Jesus Lives

By Rev. Heather J. Blais, Rector

Luke’s story of the empty tomb begins similarly enough to Mark's version that we heard on Easter Sunday, but he takes the story one step further. The female disciples had approached the burial tomb, found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. This time there were two divine messengers, and they told the women that he was not there, he had risen. Yet the divine messengers make a point in telling them: “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again” (Lk 24:6-7). The text goes on to say, “Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told this to the eleven and to all the rest” (Lk 24:8-9).

The messengers were making a point to remind the disciples that Jesus had told them - this was going to happen; there would be a resurrection. Yet this time around, the women do not flee in fear; they go and tell the disciples. The disciples seem to think the women are telling a tall tale, except for Peter, who runs to the tomb to see if there might be any truth to the story.  He returned, “...amazed at what had happened” (Lk 24:12b). 

That same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to the village of Emmaus. They were feeling pretty downcast and defeated, because the man they thought had been the messiah, had been crucified and buried. While on the road, they encounter a stranger and share their troubling news. The stranger began to teach them the meaning of the scriptures, and when they drew near the village, they stopped and shared a meal together. And it was only then, when the stranger “...was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight” (Lk 24:30-31). They immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. 

When we reach today’s gospel lesson, these two disciples are in the midst of telling the other disciples they had just encountered the resurrected Christ. While they were talking, Jesus appeared before them, wishing them peace. Yet the disciples were scared half to death. He assured them they did not need to be afraid, and encouraged them to touch his hands and feet, in order that they might see this was really Jesus. Even still, it was too much for the disciples; it was too good to be true.


Jesus then asked for something to eat, and they handed him a piece of broiled fish. It was only then that Jesus was recognizable to them, in this shared communal meal. Ghosts and angels do not eat, so indeed, Jesus lives.  It was only after Jesus had calmed their fears, that he could then impart one final lesson before ascending into heaven.

In both of Jesus’ resurrection appearances in Luke’s gospel, the disciples do not recognize him until they share a meal together. It is only then they know Jesus lives. 
As preacher Laura Holck wrote, “By eating fish with his friends, Jesus also demonstrates the pathway forward: we move into the realm of resurrection every time we eat together. And although resurrected life is always possible when we eat together, it only materializes when we get real with each other. It materializes when we share 
our wounds.”* 

In other words, it matters that we gather each week to worship God and share in our eucharistic meal together.  It is how we are reminded that Jesus lives in our relationships, in our work, in our communities, and in how we care for ourselves.* In a world with a 24 hour news cycle full of discouraging and fearful stories, we need to remember the hope of the resurrection; of all that is possible when we gather together as the body of Christ and proclaim Jesus lives. 

Preacher Laura Holck goes on to write: “Too often people live in a privatized transactional religion, offering prayers and devotion hoping God will exchange them for resurrected life. But Christianity is much more than that. Christianity is living a communal life of shared pain, sorrow, and hope, where breaking bread together transforms everything and we experience resurrected life while we still live, where calling upon the name of Jesus in our midst brings healing and new life amid what formerly was only death, despair, and isolation.”*

For Christians, the lifecycle of faith is not an individual, private journey. We can certainly try to go about it alone, but it will feel more like a half-life. Because in our faith tradition, we are meant to be in community, to recognize Jesus lives whenever and wherever we gather to be the Church. We experience the resurrection each and every week when we break bread together. We experience the resurrection as we witness our little ones joyfully and boldly singing along with the community, somberly carrying forward the bread and wine, running in circles in our sanctuary to remind us of our call to have a child-like faith, and as they recognize, better than many of us, that something very special is happening during communion. We experience the resurrection each and every time we gather together to witness and celebrate the baptism of a new member into the body of Christ. This means, Jesus lives not just on the day of resurrection, but Jesus lives right now, right here, as we baptize Max and Wendy. 

In the baptism liturgy, we promise as a community to walk with Max, Wendy, and one another through the highs and lows of this life. We, as the Church, are in this together, and we’ve got you. We may be an imperfect mess, but Gods’ Love is our North Star and we are in this with you, forever and always. 

The baptismal covenant, the promises we make in baptism and reaffirm again and again throughout our lives, are in a question and answer format. The first three questions ask us about our belief in God the Creator, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Then the questions shift from what we believe to how we will live.  The first question of how we will live asks: Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers? This may be the most important question about how we will live, as our answer will inform how we will respond to the rest of the questions.  Because the Church recognizes that in order to keep remembering that Jesus lives in us and the world around us, we need to keep gathering in fellowship and worship, we need to keep breaking bread and praying together. 

• Only then, can we persevere in resisting the selfishness that drives us away from God and community. 
  
• Only then, can we proclaim in our thoughts, words, and deeds the Good News of God’s life changing Love. 
  

• Only then, can we seek and serve Christ in each and every person, seeing them as beloved children of God and loving them as such. 
  

• Only then, can we  strive for justice and peace among all people, insisting that this world respect the inherent dignity of each and every human being.
  

• Only then, can we cherish and protect the beauty and integrity of God’s creation.
  

• Only then. 
  

It all relies upon our belief in the story of God’s love in creation and in Christ, our faith in one another, and our shared communal worship and life together. Whether we were baptized as a little one, as Max will be, or as an adult, as Wendy will be, baptism is a choice to put love of God’s creation, love of God’s children, and a belief in a better world before all else. It is making the choice to engage in a life of love, joy, hope, and healing. 

We all come from a variety of spiritual backgrounds, and maybe you’ve been baptized, and maybe you’ve not made that choice yet. As Jimmy noted last week, as Anglicans we gather around the book, font, and table, which informs how we live our lives out in the world. With that in mind, know that this baptismal font, along with our altar and scriptures, are here to symbolize God’s standing invitation to abundant life. If you would ever like to explore being baptized, let’s make it happen. And for those who have been baptized for decades, may this font always symbolize the life we choose in God, and God’s invitation to commit ourselves, again and again, to a life of love. Whenever we gather around this font,  and around this table; as we listen to the scriptures; may we remember that Jesus lives. 

As we prepare to baptize Max and Wendy today, and to renew our own baptismal vows, I would invite each of us to do some reflecting:  

• What does our baptism mean to us?
  
• Or if we’ve not yet been baptized, what do we make of God’s invitation? 
  
• Which baptismal promise is most important to us? Why?
  
• What does the weekly experience of shared communion and worship mean to us? Amen. 
  

* Laura Holck in Sundays and Seasons: Preaching, 2024, p.139. ​

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