Then He opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Luke 24: 45-49.

There is a story about a nobleman who wanted to leave a legacy to his village community. Eventually he decided that the best legacy would be a church. The plans for the church were kept very secret until the completion.
When the church was completed, the villagers were allowed to inspect it. The people marveled at its beauty. Eventually one of the observers asked, "Where are the lamps? How will the church be lighted?"
The nobleman pointed to some brackets along the wall, and then he gave each family a lamp to be carried to church and hung in its proper place on the wall. He told them, "Each time you come to church, you will bring your lamp and the area where you are seated will be light. Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. Whenever you fail to come to church some area of the church will be dark."
The church comprises of people. Each person is important. Individually and collectively, each person brings something to the worship experience -- light, response, prayer, confession, love and compassion to be shared with others.
In the text, Jesus visited His disciples shortly after His resurrection. They were assembled in a closed room. He reassured them that He was alive by inviting them to inspect His human body. He also requested food and ate it to prove that He was not a ghost.
Then He opened their mind to understand the scriptures. He told them that they would be witnesses to the world, beginning in Jerusalem. Their witness would begin in the very place where hope had died on Good Friday, the very place where they had failed Him.
They were to tell and retell this good news. The telling of this gospel would come at a cost, but that was not to impede the telling of His death and resurrection. They were not telling it as hearsay, but of their own knowledge of what had really and truly happened. They were to present this gospel to the world so that all men, everywhere, could be called to faith in Jesus.
Within a short while, He promised, the Spirit would empower them so that they could do the work to which they had been called. They would be furnished with gifts and graces which was necessary for them to discharge their great trust.
They were faithful to the Lord's instruction. They collectively and individually carried out their instructions and were faithful to their mission. Because they were faithful, we follow in their train, continuing the work of proclaiming the gospel.
We are witnesses called to prepare and to tell this good news to a new generation. As the villagers were told in the illustration, each Christian has a lamp which provides light to people in a small corner of the world. When we refuse to work, someone remains in darkness.
Like the disciples, we are all important to this mission of the church. Let us use the lamp of the gospel and give light to those who are in darkness. Our communities and the world are full of people in darkness Let each of us be a beacon to the people of the world. Amen

o Rev. Samuel M. Boodle, pastor at The Lutheran Church of Nassau, can be reached at P.O. Box N 4794, Nassau, Bahamas, or telephone: 323-4107; E-mail: lutheranchurch@coralwave.com, Website: www.Nassaulutheranchurch.org.

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