The Third Sunday of Easter – Year A 23rd April 2023
Lectionary readings:
Acts 2 v14a, 36-41; Psalm 116 v1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1 v17-23; Luke 24 v13-35.
Strangers no more.
In Luke’s account, two disciples on the way to the village of Emmaus, are joined by a ‘stranger’ who they later discover is the risen Christ. Is Luke challenging us to recognise the risen Christ in strangers that we encounter?
In the reading from Acts, Peter is addressing a crowd made up of people from different places, strangers to one another. (see Acts 2 v7-11)
Peter is keen to proclaim
- that God has overturned the judgement of the world’s rulers (Herod, Pilate and the Temple leaders) and vindicated Jesus by raising him from death.
- ‘that they should know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ’ (v36a),
- that they were complicit in the crucifixion of Jesus (by being part of the crowd that freed Barabbas?) ‘even though you put him on the cross’ (v36b).
Peter then invites them to repent of their sins and be baptised into the family of God. Strangers then become brothers and sisters in Christ.
In the letter of Peter, he is addressing a community of Christians who are suffering at the hands of others for following the way of Jesus. Peter encourages them to remember that even though they may have been strangers to one another before, they are now part of God’s family. (v17)
Peter’s ministry was to take the ‘good news’ (That Jesus is both Lord and Christ) to the wider world. Peter emphasised that God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus, now indwelling the family of God, enables them as God’s ‘holy people’ to see strangers as fellow human beings, part of God’s beloved creation, no more or less worthy than themselves, of God’s saving grace.
We are called to do the same. To celebrate Easter, accept God’s forgiveness, and his gift of the Holy Spirit; then to pass on the ‘blessing’. We have been blessed to be a blessing to others.
Hymn writer Michael Peterson has this to say about Easter day; (Singing the Faith 307 v 1-3, 5, 6).
On the day of resurrection to Emmaus we return;
while confused, amazed and frightened, Jesus comes to us unknown.
Then the stranger asks the question, “What is this which troubles you?”
Meets us in our pain and suffering; Jesus walks with us unknown.
In our trouble, words come from him; burning fire within our hearts
tells to us the scripture’s meaning. Jesus speaks to us, unknown.
Day of sorrow is forgotten when the guest becomes the host.
Taking bread and blessing, breaking, Jesus is himself made known
Opened eyes, renewed convictions, journey back to scenes of pain;
telling all that Christ is risen. Jesus is through us made known.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English version