Third Sunday of Easter A

From “before the foundation of the world” until heaven and earth pass away, “the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:20, 25). This “living and abiding word of God” is the preaching of Christ Jesus, namely that God “raised him from the dead and gave him glory” (1 Peter 1:21, 23). By this living word, we “have been born again” to eternal life (1 Peter 1:23) and ransomed from our sinful and mortal life “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18–19). This living word also calls us to repentance, to dying and rising in Holy Baptism “in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). In this, we receive the Holy Spirit “for you and for your children and for all who are far off” (Acts 2:39). Through the preaching of His cross and resurrection, Jesus draws near to bring us “into his glory” (Luke 24:26). As He opens the Scriptures, He opens our minds to comprehend “the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27), and He brings us to know Him “in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35).

Summary: The Risen Christ Appears to His Disciples: Post resurrection happenings

Hymn of the Day: 483 With high delight let us unite

Liturgy:

Introit

Psalm 30:1–5; antiphon: Psalm 16:11b

In your presence there is full- | ness of joy;*

at your right hand are pleasures for- | evermore.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have | drawn me up*

and have not let my foes rejoice | over me.

O Lord my God, I cried to | you for help,*

and you have | healed me.

O Lord, you have brought up my soul | from Sheol;*

you restored me to life from among those who go down | to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O | you his saints,*

and give thanks to his | holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a | lifetime.*

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the | morning.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

In your presence there is full- | ness of joy;*

at your right hand are pleasures for- | evermore.

Collect of the Day

O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gradual

adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6

Christ has risen | from the dead.*

[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor,

He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*

he has put all things un- | der his feet.

Verse

Romans 6:9; Luke 24:32

Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? Alleluia.

Antiphon

Psa 4.7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine."

Now that Jesus has been raised, new life is the theme but also (soon to be) the birth of the Church. So Acts is already at the point after Jesus' ascension but in the Gospels we "aren't there" yet.

Act 2.14a, 36-41 "this Jesus, whom you crucified, had been made both Lord and Messiah" (kyrios autos kai christos). The response of the crowd was their hearts were pierced, and they said, "what must we do?" Peter says, "repent and be baptized."

Psa 116.1-4, 12-19 Verse 15 says, "Yahweh cares deeply when his loved ones die." Also today I noticed 13a "I will lift up the cup of salvation" comparing it to 17a "I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving." I think they are connected but I need to understand what lifting up a cup means, probably a toast. And thanksgiving can take many forms including just acknowledging that something is so, so I think these two can be the same act, but not 100% sure.

1Pe 1.17-23 More 1 Peter. We have heard about leaving former ways of living, here the phrase is "the empty life you inherited from your ancestors."

Luk 24.13-35 The Walk to Emmaus Jesus' first words after the disciples on the road to Emmaus shared was "You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures." While most or much of their testimony was, in my opinion, not to be criticized, they did say, "we had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel." They were most of the way there but not all the way there.

Related Media

Related Sermons