Luke 24:36b-48 is a familiar text to any seasoned preacher. It is the Gospel appointed for the 3rd Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark, and so it appears every three years. It follows a familiar pattern of Jesus appearing, the disciples disbelieving, food offered, and joy emerging from the disciples. In this particular resurrection story the emphasis is on the bodily nature of the Risen One. It will be the preacher's task to lift this up as well.
(The following questions have been formulated to help the preacher discover how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. This is important because the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function, at least in part. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock. com or amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? The Word is functioning as both Law and Gospel in this text; as Law, by raising up the terror and doubts of the disciples; and as Gospel, in Christ's willingness to show them his physical body and open their minds. The Law always functions to show us our need of a Savior; in this text, without a Savior we would be lost forever in terror and doubt. The Gospel always functions to show us Jesus, which is exactly what we have in this text.
2. With whom are you identifying in the text? We are undoubtedly to identify with the disbelieving disciples. We assume Jesus is dead and what we see is a ghost. We need to be reminded of what the Scriptures revealed regarding the Christ, and we need to have our minds opened.
3. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? The call to obedience comes right at the end of this text as we are called to be witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations.
4. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? Several couplets immediately come to mind as we read this text: doubt/faith; closed minds/open minds; despair/hope.
5. Exegetical work: As is obvious in the text, and Fred Craddock points out so clearly in his commentary, the theme of this text is "the corporality of the risen Christ." (Interpretation series, Luke, p. 289). The ancients agree. Ignatius, 2nd century bishop, noted that the risen Christ ate and drank with the disciples "as a real human being." In the 5th century, Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, in writing on this text, said that "the resurrection of the Lord was the resurrection of a real body." Others concur. This text is about Jesus being physically alive. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, pp. 384-387). Fred Craddock not only highlights the corporality of Christ but the crucial fact that the Risen One is also the Crucified One. He argues that if the Christ we are called to follow is not the Crucified One, "then the Christian life can take on forms of spirituality that are without suffering for others, without a cross, without any engagement of issues of life in this world, all the while expressing devotion to a living, spiritual Christ." (Craddock, p. 290). Reflecting on this may lead us to wonder with our listeners if a risen Christ who is also the Crucified One, is harder for us to embrace than a risen Christ who has neither suffered nor died. Could it not be a temptation we all experience - to follow a Victorious One, but not one whose victory leads through Golgotha?
6. How does the Crossings community model work with this text? There are multiple examples of Law/Gospel analyses of this text on the crossings website, the most recent example being a very inventive one by Matt Metevelis, in which he uses a 2024 Super Bowl ad ("He Gets Us") to show how Jesus more than 'gets us;' he comes in our midst and stands with us. See all the analyses by going to crossings.org/text-study.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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