Luke 24:36-49 Jesus Appears to the Disciples 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself

stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself ! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

So many today would make the Holy Bible into a rulebook for living, or a guideline for goodness. To others, it's perhaps a bunch of quaint stories that are probably myths and fables. Still others find only symbolism and metaphor. And for some it's simply outdated

and useless. But these are not open, but closed minds. Closed to the truth. Jesus opens his disciples minds to see, to understand, to find in all of scripture the testimony about the Christ. We believe, and we confess, that these written words are the very word of God, and they are life! John tells us, at the end of his Gospel, that these things are written that you may believe and, believing, have life in Jesus' name. Then he opened their minds to see it. He showed them what they couldn't see on their own, in their confusion and doubt and fear. Jesus summarizes it all for us here. This is the point of all of God's word: that the Christ should suffer, and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations... In other words, that Jesus died and rose for you and that his Law and Gospel should be preached to everyone, including you. So, we, sinner, repent! Turn from your sins, again, today. Confess your sins. Plan to do better. Whatever that sin is, turn away, and look to Jesus who has conquered it. Forgiveness of sins is yours, in him. Find it in his nail scarred, outstretched, but very much alive hands. Receive it in his body and blood, given and shed for you. Hear it in the words of the liturgy, the readings, the hymns, the sermon. Your sins are forgiven, in Christ, who lives!

And where there is forgiveness, there is life. They go together. Just as Jesus who rose from the dead comes to bring forgiveness, so does his forgiveness bring life to you. Death and sin go together, and they are no more. They are done. It is finished. You are made alive in baptism, renewed and reborn. You are made alive in the waters of baptism, a daily washing and regeneration. You are kept alive in the life of Christ, by his lifeblood and his living body. The disciples were witnesses. They saw and heard. And so they were sent. We haven't seen, but we've believed. We haven't seen, but we have heard. And we too are sent, the holy apostolic church. We are sent to serve our neighbor. We are called to show mercy to the least of these. And we are called to give answer to the hope within us. And that hope is the risen Christ. Whatever door youve locked up for fear of whomever or whatever. Whatever question you struggle with, or doubt that plagues your mind. If the cold breath of death is on your neck, or the weight of a sin is bearing down on you. Jesus says, Peace. For Jesus is alive. And Jesus brings forgiveness and life. Believe in him, and be blessed. Amen.