Resurrection Reconsidered

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship! Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact with this growing community of faith. And so, if you are joining us for the first time, I say to you what is said every Sunday: You are welcome here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of God for God’s Very Good Creation.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye Heav'nly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kindom 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 kindom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Let us unite our hearts in prayer, saying,

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the church throughout the world, that as we celebrate the great fifty days of Easter we may renew our faith and strengthen our witness in Jesus’ name.

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the governments of the world, its leaders, and the peoples who elect our leaders; that they may resist the corruption of sin and serve the common good;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our planet Earth, that all people may be good stewards of its resources and share in its abundance;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the poor and the stranger, that they may receive a place of refuge and hope, and that the church may offer the hospitality the first disciple offered to Jesus on the road to Emmaus;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the sick and those in distress, that they may find healing for their pain and be restored to fullness of life;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our neighbors, that we may live together in peace and share in our resources;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our enemies, that they may receive good things, and that we, your servants, not return evil for evil;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, receive these prayers we offer, and by the power of your Holy Spirit make us witnesses to the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Amen.

Loving God, you opened the meaning of the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and set their hearts ablaze. By the power of your Spirit kindle our hearts as we hear your word proclaimed, that we may receive you with joy. Amen.

¹⁷ If you invoke as God the one who judges impartially according to each person’s work, live in awe during the time of your exile. ¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹ Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God. ²² Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the Spirit so that you have genuine mutual affection, love one another deeply from the heart. ²³ You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

The Walk to Emmaus ¹³ Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹ He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²² Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” ²⁵ Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. ²⁸ As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” ³³ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus were with Jesus for hours as he taught them the meaning of the Scriptures. However, it wasn’t until they shared a meal together that they finally recognized him as the risen Christ. The breaking of bread was an important custom in the time of Jesus. Sharing bread was a sign of community and of belonging. We have ritualized the sharing of the bread into the body of Christ but I wonder if here again we have been missing the point. How do you share in community with your friends and neighbors? How does this community feed and nourish you? How are you empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the resurrected body of Christ for the larger community around you? What are the signs of the risen body and the expressions of love that you share?

Bountiful are God’s gifts to us. In gratitude, let us offer our hearts and the fruit of our labor to God’s service.

Almighty God, by your grace, accept the fruit of our labor and the offering of our lives. Let us be a sacrifice of thanksgiving in union with our risen Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever. Amen.

Go in the joy of resurrection to fill the world with the love of God and may the Holy Spirit, who fills you with new life, bless and guide you. Amen.