Amazed

LUKE 24:1-12

Have you ever been a failure? Have you ever failed? You tried. You did what you through was right but it didn't work. You didn't succeed. You failed.
Maybe it was on the job. You thought you understood what your supervisor had told you. You thought you knew your job. But you failed.
Maybe it was the stock market. You followed all the rules, buy low – sell high. You did your part, then in one week the market drops, you lost all the growth, you lost some of the principle. You thought you were doing right. You thought you were careful, but no, you failed.
Maybe it was a marriage.
Maybe it was a friendship
Maybe it was a sport
It could have been so many things...

If you have ever failed, then you can imagine what Peter felt. He was a failure. He had followed Jesus. At times, he seemed to understand... “Jesus, you are the Messiah.” he would say in one breath, then reprimand Jesus for talking about his impending death in another. He had learned so much. He was looking forward to a long rule with Jesus. He was looking forward to being “The Rock” but not without Jesus. In the final meal, the passover meal, Jesus tells the Disciples that one will betray him, but Peter says “not me”. In the Garden Peter draws his sword to defend Jesus and injures Malcheus, but is reprimanded by Jesus. Jesus heals Malcheus and goes peacefully with the guards.

Peter is confused. Peter is scared. Peter denies that he even knows the one he once called Messiah. Peter had failed.
Some of the stories tell us that he had gone to the lake to fish during the days. I understand that. When I am down, when things aren't going right, when I'm tired of the daily grind of life, I like to go to the woods, to the lakes, to the wilderness. I like to get away. I can understand Peter.

But what I can't imagine is what was going through his mind. Did he finally understand what Jesus was talking about? Did he ask himself why he didn't stand up more? Did he wonder if he could have saved Jesus from the hands of the Romans? Did he wonder just how he had failed? Did he blame himself for what Jesus was going through?

I don't know. What I do know is that I, and I suspect some of you, are more like Peter than we care to admit. We ask ourselves, “How is it that we keep on failing?” “How is it that we don't seem to understand?” “Was it our fault that Jesus had to die?”

I can't imagine all that was going through Peter's mind on that Sunday some 1977 years ago when Mary Magdeline came rushing into the Upper Room to tell the Apostles that Jesus had been Raised from the Dead. According to Luke, nobody believed them, that is no one except Peter. It seemed as foolishness to them, but not Peter, he got up and ran to the tomb, saw the linen cloths, and went home amazed at what had happened. Amazed... what a word...
NRSV - Amazed... NIV – filled with wonder NASV – marveling

Any of these words and expressions fit for what Peter was going through on that day. Can you imagine the thoughts as he walked back home? “Is that what he meant by 'rebuild the Temple in three days?'” “Is this what he was preparing us for?” “Did someone take him, who would do that, no, He had to have risen, but where is he?” “What will this mean for us now?”

Ahhhh, there is a question for us as well. As we peer into the empty tomb, as we hear the cry of the women that “He is risen”, what will it mean for us now? What does it mean that he is risen? Well,
It means his teaching is true.
It means that we have a hope that we too will rise.
It means that we have a future with Christ.
And it means something else too... Let me illustrate with a story.

In the book Travels in Alaska, John Muir told a story of his encounter with the Stickeen and Sitka Indians of Alaska in the late 1800's. The two tribes had been at war for some twenty years and winter was approaching. The Chiefs met together and the Stikeen chief said to the other, “My people are hungry. They dare not go to the salmon-streams and berry-fields for winter supplies, and if the war goes on much longer most of my people will die of hunger. We have fought long enough; let us make peace. You brave Sitka warriors go home, and we will go home, and we will all set out to dry salmon and berries before it is too late.”

The Sitka chief replied: “You may well say let us stop fighting, when you have had the best of it. You have killed ten more of my tribe than we have killed of yours. Give us ten Stickeen men to balance our blood-account; then, and not till then, will we make peace and go home.”

“Very well” replied the Stickeen Chief, “you know my rank. You know that I am worth 10 common men and more. Take me, and make peace.”

The offer was accepted, the Chief stepped forward and was shot down in sight of the fighting bands and peace was made. The Stickeen Chief sacrificed himself for his people. Had he not given his life, then many more would have died from both the Stickeen and the Sitka as a result of war and starvation. The Chief saved his people.

Years later when missionaries came and told the story of Jesus to the Stickeen and Sitka people, they already knew of the sacrifice of one for many. As was recorded of the Indian people, they replied to the missionaries, “ Yes, your words are good, the Son of God, the Chief of Chiefs, the Maker of all the world, must be worth more than all mankind put together; therefore, when His blood was shed, the salvation of the world was made sure”

Salvation was brought to us, to you and me, on that day when Peter was amazed and today,

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene
and wonder how he could love me
a sinner condemned unclean
Oh, how marvelous
Oh, how wonderful
and my song shall ever be
oh, how wonderful
oh how marvelous
is my Saviors love for me.

Today we stand amazed before a table that is set. A table that symbolizes all that Christ has and continues to do for us. Let us stand amazed, let us gather at this table, and let us go home, but let us also do as Peter and go forth into the world to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a world that needs to know of his love and grace.