Repentance and the Forgiveness of Sins: A Meditation on Luke 24, for the 2nd Sunday after Easter

After rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, Jesus proceeded to teach them what the point of His Cross actually was.  First He had to show His disciples that He was not some kind of ghost, but that He has arisen in the same body He was crucified in, only now glorified in a way that could never die again.  Still bearing the marks of the nails and the spear, His glorified body is real and tangible, such that His disciples could touch Him, eat with Him, listen to Him, and embrace Him.  His first lesson to them after the resurrection was that He is the Lord of Life whom death and hell cannot hold.  Jesus is victor over the greatest of man’s enemies, shattering the strength of sin and the devil.  Jesus showed in His resurrection what He taught them before His Passion:  that He is in His very Person the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

If the lesson had stopped there, it would be of no consolation to the disciples.  A resurrected and victorious Jesus as an example of how to merit eternal life is still a despairing sight.  Who among the disciples could think themselves capable of living the life He lived, from His miraculous conception in the Blessed Virgin Mary, through His prophetic and miraculous ministry, and even unto His death and rising again?  Who among us would think that we can replicate the footsteps of Jesus, drink the cup of His suffering, and do so without failure or sin?  Jesus in His example of victory is absolutely necessary to reveal Him for who He is, but His example alone does not bring peace to His disciples.  No one alive then, or alive now, could duplicate or approximate Jesus’ example, because no one in the history of the world will ever be like Him:  Fully God and Fully Man, the Second Person of the undivided Holy Trinity.

Knowing that man has no capacity to do what He had done, Jesus teaches His disciples what the whole of Scripture testify regarding Him.  His lesson continues:

And he said unto them, These are the

words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,

that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the

law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms,

concerning me. Then opened he their

understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it

behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third

day: And that repentance and remission of sins

should be preached in his name among all nations,

beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of

these things.

The point and the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection was not simply to demonstrate His power and victory, but to give that victory to His people.  The death which stalks every human being since the fall into sin, and the devil with his legions of fallen angels who roam about the earth seeking someone to devour, are bound, condemned, and defeated in Jesus’ victory.  Jesus does not tell His disciples to attempt to earn eternal life by following His model, but rather gives to fallen and dying mankind the fruits of His labors.  When He sends out His disciples as Apostles (the eyewitnesses of His life, death, and resurrection) with the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins, Jesus is sending forth His victory by His Word.  This is the Gospel—the Good News—that Jesus has saved us from sin, death, hell, and the power of the devil, when we were incapable of saving ourselves.  This gift of salvation is freely given, because there is no way mankind can earn it.  Hence it is a salvation by His grace, received in faith, and not by our own works, lest anyone should boast in himself rather than Jesus and His victory by His Cross.

And what is this great Good News of salvation, except the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins?  What greater Word can we hear from the throne of God Almighty, than the call for us to turn from our ways of sin and death, and receive the free gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come by Jesus Christ alone?  What sweeter Word could ever be spoken to a humanity condemned to die, than that eternal life has been won for them in Jesus?  What greater peace can penetrate the stone of a cold and dying heart, than the love of Jesus which declares to you the forgiveness of your sins?  What greater joy can be given, than by the Living Word which calls us to lay down our pride, our avarice, our lust, our hatred, and all the tortuous tools of our slavery to death and the devil, that we might receive the riches of grace and mercy and eternal life?  Indeed, there is no greater Word that comes to man than Jesus risen from the tomb, preaching to us by His Apostolic witnesses the wonders of His victory by faith and repentance in His Name.  There is no greater joy, no greater peace, no greater sweetness, than the Lord of Life giving His life to dying man, forgiving him his sins, and calling him into His fellowship forever.

And so to you, dear Christian, comes the Word of Life, even today.  He who is victorious over all your enemies, all your pain and suffering, all your misery and sorrow, all your despair and abuse, all your persecution and confusion, all your sin and shame—it is He who calls you into His Life and victory forever.  Jesus, Son of God and son of Mary, calls to you, that you may turn from your ways of death, and receive His forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Hear the sweetness of His call, the power of His victory, the peace of His embrace.  Hear Him.  Repent.  Believe.  Live.

Amen.