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Hey everyone! Welcome to another episode of "Digging into God's Word". This week we're
looking at the readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter. Get ready to dig in!
Here we are, 2 weeks past Easter already. Time passes incredibly fast, doesn't it? I
wonder if the time passed quickly for the disciples in that first Easter season or if
it seemed to drag on. Last week we talked about Jesus appearing to the disciples without
Thomas and then again with him. It said that it was a week later before he appeared to
them again with Thomas. Talk about longest week ever!
This week we get a double dose of Peter. In our first reading from Acts we hear about
Peter's preaching a pretty big sermon. Speaking of time passing, this sermon comes 50 days
after Easter. The disciples were all together for the festival of Pentecost when the Holy
Spirit comes upon them. This gave them the ability to speak in a way that they were understood
by all of the different people in Jerusalem at the time who spoke many different languages.
The people couldn't figure out how they could understand these men. Some apparently believed
that they were drunk.
Now how being drunk could be an explanation for hearing someone speak in your own language,
I have never quite understood, but that's what the text says. Peter stands up on their
behalf to defend them. Now as you may recall, this is what Peter
likes to do -- open his big mouth. Only this time he is filled with the Holy Spirit and
has some important things to say. The unfortunate part is that we won't get to hear them in
this reading because of the way it is cut. However Peter hits them with the law -- showing
them that they were guilty of crucifying Jesus but then giving them a great taste of the
gospel by confessing who Jesus is, and what was accomplished through his death and resurrection.
In our reading we hear that they "were cut to the heart". They felt bad so they asked
the apostles what they should do. Peter's response is to repent and be baptized. God
gives the gift of repentance and of baptism for all people as Peter says the "promise
is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God
calls to himself".
The text concludes by saying that about 3,000 people were baptized that day. 3,000! Wow!God
does some amazing work through his word and spirit.
Our Epistle reading is from 1 Peter 1. Peter is building on what we heard last week about
our inheritance. Here Peter uses the language of ransom, reminding his hearers that a random
was paid on their behalf. But, he says, this wasn't just some cash payment or a trade of
something else that could disappear like silver or gold.
Rather, the payment for our ransom was the blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish. This
same lamb that Peter continues to confess was raised from the dead and in whom we now
have faith and hope.
Peter then implores his hearers to love one another since we have been reborn in Christ
through his word.
Our gospel reading this week is an account of the greatest surprise dinner ever in the
history of the world. You know how surprises usually work. Everyone hides and turns out
the lights until the person being surprised comes in and then the lights are flipped on
and everyone yells surprise. Well no one yelled surprise in this reading, but the lights were
definitely flipped on for the disciples. Let's look at it.
That first Easter evening, two of the disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus which
was about 7 miles from Jerusalem. As you can imagine they were discussing all the crazy
things they had experienced over the last couple of days. Jesus being arrested, convicted,
crucified, buried, and now some were claiming that he was risen.
Whiel they were walking and talking Jesus comes up to them and starts walking with them
and asks them what they were talking about. The text says "But their eyes were kept from
recognizing him." The lights were off and they didn't know who this fellow was.
They were surprised that he didn't seem to know about all that had happened. It is interesting
that their response is "Are you the only one in Jerusalem that doesn't know what happened?"
Apparently this was big news that could reasonably be expected that everyone would know about.
So they filled him in on what had happened. Jesus sounds surprised that they don't believe
what the prophets had predicted so he begins with Moses and the prophets and explains how
all of scripture concerns him.
As they arrived at where they were staying Jesus acts as if he is going to go further,
but they invite him to stay for dinner. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks
and gave it to them. At that point it was like the lights were flipped on at the surprise
party because they immediately recognized him and then he disappeared.
Then their whole conversation on the road made sense. So they got up and made the 7
mile trip back to Jerusalem that night to tell the other disciples what they had seen
and how Jesus had risen and how they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
I'm reminded in reading this that we are often blinded to who Jesus is and what he's done
because of our own sin and desire to make Jesus in our own image. It is through his
Word that we have our eyes opened to see him as he is and God has given us the gift of
the Lord's Supper where we too can see him in the breaking of the bread.
The Easter season is and exciting time to be exploring the scriptures. There's so much
great stuff here. I hope you're finding it enlightening too. God's Blessings on you as
you study his word!