".. he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence." (Luke 24:41-43)
We are still in the Easter season as the worldwide Church continues the celebration of Easter. We celebrate the power of Resurrection. Jesus Christ.
Jesus appeared to many people after his resurrection, including his disciples. And we saw that Jesus appeared to them while they were in a closed room. Thomas was not there the first time when the risen Jesus appeared. Thomas did not believe but Jesus again appeared to the group while Thomas was with them. Jesus continued his appearance after his resurrection and in Acts we read that he appeared to more than 500 people living at that time before his ascension. That is at least minimum 500 people have seen him.
This is one of those places where Jesus appeared again to the disciples. They were in the upper room. And they were closed in closed under and closed doors afraid of their lives. So Jesus appeared to them. And then said peace be with you. They were startled and frightened. Thinking that they saw a ghost. He said to them. "Why are you troubled? Look at my hands and my feet. A ghost does not have flesh and bones."
There are several things that Jesus trying to teach them about death and Resurrection. Even though he appeared to them in a situation when they were frightened and startled. I am sure we will be startled if Jesus appears today now in the midst of our service. That's what happened to the disciples. Because they could not believe even when he showed him his hands and his feet.
It is natural human beings as we are skeptical in many things. There was a guy who was at a problem a mental problem that he thinks that he is dead. He acts like he is dead and he talks to everybody like he is dead and he said he's dead. His wife had decided to do something about his problem. So she took him to a psychiatrist and the psychiatric tried to convince in that he is not dead. "You're alive you're talking to me." He said "no, I am dead. I'm gone. I've been dead for years." Then the psychiatrist took a little pin and pricked on his finger. It started to bleed. He said "now do you believe the blood is coming out? You know you're alive because the blood is coming." Then the man said "Well, I now I believe that dead men do bleed."
So no matter how you try to convince yourself about the resurrection of Jesus Christ? There is still skepticism in our mind about resurrection. Jesus wanted to take the doubt completely away from their minds and he wanted them to be convinced that there is life after death through his appearances after resurrection. As people of God, we have to be convinced of our life after death because Jesus did rise from the dead. That's what we believe.
And we also have a post resurrection body like Jesus. We will have a body. We don't know what kind of body is that. It's probably the same kind of body that Jesus had after resurrection. It is not going to be the same thing as this perishable body we have now, which is subject to pain and suffering, sickness and decay. But we will have a body after a resurrection because Jesus had a body. It will not Decay nor will be subject to pain and suffering. So that is what our hope of Eternity with God is. We will be with our dear ones who have gone before us and there is an eternity because Jesus said He is preparing a place for us.
They still did not believe it because of joy and amazement. He said, " Well, I'm going to ask you so can have more proof. Can I have something to eat?" It also tells me that we will be able to eat and drink in heaven. That may be why we have this this dinner and supper monthly, you know, we have monthly. Many churches have it on a weekly basis dinner.
Sharing meals has an important part in our faith. Because Jesus ate and drank with his disciples just before his death on this very Room, called the upper room that they were again. The supper he had before his death was called "the Last Supper" by many. So here he came again and appeared to them in the same room and they had a dinner there. I like to call it the "first supper." Other one was the last supper for the world. But this is our First Supper that we are going to be continuing to do that until Jesus returns. So sharing the bread and sharing the drink in our communion table is the remembrance of what Jesus celebrated. God wants us to celebrate the joy of sharing not only our time not only our resources but also sharing a table together.
When we come together as people of God at one table, we are all equal before God. There is no big or small. There is no rich or poor. There is no black or white. There is no difference. They are all equal before God as God's children that is what the grace and the beauty of sharing a meal together at the table. So sharing a meal has a very important part in our faith. That is why we do that we continue to do that and Jesus taught us in his.
This example of sharing so he asked them. "Do you have anything to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it in their presence. So he is trying to prove his identity again. Not only that he is risen from the dead, but also you will also have a resurrection from the dead. "Everything was fulfilled that is written about me in the law of Moses prophets and the Psalms then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures."
