Easter 3 by Fr Jack

Acts 2.14,36-41 37.1-14
St Peter’s First Epistle 1.17-23
St Luke’s Gospel 24.13-35

In Eastertide the readings often run on two parallel tracks, and this is really important to notice. One track is the resurrection appearances of Jesus. We hear midweek at the Eucharist and on Sundays, the different accounts in the Gospels of Jesus appearing risen on Easter morning, on the evening of Easter Day (in St John’s Gospel last Sunday, and St Luke today), and appearances peppered throughout the forty days following Easter until Ascension Day.

At the same time we follow the second track of the Early Church, jumping ahead to after Pentecost to hear what happened next: in the Acts of the Apostles today, and from St Peter in his first epistle.

In a way there is startlingly simple lesson to be learned here. We look closely at the resurrection and then we find out what difference it made in the lives of the apostles and the early Jesus movement. How they lived and what they did because of Jesus’ resurrection. And of course, we are supposed to ask - ‘so, what about me? What difference does Jesus’ resurrection make to my life’. Let’s explore that together this morning on these two tracks: the resurrection, and therefore how we live.

The end of the second reading is echoed in Wesley’s glorious anthem we heard before the Gospel. Because of Jesus risen, we are given to love above all else. Love God and love your neighbour as yourself - that is life’s logos, our meaning and purpose.

All those old preacher’s cliches apply: things like, if Christianity was illegal in this country, would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you of it? Or not? A cliche, but still good to prod us!

But there’s more here. Asking what difference living in the light of the resurrection makes, let’s turn to today’s readings.

Well, St Peter points the crowds in Acts towards baptism. Yes, that applies for us too. Baptism is the highest Christian calling. It is always our first and last vocation - to live out our baptism.

St Peter bids them live their lives vulnerable to the working of the Holy Spirit. Are we open to God’s transformative love in our lives? Yes, that is a question for us too.

St Peter bids the crowds in Jerusalem turn from sin. Turn from exploitation and greed and violence and plenty of others socially normative but destructive ways of being: ‘this corrupt generation’ as he says. Yes, us too - at work, home and elsewhere, what is shaping how we live in this world, Christ’s resurrection or things that are less than that?

But it’s not just a a wake-up call and a shake by the shoulders. St Peter also comes to assure us, and free us. We can’t live the life of the resurrection just by giving ourselves a good talking to. This isn’t school rules, this is resurrection life.

In his epistle, St Peter longs for us to see that we have been freed by the blood of Christ. And remembering that for Jews like St Peter, like Jesus, blood is sacred. Blood is the sacred life-force of a person or animal. So to have been bought with Christ’s blood is unthinkably profound. Precious blood, indeed.

And through that lavish gift of Jesus’ life, totally given, we can come (St Peter tells us) to put our lives, our ‘trust in God’. Death transformed into glory, our ‘faith and hope are set on God’.

We have been set free, purified, for ‘genuine mutual love…deeply from the heart’ St Peter writes today.

So, friends, drink deeply of the cup of the Precious Blood at Holy Communion today - it is Christ’s life, it is our life, if we are to find out what truly living, truly means.

And now, briefly, to turn to today’s wonderful Gospel passage; because this has so much to tell us about what this life with and in the risen Jesus looks like for us. Jesus risen, and the difference it makes to our everyday life.

Cleopas and his companion are walking along sad and confused, and Jesus comes alongside them. This is already a beautiful parable for life. We walk along, often all over the shop, and Jesus draws up alongside us. Although, because of the limitations of our humanity, very often we (like them) may not know it is Him. I love Jesus’ cheekiness when he asks ‘what things?’ knowing full well that they are talking about Him!

And then (when they reach Emmaus) He goes to walk on, and perhaps they nearly didn’t, but they do ask Him to stay. If they hadn’t , they would never have known. There too is a lesson for us. Turn up, spend time with Jesus, and ask Jesus to be with you. That line from today’s Gospel that becomes one of the lovely ending prayers at Compline each night: ‘Abide with us, Lord Jesus, for the night is at hand and the day is now past.’

And they recognise Him in the breaking of the bread. That too reveals the heart of the Christian life. In gathering together in the light of the resurrection, to break bread together as He told us, we see Him in our midst. Those of us who enjoyed the Lent Ecumenical Saturday Caravaggio sessions may well have that Supper at Emmaus in our mind’s eye. And just as soon as He is with them, He ‘vanished from their sight’. Now there is a parable for life too.

Our Jesus has given us everything, but He is no tame pet. He will always evade our grasp. And in this moment, His disappearance inspires Cleopas and companion to suddenly not give a thought to the night, to the dangers of travel, brigands, or tired legs and empty stomachs, or to what they do or don’t fully yet understand. ‘That same hour’, that instant, they leap up and go to proclaim the resurrection. And, we also notice, they find the resurrection proclaimed back at them by the gathered apostles in Jerusalem.

‘O for closer walk with God’, as the choir will sing at Holy Communion today. Well, friends, our life’s walk with God in the light of the resurrection is all here in today’s readings, in miniature. These two tracks.

-God’s love at the heart of who we are and how we live, in every part of our lives.

-Our confusion and inability to see - but Jesus is with us, just like Emmaus.

-And just as St Peter said we have been freed, by Baptism, by the gift of Christ’s blood, by the Holy Spirit, we have everything we need.

-We simply need to keep on the road of life, and at every opportunity (just like Emmaus) ask Jesus to be with us.

-And we keep learning to recognise Him, even as He surprises us in the twists and turns of life.

-And perhaps realising, when He disappears sometimes, that He isn’t gone, but calling us on, deeper into the adventure of discovering life in Him.

It’s all here, with plenty more besides in today’s readings. Take them home and meditate on them. And in the meantime, once again, as ever, we start afresh now, finding Him in the Breaking of the Bread.