What on earth were they supposed to do now? They’d left everything to follow Him; homes, families, businesses; three years of their lives given over to following this rabbi; what teaching! what mighty power to heal the sick! Where He was the world had seemed a better place; and so they’d thought He was the one promised in scripture who’d establish God’s rule; they had hoped that their arrival in Jerusalem this Passover – to cheers and waved palm branches - would mark some new chapter in God’s dealings with Israel; they had hoped that somehow through Jesus this Passover God’s Kingdom would come.

What on earth were they supposed to do now? The hoped for Saviour had died a disgraceful criminal’s death – abandoned by the God they thought had sent Him. They’d left everything to follow Him – and all for nothing; and now they hide away; ashamed – they deserted Him; scared – they fear a similar death; and in despair – their dreams are gone.

And now confused too. Women speak of empty tombs. Peter, Cleopas and others - surely the wishful thinking -  claim to have seen Him alive. What on earth are they supposed to do now?

While they were still talking about this, writes Luke Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you… Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” …He showed them His hands and feet… They still did not believe it because of joy and amazement

‘Jesus Himself stood among them... He showed them His hands and His feet... they still did not believe because of joy and amazement.’

It’s been quite a week for the disciples. From the euphoria of Palm Sunday to the despair of Good Friday and the bleak emptiness of Holy Saturday – it’s been quite a week. Well might we understand them struggling to keep up – to adjust to this last a most wonderful of developments. Jesus - bodily physically really - again among them – death defeated.

And the question, ‘What on earth do we do now?’ still completely relevant. With joy and amazement they see Him alive again. Surely truly the beginning of something new. But what? ‘What on earth do they do now?’

We’ve come to the last sermon in our series looking at the story of God’s dealings with human beings through the bible from Genesis to Revelation. We therefore look at this wonderful Easter reading asking ‘where does it fit in the story of God and His people?’ And in our passage Jesus Himself gives an answer. He says to them in verse 44, "This is what I told you …: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

Here in Luke 24 we stand at the turning point in the history of God’s dealings with His people. The story of Israel; the story of Abraham, Moses, David; the words of the prophets – all have been pointing forward to this man on this day; to Jesus, His death on a cross and His Resurrection.

This story of God and His people can be likened to a 5 act play.

In Act 1 God created the Universe, and a world, and human beings. He longs for humans to be in relationship with Him but they reject Him and spoil the beautiful world He made. Act 1: The Creator God is rejected -  where we started our sermon series  back on January 27^th.

In Act 2 God begins to put right what’s gone wrong. He reveals Himself to one man – Abraham – who he makes into a nation from whom He promises to bless all the peoples of the earth. He gives them His laws and calls them to be a model to the nations of the earth – showing what it is like to live in relationship with God. To reflect how God wishes things to be. Israel is, however, only ever a pale reflection of how things are supposed to be. The people aren’t always faithful; the Kings often bad and God’s laws often neglected. Nevertheless the prophets look forward to a day when God’s true King would come and all the nations of the earth hear of God’s love. That was Act 2: God chooses Israel to prepare the way for His King.

Then comes the middle Act Act 3 : a cross and an empty tomb standing at the very centre. Just as prophets foretold God’s true King Jesus comes to His people is rejected and dies. And yet it is through His death that He opens a way for people from all nations to enter into a relationship with God. "This is what I told you” says Jesus to the disciples at this turning point in history, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." That is Act 3: Through Jesus God makes it possible for all to know God.

‘Then’ writes Luke, ‘He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”’

And so begins of Act 4 of our 5 Act drama. ‘Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations.’ ‘All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.’ God told Abraham. The promise to Abraham fulfilled in Jesus. Through Israel came Jesus. And through Jesus the possibility of a new relationship with God for people of every nation. ‘Repentance for the  forgiveness of sins is to be preached in His name to all the nations of the earth.’ ‘What on earth do we now?’ ask the disciples. Take the message of Jesus to every corner of the earth. That is the work of Act 4 of the drama. An Act that begins with the these huddled disciples and continues with us today at St Peter’s church in Oundle. All the nations of the earth need to hear about God’s love and forgiveness – the people of Oundle in 2008 too. Act 4 is still underway and we are part of it.

