| While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Luke 24:36-38 Signs of new life are all around us this Eastertide! When you drive into the church parking lot from 98th street, be sure to check out the prickly pear cactus as it has been in full bloom! Each pink flower only lasts for a couple of days before it is gone, but a plant will produce new flowers over a once-a-year bloom period of 4-6 weeks. Appreciate it while we can! Similar sentiments were embraced by Jesus’ disciples in that period after Jesus’ resurrection and before his ascension. This Sunday, May 4th, we continue our worship series “Following Jesus from A–Z” with a theme word for the letter D that might surprise you: Disbelief. Our scripture from Luke 24:36–49, is the continuation of the Road to Emmaus story we shared last week. Here, the risen Christ appears to his disciples—not as a ghost or a dream, but in flesh and bone. Even as he stands among them offering peace, joy, and purpose, the disciples are startled. Luke says, “In their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering.” Isn’t that so deeply human? We, too, carry moments when we rejoice and doubt. When we trust and question. When we celebrate the resurrection and still wonder what it means for us today. Disbelief is not the opposite of faith—it is often part of the journey toward a deeper one. Jesus doesn’t condemn the disciples for their disbelief; instead, he meets them right where they are, offering peace and commissioning them with love. This week in worship, we’ll reflect on what it means to be honest about our doubts while still living into resurrection hope. We’ll sing with joy, pray with intention, and hear again the good news: Christ is risen, even when we don’t fully understand it. Come as you are—questions, wonder, joy and all. There’s a place for you in this story. I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday in person or on YouTube. Brett |
