READING: Luke Ch 24 v 36 – 48
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
SERMON
In the movie “It could happen to you”. A New York police officer named Charlie is having coffee in a little diner. He finishes his meal and starts to pay only to discover to his embarrassment that he only has enough for the coffee and nothing for a tip. So he offers the waitress a choice he will return the next day with double the tip or, he will split the winnings, if any, of the lottery ticket that he just bought.
Well, the waitress whose name is Yvonne wasn’t in the mood to hear any of the nonsense and promises the officer was making. Her day had been bad enough already and she wasn’t thrilled of losing tips no matter how small they might be. Her life is terrible, she hates her job as a waitress, her runaway no good husband had maxed out her credit card balance to the point that she just that very day had been in court to declare bankruptcy. And therefore she wondered, how could things get any worse?
She smiles helplessly at her bad luck and tells Charlie not to worry about that pocket change tip, and so she takes Charlie up on his offer of half the lottery ticket’s potential winnings.
Well, Surprise, Surprise! The ticket beats the odds, and wins $4 million. Charlie comes to the diner the next morning to give Yvonne the good news. Her tip for serving a cup of coffee is not a little bit of change, but two million dollars.
Can you imagine Yvonne’s reaction to this good news? At first, utter disbelief covers Yvonne’s face. She wonders is this some sort of prank or cruel joke, nothing like this could ever happen to me.
Charlie insists that he is not joking, and a tiny flicker of hope registers deep inside Yvonne. Does she dare to believe this incredibly good news is true? “Yes? Yes?” she asks as her eyes widen and her face begins to light up. “CAN IT REALLY BE TRUE?”
Then disbelief returns, just yesterday she had accepted her fate of bankruptcy. “No! No!’ she says, coming back to reality. Her emotions are a mix of belief and disbelief. But facts are facts and Charlie’s gift was a reality, half of the winnings were hers.
Yvonne’s glimmer of belief grew stronger as Charlie’s excitement gradually increased and melted her skepticism. Charlie’s smile was saying, “It could happen. His enthusiasm was saying, it has happened and it has happened TO YOU.”
“Yes?” Yvonne asked again. “Yes!” Charlie exclaimed.
“YES!” Doubts cast away, her question now turns into cheerful exclamation. “YES!!!” As she comes to terms with the largeness of Charlie’s gift, she suddenly finds herself dancing and swirling through the tables of customers, contemplating her new life, a life forever changed by Charlie’s free gift. The little New York diner is the scene of unexpected, overwhelming, hard-to-believe joy.
Now I want you to imagine another place and time, a place where a ragtag group of people huddled together behind locked doors not knowing what would happen next.
This place, this upper room is where we find the disciples and others who had been following Jesus. They were all telling about where and how they had encountered their friend from Nazareth. They were talking about going to the tomb and finding it empty, they were talking about when He had come into that very room and talked with them.
Cleopus and his wife Mary were telling the story about their journey to Emmaus and the stranger that had walked with them all the way to town, but when He sat down at the table with them and broke some bread their eyes were opened and they saw their friend Jesus sitting there with them. All of them were talking about the close encounters that they had experienced.
Maybe they thought that they were seeing a ghost, or maybe there minds were just playing tricks on them, but whatever the case Jesus was about to erase their doubts and fears.
The scripture tells us that Jesus stands up in their mist and says Peace be to you. Then He asked them, why are you so troubled? Why do you have these doubts in your heart? I’m here touch me and see that I am alive. I’m not a ghost I’m real and I’m here just like you, a ghost isn’t made of flesh and blood and then it says he showed them His hands and feet.
The scripture goes on to say that even in their joy they were disbelieving and unsure. They were amazed and awestruck but still had trouble believing. Then Jesus still trying to prove that He was the real deal said give me something to eat and he ate some fish, Jesus was trying to cure their unbelief and prove to them that this was happening.
