fire. Finally, Christ sends us out into the entire world to be witnesses to this amazing news.
In Luke’s story, Jesus goes to great lengths to emphasize the importance of the physical realm. While none of us can know the nature of a resurrected body, Jesus takes the story of resurrection back to the physical realm through doing the most human thing we do together in community, share food.
Maybe it was a way of demonstrating that Christian faith entails much more than a belief in eternal afterlife beyond the mortal existence we currently occupy. Luke emphasizes in this story the fact…. the physical realm is just as sacred as the spiritual one that we commonly think of as heaven — and, consequently, worthy of care this very moment.
This is an easy concept to forget. Most of the news headlines point to a world in steady decline: Natural disasters. Economic collapse. Global warming. War. Violence. Racism. Hate. Exploitation. Greed. Genocide. Environmental degradation. Disease. Poverty. Hunger. Drought. What is the point of trying to promote healing in a place that seems like it’s going to hell — literally and figuratively?
There are many Christians who ascribe to a line of reasoning with complete sincerity. Why concern ourselves with the ephemeral matters of this physical world — such as responsible stewardship of natural creation, or mitigation of poverty and injustice — when the relevance of these issues will perish with the earth itself? All we need is personal salvation.
The life and ministry of Jesus certainly doesn’t reflect such a mentality. To be sure, he healed spiritual afflictions, but he also healed physical ones. It’s apparent that he was deeply concerned with both. Is there any doubt that God is just as committed to the renewal of the physical as he is the spiritual? Is there any doubt that he wants us to be concerned too? Isn’t that the point of Jesus’ incarnation…of becoming flesh and blood and of our being sent into the world to do the work we’ve been given to do?
10 (Shortly, we will be baptizing Serena Johnson. Serena and her mother Carissa came to us a little over a year ago, because Serena asked to be baptized in the faith. Something in her experience called her and compelled her to seek this new life in Christ. She now will join all of you as a witness to the love of God experienced in the community of believers. She has had a wonderful companion on the journey. Deacon Marge Roccoberton has been walking with Serena on this journey and helping her come to this day. So, it is with great joy that Marge will be the person performing the baptism and I will join with anointing with the holy oil. Being present today to witness her baptism helps us renew our own commitment to Christ.)
You and I are called to testify as witnesses. We can witness to the flesh and bone signs of resurrection like I shared on Easter Sunday. The job is a witness is to share the good news of all that you see in this life right here and now. So, do not be afraid or holding back about all that you have seen about the love and power of God in Christ Jesus.
In these gospel stories the risen Jesus brings us back to earth and calls us to be witnesses and preach a gospel of repentance and forgiveness in order that the world is being restored and reconciled tight here and right now.