Easter Week 3

Psalm: Psalm 4 
Acts: Acts 3:12-19 
Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48 
Epistle: 1 John 3:1-7

We continue this week looking at the early days of the fledgling Christian movement. In our reading from the book of Luke we have the first episode of Jesus visiting his disciples after his resurrection. In Acts we have the beginning of Peter's second recorded sermon in Acts. The reading from Luke presents the more "traditional" appearance of Jesus in the locked upper room or at least what we might first think of when we think of resurrection appearances by Jesus. We explored John's retelling of this event last week. There are some notable differences however between the way Luke told the story and John did. To begin with, Luke has an interlude, between the episode with the women at the tomb and Jesus' appearance to his disciples, the two men on the road to Emmaus, which is absent in John. The Lectionary has us skipping over that account this year in favor of Jesus' first encounter with the disciples. After Jesus appeared to the two men heading to Emmaus, the two men rush back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples they saw Jesus. As they are relating the tale, Jesus appears to all of them. Much of that is different than the way John told the story. The other noticeable difference is that in John's telling Thomas is absent at this first encounter and thus we get the subsequent account of Jesus appearing and encouraging Thomas despite his doubting. But in Luke all 11 disciples are present for this first post-resurrection encounter with Jesus. In both Luke and John Jesus' shows them his wounds to both encourage them and to alleviate any fears that he is just a spirit. And then in both accounts Jesus offers them a kind of commission, much like the Great Commission in Matthew. But, whereas John also says Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit at this point, the lukan Jesus only tells them to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. Luke later tells us that story in the opening chapters of Acts.

These similarities and differences are just a fact of the texts and are things that scholars like to parse and expound one. In basic terms they show the unique differences and emphases each writer had. But they also reveal the nature of biographies themselves then, as well as now. Biographies can reveal as much about the writer and the intended audience as they can about the subject.

I think it was this encounter in the upper room, and other post-resurrection appearances, that sustained the disciples through until Pentecost and the giving of the Holy Spirit. I think it was also these post-resurrection encounters that gave the disciples strength and encouragement as they moved out into Jerusalem and begin to perform miracles and experiences persecution. In verse 15 Peter says, Jesus, "the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses..." The disciples saw and were witnesses to Jesus resurrection. You had to take their word for it, but it was also the role of the Holy Spirit to testify and bear witness to each person that this was true.

 It is interesting that the crowd wonders how Peter and John were able to heal the lame beggar that preceded this sermon in Acts 3. I guess Peter and John weren't as well known as Jesus so people wondered who were these two guys. However as soon as they appeal to Jesus as the source of their power, the crowd immediately understand who they are and has the same reaction as they did to Jesus a few weeks earlier: they get upset and arrest them. I don't think we can overestimate the bravery Peter, John, and the other disciples had just 40 days after Jesus was killed: going to the same crowd in the same city and doing the exact same miracles Jesus did and preaching in Jesus name. 3 times in Acts chapter 3 Peter invokes the name of Jesus. He is not shy in declaring how and why he was doing what he was doing. 

Perhaps it was Peter's bravery and self-assurance that led people to believe in what he was saying and follow the Jesus he was proclaiming. Whatever the reason, this small group of people, which started out as mostly uneducated fisherman from the backwaters of and empire, who followed a king that was executed, was able to grow and eventually find itself as the ruling power in the western world. Now Acts doesn't tell that whole story, when it ends there is still uncertainty about how things will turn out. But Acts continually makes it clear that the Good News of Jesus is proclaimed in ever widening circles in the Roman Empire and at every place there are a certain number of people who accept Jesus in faith and the Church continues to grow.

Today we are still a part of the growth of the Church. Each one of us can trace our Christian heritage and discipleship back to these early followers and even to Jesus himself. In terms of leadership and doctrine this is called Apostolic Succession, or the fact that the leadership and teachings of the church can be traced back to the original Apostles. Let us not take this lightly. We have been given the Teachings of the Church and hold it as stewards. It is the responsibility of each generation to pass on that which they have received. Let us live faithful to the tradition and faith we have received and in like manner let us not abandon the task of passing it on. Thanks be to God that through the presence of the Holy Spirit we have help in this task.

Grace and Peace.