He is Risen Indeed - Homily 3rd Sunday of Easter

 Jesus Christ is risen, Alleluia  

A friend, an elder in the Lutheran Church, sent me this Easter Greeting the first thing Easter Morning. The response I texted back, “He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Alleluia.”

This is a traditional Easter greetings among Christians, but, I wonder if these are the words the disciples shared after Jesus appeared to them the first time?  I’m not sure because I don’t think they were sure.

The disciple were behind closed doors when Jesus appeared to them. Thomas put his hand in Jesus side and fingers in the nail marks. The disciples felt the breath of Jesus upon their face when He breathed upon them. And they were still not sure.

All that was going through their minds, did we not see Jesus crucified? Was this Jesus or a ghost that passed through the walls? They were not sure what they had seen.

Simon Peter has the answer, “I’m going  fishing.” The other disciples say, “We’re coming with you.” They go fish all night and catch nothing.

When the dawn comes. Jesus is standing on the shore looking towards them. They could see Jesus well enough; the boat was only about 100 yards from shore. However, the disciples did not realize it was Jesus.

Jesus speaks; calls them children. “Cast the net over the right side of the boat” and they did. “The number of fish in their net was so great; they were not able to pull it in.”  The disciples may have thought, it seems this happened before. They remembered the  time Jesus said that he would make them fishers of men.  And, John realized, “It’s the Lord.” Then, Peter excitedly jumps out of the boat to get to Jesus.

On shore, Jesus has the Eucharist ready for them. Even though no fish had been brought to shore, fish were cooking. Bread was ready to be broken and shared. Jesus tells the disciples; bring what you have.

There is a whole lot of meaning in that short sequence. Time does not allow us today to explore all that is there.

The point I believe this gospel make is He is risen indeed. 

A second point is Jesus asked the disciples to do some things. Share the Gospel. Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Build my Church. Share the Eucharist.  Jesus called them to a new life.

Like children they had a hard time doing as told. They hid.  Even after Jesus breathed upon them the Holy Spirit, they ran to the isolation of a boat in the middle of the Sea of Tiberius.

Maybe they forgot Jesus could walk on water.

They wanted the comfort and familiarity of their old life because the disciples were scared. They were scared for the mission Jesus had given. They were scared for their lives and the persecution to come. They were scared of things they had seen, experienced, and would experience.

Was the Jesus they saw a ghost? Was the Jesus that came to them a hallucination or was Jesus really raised from the dead and alive? None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”

A question to be asked by many answered by this Gospel account.  Was Jesus dead - the dead do not eat? Was Jesus a ghost - ghost do not eat?  Did the disciples hallucinate – hallucinations do not serve you fish and bread to eat?

Jesus is a living, breathing, tangible person standing before them.  Jesus body, blood, soul, and divinity invites the disciples to breakfast. Only the living needs to eat.

That meal is the Eucharist.. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.  The disciples truly realize Jesus Christ resurrected to life. They are able to tell everyone the resurrection was not myth or story.  Jesus is alive and eats breakfast.

He is risen indeed.  This truth is the enormity of Jesus’ promise. It is in the enormity of all He asks of us. It is truth for long time disciples, followers of Jesus, new believers, and those who want to believe.

In Jesus Christ, life goes on. We eat breakfast. We visit with our friends. We live our lives doing the things we enjoy. Called in our everyday lives to something greater.

Jesus told the disciples to share the Good News. Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Build His Church. Share the Eucharist. Come to a new life.  Instead, they were scared. They ran and hid.

Loving them, Jesus came with a simple meal to give them strength.

Just like the disciples, we are to share the Gospel. Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Build up His Church. Share the Eucharist.  We are called to a new Christian life and we can often run away and hide.

Loving us, Jesus comes to us in a simple meal to give us strength to do the things he asks.  It gives us strength to face all the scary issues of our individual lives in this scary world.  

“Blessed are those who have not seen and believed.”

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel, the good news of the risen Christ by the way you live your life and love one another.

He is risen, indeed.  Alleluia - Alleluia