So even when we they have read the scriptures many times and they already heard that Jesus taught the scriptures many times when they followed him. They still did not understand the meaning of the scriptures. As people of God, we need to go deeper into the scriptures and understands and experience it in our lives and understand that God's scriptures are alive and they're full of life and power even today.
So this meal time that Jesus had empowered them and open their minds so to see the power of Resurrection in with their own eyes. Researchers clearly show that sharing meals can greatly boost our well-being. It benefits not only our physical health but also social and emotional wellness. One of the books that I read that says about emotional wellness is linked to the sharing a meal together. Not only as people of God families sharing meals together stay together. They will be more bonded as families rather than people scared and yield their own if their own means lonely. It's a big difference when you eat a meal by your self and when you eat and share a table together and eat a meal together. I always feel like lonely when I feel myself eating myself at home when my wife in not there.
So it is very different when we have people sharing meals together at a table. That's why we have our monthly lunch and I wish we could do more and also the monthly lunch that we have at Golden Corral. So please join. It is a very good time that we share love and eat together. Those who have come there know that we have a good time together there. It binds us together and makes us feel like one body and united as one people.
The disciples learned a lot of lessons during this time. that they were strengthened by this particular meals that they shared with Jesus Christ and they were convinced that Resurrection is real and the power of the resurrection joined them together again. They went out in the world after this. They were not afraid of their lives anymore. They went to the corners of the world and preached the gospel Gospel of resurrection of Jesus Christ, not Afraid and all of them died as martyrs as you all know in history.
That's what empowered them because Jesus Christ gave them an example of how powerful Resurrection is. And it's not only that he gave them peace and he that's what he told them. "Peace be with you when we share meal together." He shared peace with each other. Whenever you have problems with each other or anything that you want to settle the greatest thing to do is to have a lunch together. That's what not. You know, I know when a new President had a problem after he got elected. There was a racial problem. So he called the two parties together in White House. He shared a beer together. You know how that could go. I would not share a beer together to have peace but having a meal together will definitely bring peace together. And that is what also that they learned that they will have peace as peacemakers wherever they go.
Sharing a meal also is about accepting a mission. This is where Jesus gave them the mission to go out. So whenever we share a meal together and take part in the communion our monthly lunch or meal is that "I am going to send you what for the father has promised. Stay in the city until you are closed with power on high." So sharing the meal sharing the Lord's table and sharing the fellowship together is also a call to a mission that we got to go out and share our time and our meals and our Resources with other people who are in need. There's a lot of people who are out there who are lonely and I don't have to tell you. A lot of people who are there who are in need and I don't have to tell you that even in our community around us. People need us. So we are not we are not only to fellowship with each other as a church family, but also to get out of the four walls the church and share our time and our resources and our meals with other people. When I say meals it is not just food everything that we enjoy in our lives is to share with other people who are in need.
They went out and preached and shared everything that they had. It is also a celebration of joy and victories. As Jesus Christ said I will not eat this, you know, when he shared the Last Supper. He said that "He will not share until I eat you in his kingdom." This is also celebration of what is to come in eternity that we will be celebrating our Victory is with Jesus Christ also.
That is one day. We will be all have that great dinner with Jesus Christ in heaven to gather. Jesus is preparing a table for us in heaven where there will be no enemies. There will not be any hatred or violence or problems, there will be all together in peace and love. And we will be sharing one table has one people of God together.
That is what Jesus said that cup that as I gave you is the cup of the New Covenant, a New Covenant that God established through this first supper that Jesus had after us election. That is what we as people of God to look forward. We will have day to be in eternity with all of our dear ones. And in Jesus with Jesus Christ and God eternally sharing that meal and the drink as one people of God and at one table.
May the good Lord bless us these words as we go from this place to be his agents of peace and love and care and compassion to others who are in need. Amen.
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