Building a Life | Now, Tomorrow, Always, April 18, 2021

Mount Olivet United Methodist Church
Luke 24:36b-48

The disciples had witnessed first hand the work Jesus had been engaged in and the Gospels tell us early on that they believed. They believe after having received physical confirmation. The disciples believed enough to give up their lives and follow Jesus, an itinerant rabbi, for three years, and at every turn along the way physical signs were being performed to confirm who Jesus was to the disciples and the world.

Every day, for three years, the disciples were alongside Jesus, witnessing Jesus’ ministry and hearing Jesus’ teachings all of which pointed to and revealed his glory - the glory confirmed on Easter.

So now, on the day of the resurrection, the disciples needed another physical reminder of who Jesus is. Just as the Emmaus journey encountered ended with the sharing of a meal, here we have Christ revealing the fullness of the resurrection with a meal. With his real-physical presence.

In eating a piece of broiled fish and in the breaking and sharing of bread Jesus offered the disciples then and us today exactly what they and we need. And it is nothing new and it is the greatest of news. The physical presence of our Lord has been the norm since the beginning of his ministry. As the disciples were 2000 years ago, we are witness to the physical signs of Christ’s presence, recipients of faith by grace not so we can hold on to it for ourselves. No, instead we proclaim a new reality, the good news in the light of the empty tomb - that the resurrected life begins and is sustained not by anything we have done or will do. We are sustained through this very community, through being the body present to somebody - through word and sacrament, in the physical presence of Jesus Christ.

Christ is with us now, tomorrow, and always.