Lectionary for Easter Day.

Lectionary for Easter Day

Jesus said: ‘It is written, that the Christ is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations.’   Luke 24:46-47

Collect. God our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life. Let our celebration today renew our lives by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. Isaiah 25:6-9. We have made reference before to the social situation that prevailed when Isaiah was prophesying. The nation was facing a dire situation and the judgement of God was hanging over the surrounding nations and also in the nation of Judah as well. Despite the word of judgement here in this section from Isaiah there comes this word of hope. The future amplified by the phrase “this is the lord we have waited for him” lies at the mercy of God. Despite all the failure the faithful Lord is still waiting to rescue his people and fulfil his promise to them. However, Isaiah’s vision recognises more than just restoration of the Jewish nation, his vision sees a whole world restored. The desolate “shroud” that blankets out all hope is to be lifted from all the nations. This picture shows a wonderful insight. In Isaiah’s prophecy the rescue is not just for a time or a period it is forever for he goes on to say that this victory will “swallow up” death. In other words this rescue that the Lord will bring about will open up an endless future without pain and suffering, it will be everlasting. As Christians we understand this promise in the light of Jesus’ ministry and sacrifice, for this promise is confirmed through the resurrection. Isaiah did not know of Jesus in the same way that we do: For him this promise of eternal salvation is essential to the loving nature of the Lord God. Yes! the Lord God is a God of justice who demands from all people that they live in a just manner. Though these same people and nations may fail to do justice, still this God of justice is also a God of mercy, and continues to reach out with a plan of rescue. we see revealed in the Easter story the prophetic insight that Isaiah describes. It is here that the God of justice and mercy lays down his life in order to offer an eternal rescue. As we marvel at the mystery of the Easter events Isaiah is saying look, here is our God, we have waited for him so that he might save us!

Prayer. Merciful God we stand in awe at your great salvation, won for us through your Son Jesus Christ who on the cross became the world’s Redeemer. How we thank and praise you for the gift of life that was won for us in that full and sufficient sacrifice. May we never handle that gift lightly but nurture and treasure the new life we now can live, honouring you in all we do and say. This we ask through Jesus Christ, the one true Saviour. Amen

Reading. Luke 24:13-49. Luke has already described how the group of women who witnessed the place where the crucified body of Jesus has been laid had now received the message from two men in dazzling clothes that Jesus had risen and so was now once more alive. It is little wonder that the gathered disciples found that message hard to believe. From Luke’s perspective the empty tomb is singularly important for the empty tomb signals the failure of death to hold Jesus down; his life and ministry are ongoing.

It is then in Luke’s account that the resurrected Jesus meets two disciples on their journey to their home in Emmaus. Luke is revealing the Risen Lord once again in the ordinariness of human life. Through his resurrection Jesus has become the new Man, no longer in bondage to death, he has faced judgement and returned to life and living. He is the New Creation, but he is also the link between the old order and the new order which is now breaking in. The disciples describe how they had seen Jesus as the one who would redeem Israel and now Jesus uses the scripture to describe how through the Messiah the Kingdom of God is a present reality. 

Luke describes Jesus embracing all the ancient truths that they would have been familiar with. In his Emmaus story he is extending this teaching to all his readers. Here in the everyday life of two ordinary disciples the Risen Lord walks with the disciples as they struggle with the issues of life. Here was a couple immersed in sadness, with lost hope and facing a grim future. Jesus helps them face the realities of life as they understand what the scripture says about Jesus.  In this way Jesus opened their eyes to a whole new set of possibilities. In Jesus the Risen Lord, new life is possible.

We have lived with the idea of resurrection for we live post the Easter event. Perhaps to some extent we may have lost sight of how radical and amazing is the resurrection. Resurrection changes life completely: It opens a door into a new world. Through the resurrection of Jesus we see that God is in charge and there is no limit to the future God offers. Jesus really does make a difference and Luke’s description reminds us, where ever his disciples are the love and care of Jesus surrounds them.

Prayer. Forgive us Lord if in the rush of life we have missed your presence. Touch our lives again today. Help us to see clearly and with confidence look for signs of your presence among us. We thank you that you are the Living Lord, always with us. If we have held our lives apart from you, fearing that you would not understand: Forgive us Lord for your woundedness expresses a pain we will never have to face. When we have lightly passed by others, oblivious of the depth of their struggle or casual about what it would mean for them to receive a helping hand: Forgive us and help us begin to see the depth of your love. Teach us to be more like you, even though we ourselves are often wounded by life and must constantly turn to you. Help us always be those who seek to bring comfort and healing by your grace alone. Amen.

Collect. Lord God almighty, the radiance of your glory lights up our hearts. Enable us truly to understand the waters in which we were cleansed, the Spirit by which we were reborn, and the blood by which we were redeemed; that in our earthly pilgrimage we may walk more closely with our risen Saviour and Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.