Then Jesus says look, “I told you so” I told you that it would be just like the scripture said, I was going to suffer, I was going to die, and then on the third day I was going to rise up from the grave, on the third day I was going to defeat death, and that I was going to see you again. I told you it wasn’t going to be good bye but that that it was going to be I’ll see you soon. I told you that repentance and forgiveness of sin was going to be proclaimed in my name for all generations and it was going to start right here in Jerusalem. I told you, and now you’re going to be witnesses to these things.
Sometimes I think those disciples were a little slow on the uptake, why didn’t they believe? They had walked side by side with Jesus, they had put their hand in the hand with the man who stilled the waters, they had put their hand in the hand of the man that calmed the sea, and they had put their hand in the hand with the Man from galilee. What was wrong with them, why didn’t they believe?
Because they were just like us, it was too good to be true, it was impossible. You know the saying if it seems too good to be true it probably is. They forgot one thing “with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.
And here is how it is with us. We worry about our jobs, we worry about the economy, and we worry about every little thing and can’t seem to focus on the truth that Jesus brings. We worry and act like Jesus isn’t in our midst, we act like Jesus isn’t real.
We live in worry and fear and act like Jesus isn’t anywhere to be found and the truth is he is right in the middle of our lives each and every day, we act like Jesus is dead when He is alive and standing hand in hand with us.
But we had better wake up and smell the coffee and put our hand in the hand of the man and act like we have received the victory. We need to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and shout it from the rooftops. Jesus didn’t say goodbye, Jesus said I’ll be back.
We have got to quit worrying and fretting so much and rest in the saviour, He said “my peace I give to you, let not your heart be troubled, and don’t let it be afraid.
The trouble is we are a lot like Yvonne and the disciples, what Jesus offers us is just so amazing it’s too good to be true. We are scared and overwhelmed in our lives and think that we are so unworthy and just don’t deserve what Jesus has given us.
But you see, that’s the whole point of the cross, it is too good to be true by our standards. The sad truth is we don’t deserve it, but that’s what grace is all about, God loves us enough to give us what we don’t deserve.
As Christians we should bear witnesses to the fact that Jesus is alive and when we give him our burdens and troubles: He breaks every chain that binds us, He frees us from the bondage of sin and death, and somehow He gives us peace.
Is it too good to be true? Of course it is but you know what? When we have a close encounter with Jesus our mind is opened and the truth sets us free.
PRAYERS
Risen Christ, Easter has passed and so quickly we forget the marvellous story and return to mediocrity. We forget the breath taking message that you are risen and with us, our companion on all our journeys to Emmaus. We forget the new life available to us from that day on. Remind us daily that we are an Easter people, living in the light of the resurrection, invigorated by joy and empowered by love.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
Risen Christ, in the winter of this world’s wraths and sorrows, come like spring to hope to the desperate nations of the world. Our news reports are full of all types of news that we often turn away from in despair. But you O Christ, are our first glimpse of a new world where swords will be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning forks. Keep our leaders hopeful and determined as they work for peace and plenty, often against huge odds. Plant Easter in their hearts.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
Risen Christ, we know many people who are living through their own Good Friday, having to face great problems and feeling abandoned and alone under an iron grey sky. Open that sky, we pray, let a shaft of Easter light pierce the gloom and illuminates at least part of their landscape. In our hearts we name and pray for people we know who are most troubled, who have most to deal with at present. Please also break the ice around our hearts, and make us part of the answer to our own prayers for friends and others in need.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
Risen Christ, may our church be an oasis of Easter within our community, a place of life, laughter, play and creativity. May it be a place where people let down their guard and know themselves to be gifted and valued. May it be a place where we do something beautiful for God each week, and then do to live as Easter people to serve the community around us.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
And so we pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples…………..
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen
Alleluia Christ is risen……. He is risen indeed
Revd Kevin. Associate Priest at St.Wilfrid and St.Thomas
