Synod 2009 – Pastor Libby Toomsalu

Luke 24:36b–48

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them,

“Peace be with you.”

³they were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

He said to them,

“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

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.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them,

“Do you have anything here to eat?”

They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

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.”

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

He told them,

“This is what is written:

The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

Grace and peace to you brothers and sisters from our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Once again our Gospel reading this week is re-visiting the upper room where Jesus’ closest followers are locked away, talking secretly amongst themselves.

Men who had cast out demons and healed the sick in Jesus’ name, are now too frightened to go out into the open and onto the streets of Jerusalem.

The horrors of the crucifixion of their Lord has left them powerless, hiding behind locked doors because they fear the authorities; afraid that what had happened to Jesus might happen to them.

But, despite their fear, they still feel the need to come together to talk about the news they had heard – the news that Jesus had risen from the dead.

The women had told them, Peter and John had told them, and two others who had seen and talked with him in Emmaus had told them the same thing: “We have seen the Lord.”

And now, as they discuss this, the risen Lord appears to them inside their locked room.

Knowing they were frightened and confused, struggling to make sense of all they had seen and heard, Jesus greets them in the traditional manner: “Peace be with you,” he says, “Shalom.”

And what a wealth of meaning came with that greeting. Shalom, that comprehensive concept that embraces all people and all creation in reconciliation and harmony, and the desire for wholeness and well-being. Used personally ‘shalom’ implies the integrity and health of a person, and of a community it indicates social well-being, good relationships, shared prosperity and mutual concern.

It is positive and dynamic, suggesting continuing growth and development, and it is what their Lord wished for them: Shalom – peace.

A far cry from how the disciples were actually feeling about themselves at that moment.

Jesus realised that they were “startled and frightened” by his appearance, thinking they were seeing a ghost, and so he immediately set about calming them down. He gave them time to let the reality of his resurrection sink in.

He asked for something to eat, and in the normality of that situation, the disciples finally realised that he was truly alive, and that they were witnesses to it.

Now, they were “surprised by joy”, and ready to listen to him, so Jesus was able to go on to explain how every event in his life had happened in order to fulfil Old Testament prophecy. He wanted them to understand for certain that he is the embodiment of God’s promises to us, because he had a job for them to do. As witnesses of all that had happened, they are to go out and spread the good news of repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name.

I wonder just how similar we sometimes are to those disciples before Jesus came to them?

Overcome by the stresses of our lives, confused and anxious, trying to make sense of out things, wondering what to do for the best?

Wanting to do what is right, but of not being sure of just how to do it, or where to do it, or even when to do it?

Have we become fearful, clinging together for comfort, spiritually hiding ourselves away behind closed doors, so that the little energy and few resources we have might be preserved amongst us?

Are we anxious?

Maybe because of our declining numbers, our lack of young people or our drained resources and lack of funding?

Has our faith been tested beyond endurance in a world that is increasingly sceptical of our beliefs?

And though we may regard the church and its mission as important, do we have the energy or ideas to do something about it? Have we come to believe that nothing we can do can possibly save us?

Well, if so, then we are little different from those first disciples in their locked room, and we have absolutely nothing going for us, because a church left to its own devices, drawing only on its own resources, is nothing. It is an empty place with nothing to offer, nothing of significance to share, and it is no different from any other social agency or service club, and we might as well stick with ‘Rotary’, ‘Soroptimists’ or ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ and become secular “do-gooders”.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been there and done that, and I know the good that these, and other organisations, do in their communities. But I am sure that those of us gathered here today are all filled with a longing for something more than what we see around us now, both within the church and within the world.

Today’s gospel reading reassures us that we don’t have to be like that, because even when we are hiding behind closed doors, Jesus still reaches out to us and is fundamental to the life and development of our church.

The gospel showed our Lord coming to the small group he had called, and raising them from their fear and despondency, bringing them the gifts of peace, and joy, and hope, and affirming their belief in him as the fulfilment of all God’s promises. He transformed them by his presence, and re-energised to go out into the world in his service. And I pray he will do that for us in our small church, because I’m sure he has plans for us.

Today we have had an opportunity to reflect on the work of our church, to seek God’s guidance, and to try to understand what he would have us do. I’m sure we’ve considered the talents we bring to his service, and perhaps discerned new ways we can use them, and develop others.

So, let’s give thanks for the gifts we have been given, and remember that though we may seem to be surrounded by problems, Jesus is still present with us in all our endeavours. Let’s open up our personal locked doors and pray for his guidance as we seek to do his will within our church and our communities, and let us respond lovingly and joyfully to his greeting of “shalom” as he comes among us.

Let us pray.

Compassionate God, you are continually transforming life and giving us grace to follow Jesus.

We pray for the blessing of your peace that is beyond our understanding.

We pray for the blessing of faith, which expects new truth to break into our minds.

We pray for the blessing of hope, that we may conquer our doubts and fears, and believe in the power of your good news.

We pray for the blessing of strength to explore the gifts which we have received in him.

We pray for the blessing of love that is patient and kind; so that we may confidently go through our own locked doors, into the world again ready to love, serve, and tell the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.

Amen