Third Sunday of Easter 2026: April 19

Alleluia! Our journey through the Easter season continues this week, which is the Third Sunday of Easter 2026. On April 19, 2026, Rev. Matthew Buterbaugh will lead us as we gather to hear one of the most beloved resurrection stories in Scripture: the encounter of the risen Jesus with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. In this tender and profound story, we witness Christ reveal Himself to us through Scripture and in the breaking of the bread. We are invited to recognize the risen Christ walking with us on our own journeys.

Join us for worship in the way that suits you best! You can worship with us in person, via Live Stream, Video Replay, or Podcast.

If You Cannot Join Us In Person for the Third Sunday of Easter 2026!

We know that you might not always be able to attend in person; therefore, we provide several virtual options.

Livestream/Playback

Join us live at 8:50 AM for the organ prelude, followed by the service at 9 AM. After the livestream ends, you can watch the video replay anytime.

Podcast

Did you know that we are available on all major platforms? Our podcast covers everything from the opening hymn to the sharing of the peace.

Our podcast is released regularly on Sunday afternoons. Follow us on your favorite podcast player to know when new episodes drop.

The Collect for the Third Sunday of Easter 2026

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter 2026

First Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36–41

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them.

36 “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

Psalm: Psalm 116:1-3,10-17

¹ I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
       because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
² The cords of death entangled me;
  the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
       I came to grief and sorrow.
³ Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *
      “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
¹⁰ How shall I repay the Lord *
       for all the good things he has done for me?
¹¹ I will lift up the cup of salvation *
       and call upon the Name of the Lord.
¹² I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
       in the presence of all his people.
¹³ Precious in the sight of the Lord *
       is the death of his servants.
¹⁴ O Lord, I am your servant; *
       I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
       you have freed me from my bonds.
¹⁵ I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
       and call upon the Name of the Lord.
¹⁶ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
       in the presence of all his people,
¹⁷ In the courts of the Lord’S house, *
       in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
       Hallelujah!

The Epistle: 1 Peter 1:17–23

17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

The Gospel: Luke 24:13–35

13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.

18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us; they were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflection on the Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter 2026

Hearts Burning Within Us: Recognition on the Road

First Reading – Acts 2:14a, 36–41

Peter’s proclamation continues from the previous Sunday, but now we see how the crowd responds. Peter has boldly declared that God has made Jesus both Lord and Messiah—the very one whom his listeners crucified. The reaction is immediate and intense; they are “cut to the heart.” This is not a gentle feeling of conviction; it is a sharp wound of recognition and guilt. In response, the crowd asks the crucial question: “Brothers, what should we do?”

Peter’s message is striking in its simplicity and elegance. He urges the listeners to repent, meaning to turn around and change the direction of their lives. He calls on them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. In addition, he promises them the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is universal: “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” The resurrection is not limited to a select few; the grace of God extends to all people.

The response was extraordinary: three thousand people were baptized that day. This was not the timid Church hiding behind locked doors, as described in John’s account, but a Church boldly proclaiming the gospel and calling everyone to conversion. The resurrection transformed not only Jesus but also his disciples, turning them into witnesses of unwavering courage and commitment.mitment.passion.

Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19

This psalm is a song of thanksgiving and praise, spoken by someone who has passed through grave danger and been delivered by God. “The cords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave came upon me; I came to grief and sorrow. Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I pray you, save my life.'” The psalmist has been brought low but has been raised up. The response is gratitude and a commitment to live in the Lord’s presence forever.

The later verses strengthen this commitment: “How can I repay the Lord for all the good things He has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.” The psalmist does not keep the experience of divine deliverance to himself; instead, it is shared, publicly proclaimed, and serves as the foundation of a life dedicated to God. This attitude of gratitude and witness is embodied by Peter and the first disciples in the book of Acts.

Epistle – 1 Peter 1:17–23

Peter, or perhaps an author writing in his name, addresses the scattered Christian communities, reminding them of the true cost of their redemption. They were not ransomed with silver or gold, but rather “with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.” This wording references both the Exodus (the Passover lamb) and Isaiah (the suffering servant). Christ’s sacrifice is presented as the ultimate act through which sin is atoned, and believers are set free.

Peter then shifts focus to the ethical implications of redemption. Since you have been purchased at such a high cost, it is essential to “purify your souls through obedience to the truth, so that you have genuine mutual love. Love one another deeply from the heart.” The resurrection is not simply a historical event to be remembered; it is a reality that transforms the way we live. We are born again, “not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” Our identity is no longer rooted in mortality or futility, but in the life-giving word of God.

Gospel – Luke 24:13–35

This narrative is one of the most beautiful and tender in all of Scripture. Two disciples are walking away from Jerusalem, leaving behind the place of crucifixion and disappointment. They discuss everything that has happened, feeling as though their hopes have been shattered and their faith has been shaken. Jesus approaches them, but they do not recognize him. He asks what they are talking about. Their response reveals their despair: “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”

In a remarkable demonstration of pastoral care, Jesus invites them to share their story. He listens attentively to their grief, confusion, and loss of hope as they express, “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Then, with gentle and theological precision, Jesus explains the Scriptures to them, starting with Moses and all the prophets. He illustrates how the Messiah must suffer before entering into glory. Yet, despite this profound conversation, they do not recognize him.

As they draw closer to their destination, evening begins to fall. The disciples invite the stranger to stay with them. At the table, Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. In that moment—the moment of breaking the bread—their eyes are opened, and they recognize him. This language reflects the Eucharist, the Church’s central act of worship, in which Christ is made known to us in the breaking of the bread. However, the moment of recognition is fleeting, as Jesus vanishes from their sight.

What follows is remarkable: the disciples do not mourn his departure. Instead, they remember that their hearts burned within them as he opened the Scriptures to them on the road. Immediately, they get up and return to Jerusalem to share their joy with the eleven. They have been transformed by encountering the risen Christ—not in a vision or a dramatic appearance, but through conversation, Scripture, and a meal.

Third Sunday of Easter 2026 Reflection Wrap-Up

The readings for the Third Sunday of Easter provide a clear picture of how Christ reveals himself after his resurrection. In the book of Acts, Peter boldly proclaims the resurrection and calls everyone to conversion, resulting in significant growth for the Church. In Psalm 116, we hear the voice of someone who has experienced death and now expresses gratitude and praise. Peter’s epistle reminds us that we were redeemed at a great cost, which calls us to love one another deeply. Finally, Luke’s Gospel shares the touching story of the Emmaus road, where the risen Jesus is recognized not by his appearance, but through Scripture and the breaking of bread.

Sometimes, we may feel like the disciples on the road to Emmaus—downcast, confused, and losing hope. In such moments, we are reminded that the risen Christ walks with us on our journeys. He reaches out to us through conversation, the opening of Scripture, and the shared meal of the Eucharist. Our hearts may burn within us as we come to recognize his presence. Like the disciples, we are called to return to our community of faith to share what we have experienced and to invite others to know the risen Christ in their own lives.

Alleluia! Christ has risen. The Lord is truly risen. Alleluia!

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