Introduction
There are a lot of oddities to this text but I’m not sure that’s where the focus should be. Yes, it’s weird how many points are addressing Jesus being a ghost. Yes, it’s weird that Jesus is given broiled fish. From a narrative perspective these just make sense. There are only a few explanations for how a man who was killed could be alive again. Either 1) they’ve begun to lose their minds, 2) Jesus is a ghost, or 3) his words could actually be true, and he could be risen from the dead.
He has flesh and he has bones, and they can touch him. He is eating in their presence. His words must be true.
Preaching Possibilities
Silliness in Tension
The best epics and heroic stories have moments that break the tension just for a second. It happens all the time in movies now-a-days. The Marvel movies have really made an artform out of it. In the first Avengers film, after this intense fight scene and Iron Man takes the rocket up through the wormhole and into space to destroy Loki’s invading force, but Iron Man’s suit can’t sustain space travel and so he passes out without oxygen. He then plummets back through the wormhole (just before it closes) and falls to the earth, unconscious and near death. They are trying to resuscitate him and just when you think it won’t work, the Hulk screams in Tony’s face and it startles him awake. After a quick conversation, Tony then asks if they can get Shawarma.
If you watched in the theater, there was a dead silence as people waited to see if this was the end for Tony Stark. Then the Hulk scream sends the theater into hysterical laughter. Breaking the tension and allowing the narrative to move forward. The laughter—for just a moment—cuts through the fear that it is the end. It allows the story to continue. Moving out of the depths of despair and into possibility moving forward.
Can you hear that hear?
Luke’s version of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples is very different than John. In John there is no tension breaker. But here in Luke, Jesus comes to them in peace. And you can just picture everyone standing there in shock. These fishermen returned to their place of comfort (I’m sure not really finding any) as they waited in fear and confusion. And now, even more disorienting, this man who was killed, is standing in front of them.
And his opening words are so dramatic, “Peace be with you.” You can almost hear the soft dramatic music playing underneath. It would probably be the Jesus motif that always comes back when he’s teaching or being their friend (think the music of the Shire in the Lord of the Rings).
And he continues to see them in shock. So, he tries to convince them that it’s really him. But these words almost become more dramatic. “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” They continue to look at him disbelieving.
He looks around at them one more time, seeing the concern and confusion. And the music drops and he delivers the tension breaking line, “Have you got any food?”
And in that moment, the tension breaks, they run up to him and hug him. The music swells and everything is in slow motion. They all start laughing. There are tears. There’s joy.
And then when they can hear him again, that’s when he teaches them everything that has happened and everything to come.
Peace Be With You
Peace be with you. Four words that carry tremendous meaning and yet can also go way over our heads.
Peace be with you. Four words that are a sign of truce and are also an act of defiance.
Peace be with you. The first words that Jesus speaks to the disciples after the resurrection. These are the first words that Jesus chooses to speak, after all that has happened.
This is a similar story to the one that we heard last week from John’s Gospel, with Thomas and the other disciples. There are a few differences. In Luke’s Gospel we aren’t focusing on Thomas, but all of the disciples have their doubts and fears.
But in both Gospels, Jesus’ first words to the disciples are, “Peace be with you.”
After he was arrested and put on trial.
After he was beaten and tortured and shamed.
After he was condemned and nailed to a cross.
After he was betrayed, again and again by those he called friends.
These disciples left him. They denied that they knew him. They hid in fear. Despite of all of these things, Jesus begins with Peace be with you.
This greeting of “Peace” comes from the ancient Hebrew greeting of “Shalom.” The Hebrew word encompasses a wide variety of meanings: peace between people, peace among nations, peace between God and human beings. It is the peace of a person’s welfare or well-being.
It can mean a quiet or restful state of mind.
Shalom is “wholeness,” a life where things are as they should be. The Christian church has used this greeting of peace since the beginning of the church. If you read any of the letters of Paul to the churches around the region, he will say something like, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.” We greet each other with a sign of God’s peace in all of encounters in the church.
The religion of Islam also took this greeting it into Arabic: as salaam alaikum. Peace be unto you. It is not just a greeting for religious settings but is how each person greets one another in any setting.
Salaam. Shalom. Pax. Peace be with you.
At its simplest meaning, when people greet one another with the word “peace,” it means “you don’t have to be afraid of me and I wish for your well-being.” Shalom, Peace be with you.
It’s fallen out of the English context a bit. But I wonder if it’s time to start reclaiming it. Especially with the state of our nation and world.
When we as Christians say Peace be with you, we are living into the words that Jesus first spoke to us after all the harm he endured. When we say Peace be with you, we are sharing the peace of God with all those that we come in contact with.
When we say, “peace be with you,” we are saying that in a violent world where there are missile strikes on civilians, mass shootings, bullying and violence around gender identity and sexuality, vitriol between political parties, cyber threats, and so much more…When we say peace be with you, we are saying that in this violent world, we, the people of God, come in peace. Bringing the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Attempting to bring about a world where Shalom can be the way of life.
Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is life as God intended it. Peace, Shalom, is living to bring peace to others. It is not about finding contentment and securities for ourselves. Shalom, peace be with you, is bringing the Peace of God, to a world that chooses violence first…
Setting up Pentecost
One of the coolest parts of this text is setting up the Pentecost story after the Ascension. Jesus teaches them all that has happened and all that is to come. And it starts in Jerusalem.
Mark’s early Church starts in Galilee. Matthew starts on a Mountain. John starts in the heart of every witness. Luke starts in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is where Pentecost begins. And it is there that the first church begins (until they are driven out by Saul).
Micah Krey 
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