Dining-Table Discipleship -- FPC sermon excerpt

Everyone knows the story of Easter morning. A group of women. Two angels. One amazed apostle.

The women discover the empty tomb, and report to the apostles that two angels have told them that Jesus has risen. But the women are not believed — at least not initially. Peter runs to the tomb, looks in, and then goes home, amazed at what has happened (Luke 24:1-12).

So that’s Easter morning, followed by Easter afternoon. Another story, one that most of you know.

Two disciples make the seven-mile trip from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and along the way they encounter a mysterious stranger, who interprets the scriptures for them. When he joins them for dinner, he breaks bread, and their eyes are opened and they recognize him — it’s Jesus!

Then poof — he vanishes from their sight (vv. 13-31).

Which brings us to Easter evening. Who knows what happens then? Probably fewer than one in 10. Easter evening has never packed the punch of Easter morning, mainly because it involves a dining table instead of an empty tomb.

You might think it’s unimportant, anti-climactic, even boring.

But you’d be wrong.

The two disciples race back to Jerusalem, and find the eleven and their companions in a dining room. Jesus appears, and scares them half to death — they think they are seeing a ghost (v. 37). But he says, “Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And then to prove that he is no poltergeist, he asks them for some food. They give him a piece of broiled fish, and he eats it in their presence (vv. 38-43).

If he were a ghost, he wouldn’t be able to eat. Except for one thing: Boo-berries. Actually, two more things: Ice cream, with whipped scream. (I like preschool humor.)

But seriously, sitting around the table, Jesus tells them, “Everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” He opens their minds to understand the scriptures, and says to them that what was written has come true — the Messiah has suffered and risen from the dead, and now “repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

The apostles are probably wondering who is supposed to do this work of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness, so Jesus leans across the table and makes it clear. “You are witnesses of these things,” he says, probably pointing with his fork. “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he leads them away from the table, one that is probably still covered with dirty dishes. He hikes them out to Bethany, gives them a blessing … and is carried up into heaven. Easter evening ends with the ascension, according to Luke. The apostles return to Jerusalem, worshiping Jesus, and they bless God continually in the temple (vv. 44-53).

I want you to notice what has happened here, on Easter evening. The mission of the apostles begins not with a visit to the empty tomb, but with a conversation over a piece of broiled fish.

You could call it “Dining-table Discipleship.”