The Rev. Paul J Cain
Luke 24:36-49
Peace to You
Easter 3B, 22 April 2012
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY
The peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
That Philippians 4:7 apostolic blessing from
St. Paul is how a Lutheran sermon often ends. Today, it is appropriate that
such a blessing of peace begin and end today’s sermon on Luke 24.
The disciples were talking about the day’s events. Two men
walked to Emmaus talking about Jesus. Jesus joined them, but they did not know
it was Jesus until He revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread. They
hurried back to tell the disciples gathered there.
The disciples in Jerusalem had other reports about Jesus
that day, too. The women who had prepared spiced to take to Jesus’ tomb found
the tomb empty and were greeted by angels who told them of Jesus’ resurrection.
Peter ran to the tomb and verified the report that the tomb was empty.
Last week, in the sermon on John 20, we focused on the
forgiveness of sins proclaimed in the stead and by the command of Jesus,
proclaimed by Christians and especially pastors in Jesus’ place because He said
so. We could have focused on so-called “doubting Thomas.” That would have been
the easy way out. Jesus, earlier in John 20 and today in Luke 24 confronts a
whole room of doubters.
36 As
they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said
to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But
they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them,
“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my
feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh
and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And
when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still
disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything
here to eat?” 42 They
gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and
he took it and ate before them.
Startled. Frightened. They thought they saw a “spirit.” An
angel? A demon? What did they expect?
Jesus calls them on their doubt, their unbelief, their
unfaith: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my
hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does
not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
It’s like Jesus said: “Why are you guys so upset? Why did
you doubt? If you want to walk by sight and not by faith, take a good look. Go
ahead, touch Me. If you must, put your finger here, and see My hands; and put
our your hand, and place it in My side.”
The disciples “disbelieved for joy.” What an odd way for
John to speak the truth about the whole situation. Matthew, in chapter 28 at
the Ascension, uses similar language: “And when they saw Him they worshiped
Him, but some doubted.”
So, here we are on Easter evening, the sun has gone down on
the Sunday of Jesus’ Resurrection. John 20 last week told us of this same night
and what happened on the eighth day after, a week after Jesus’ Resurrection. So
much happened in that short amount of time that it takes days, weeks, months,
and even lifetimes to make any sense of it.
It’s like what John wrote: “Now Jesus did many other signs
in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book, but these
are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in His name” (20:30-31).
John concludes His account of the Gospel in this way: “Now there
are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them written, I
suppose that the whole world itself could not contain the books that would be
written” (21:25). This is most certainly true.
Unfortunately, so many books and TV programs about Jesus and
the Bible are intended to create doubt, ridicule belief, and kill faith. Personally, I don’t think they are worth your
time. It is part of my responsibility to understand what they’re saying in
order to protect you and refute them. We have nothing to fear of honest
questions and responsible scholarship. I will always take issue with those who
mean to do Christians harm. And it is our priority to boldly and clearly say
what Scripture says.
Similarly, Jesus reminds His disciples of what I taught them
before.
44 Then
he said to 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 and the Prophets and
the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then
he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the
Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance
and3 forgiveness of sins
should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of
these things. 49 And
behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Jesus not only reminds them that everything that took place
in His ministry, passion, death, and Resurrection is as He had told them it
would be, He also tells them what will now take place in their immediate
future.
One. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed
in Jesus’ name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. This is good news for
all people, Jew and non-Jew.
Two. You are witnesses of these things. Who will be doing
the proclaiming of law and Gospel? The disciples. The Twelve will become Twelve
again. Jesus will have His twelve-fold Israel again so that they will be His
witnesses to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. All but one, history tells
us, were witnesses even unto death.
Three. Jesus sent the promise of His Father upon them. That
is why He told them to stay in the city until they were clothed with power from
on high. The Jewish Festival of First Fruits, Pentecost, is the time God the
Holy Spirit clothes them with power on high, emboldening their witness, and
translating it in to the languages that Jews gathered in Jerusalem could
understand. There, again, the Lord has His Israel, His congregation, His
Church, gathered around His gifts of salvation in Messiah Jesus’ name. The Lord
once again has His true “first fruits,” those who fear, love, and trust in the
Lord God above all things.
Let’s review.
One. Repentance and forgiveness of sins, law and Gospel, are
still proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations. Paul preached to the Jew first
and then to the Gentile. That is still our task. We are given to keep the
message pure and also to get the message out.
Two. You are witnesses of these things. No, not all are in
the Office of the Holy Ministry, but all of us, according to our vocations,
tell the good news about Jesus.
Fathers are given to raise their children in the faith and
teach the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy
Baptism, Confession and the Office of the Keys, and the Sacrament of the Altar
to their household. It is an honor and a privilege to help in that regard.
Parents are to feed, clothe, shelter, and educate their children. Those things
care for God’s gift of life and prepare children for adulthood and their
vocations, yet teaching them all that the Lord Jesus gives us in the Word is a
preparation for both life and eternal life.
We are given to make disciples of all nations by baptizing
and teaching. The baptized are to be taught everything written about Jesus in
the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms as well as the New
Testament. We will be having Sunday School this summer. Our Bible Class and
service schedule will remain the same. And our summer adult Bible Class will
focus on Jesus in the Book of Isaiah.
Why Isaiah? Well, why not? Have you ever been to a Bible
study on Isaiah? It is so rich in content about Jesus, our Prophet, Priest, and
King, as well as our suffering Servant and Sacrifice of Atonement, that the
book has been called the Fifth Gospel. It has sixty-six chapters, just as the
Bible as a whole has sixty-six books. And it has two main parts, both by Isaiah
himself. The first thirty-nine chapters speak of judgment, yet also contain some
of Scripture’s richest Gospel promises. Chapters 40 and following primarily
point us to the Lord’s promises, while also admonishing all who worship false
gods by their thoughts, words, or deeds.
Why Isaiah? As your pastor, I wanted to study a book with
you that would be something fresh and engaging for all who might attend. Isaiah
will be interesting to the new Christian, a key to better understanding the New
Testament for someone new to intentional study of the Bible with a group, and
hearty, rich, convicting, and comforting for the life-long Christian and lay
Bible scholar.
Have you been frustrated by Bible study by yourself? Do you
need motivation to stick with a class on one book of the Bible? Have you wanted
to start reading or studying and just didn’t know where to start? Here’s your
opportunity. You can just sit and listen. You don’t have to read aloud or ask
questions unless you want to. And if you miss a class, don’t worry. We’ll
record them all, just like we’ve been doing for years now.
Jesus calls all of His disciples, including us, out of our
doubt, our unbelief, our unfaith: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts
arise in your hearts? …..a spirit does not have flesh and bones as….I have.”
Believe in joy. And taste and see that the Lord is good!
Jesus’ Resurrection means peace for you. He spent His
Sabbath rest in the tomb so that His Resurrection would give you spiritual rest
and peace in His Word and Gifts, peace that no one and no thing on earth can
give. His Resurrection means your resurrection to glory on the Last Day. Amen.
The peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus .
Amen.