But there will be an Act 5 and the Bible gives us of what it will be like. After God rasied Him from the dead Jesus returned to His Father. But throughout His earthly life Jesus repeatedly promised a day when He would return again to the earth as its true King. A day will come when King Jesus will return and finally and fully the earth will be as it was always supposed to be. God living amongst His people in relationship with them.

‘Then’ writes John in our reading from Revelation today ‘I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Jesus returns as King. Hatred; selfishness; greed; cruelty banished. God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven. His Kingdom finally come. The last and final Act in the story of God and His people.

But we don’t live in Act 5 – we’re only somewhere in Act 4. And we at St Peter’s Church in Oundle – we are living and playing our part somewhere in Act 4 of the story. We look forward to the day when Jesus returns as King – but how are we to live now? With the disciples we might ask, ‘what on earth do we now?’

Sometimes the church is guilty of suggesting that being a Christian is just about sitting around and waiting. We hear terrible news of world gone wrong but we’re alright because we know that one day Jesus is coming to put everything right. So like Noah in his ark we close our doors to the dreadful things happening outside and passively wait for Jesus to come as King.

Other Christians have gone to an opposite extreme. ‘Forget about Jesus coming again,’ they suggest, ‘it’s not going to happen. His Kingdom will only come in so far as the people on earth follow His teaching – our job is to persuade them.’ Jesus certain and frequent promises about His coming again are ignored. Building God’s Kingdom becomes all dependent on us. And as the goal seems as far off as ever we begin to doubt that God’s Kingdom will ever come. Nice idea – unrealistic.

Sitting around waiting – the wrong response.

Thinking that building God’s Kingdom is all dependent on us – the wrong response.

So what on earth do we do now? How are we – the people of Act 4 – to live?

Well first a little story. The story of  Robin Hood. The popular legend goes something like this. England has a good King - Richard, but whilst he is abroad his evil brother John takes the throne. England is not governed as it should be. There is injustice and corruption. The poor are exploited and the rich prosper. But here and there from place to place there are rebels – those like Robin Hood who stand up for justice against evil King John. They know that although John seems to have the power he is no real King. They have a real King across the water – and one day he is coming back and then there will be justice – then John will be cast off his throne and England will once more be governed by a good and upright King.

And because they know that their King is coming – Robin Hood and his outlaws start living now as they will when he comes. They reject the values King John’s kingdom – and adopt the values of the coming King. And so wherever they are they give people a glimpse of how things will be when Good King Richard returns to put things right.

Well – that’s the legend of Robin Hood. But we don’t have a legend – we have a certain hope. Yes this world isn’t governed as it should be. We know there is war, and injustice and poverty and an earth ravaged and polluted by human greed. Daily we meet those bruised and battered by a world where love is dying. And we know that this is not how it was supposed to be. This is Kingdom of this world where Satan believes that he is king and injustice and corruption reign. But we know of another King. We know that there is a King – crucified risen and ascended we know that there is a true King across the water – and that one day He is coming back. Then there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain – then will He wipe away every tear – then will there be a new heavens and a new earth.

And how do we live now? Not passively waiting for His return no. We live as outlaws actively rejecting the values of this world. Living by the values of our true King – the coming King. Deciding to live now as we will do then when He comes to reign. Making sure that by the way we live we do not increase – but rather work to lessen injustice in the world. Making sure that we do not damage but work to restore God’s beautiful world. Seeking to do His will on earth as it is in heaven  - so that where we are people might see a glimpse of how things were always supposed to be and how they will be again when Jesus comes to reign.

He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

We who live in Act 4 of the drama have a task before us – our rôle to play – this afternoon – tomorrow morning this week. ‘Repentance for the forgiveness of sins is to be preached in His name to all nations.’ The work began in about AD33 in Jerusalem and has spread through all the earth to us here in Oundle in 2008. We too are called to be witnesses of these things and to pass on the message. But certainly not only by word. By action too. We are not only to proclaim with our lips that Jesus is the true King – but to proclaim by the way we live that He is our King. Choosing to live now as we will do then when He comes to reign.

For we know that we have a King across the water and He’s coming.