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April 12th, 2009 – Easter Sunday (white or gold)
Readings: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Cor 15:1-11; John 20:1-18
One Easter morning, a Sunday School teacher asked her class if they knew the origins of this special day. One young man responded immediately, "It's opening day for the Blue Jays."
Not wishing to stifle creative thinking, the teacher responded, "What a wonderful answer! But I had something else in mind."
A young girl then stood and remarked, "That's the day we get nice new clothes and go find the eggs from the Easter Bunny.
"That's right," said the teacher, "But there's something else just a little more important.”
A young man then jumped up and yelled, "I know, I know!! After Jesus died on the cross, some of his friends buried him in a tomb they called a sepulcher."
The teacher thought, "I don't believe it, someone actually knows."
The little boy continued, "And three days later Jesus arose and opened the door of the tomb and stepped out."
"Yes, yes!" said the teacher. "Go on, go on!"
And the youngster said, "And if he sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of bad weather."
Well I certainly hope this little boy is mistaken, because I don’t want anymore winter! It’s been a long, gruelling winter, and I think we all have been journeying through dark times. Lent is not an easy time – it reminds us of our frailty. We begin the journey recognizing that God has freed us from the slavery of sin, but this new ‘free’ life is difficult. As Israel wandered in the desert, wondering where they would find their next meal and shelter, we relate to their feeling of helplessness. From the loss of loved ones, bodies breaking down, relationship challenges, and even just the feeling that God has been absent from our lives – we have much to feel sorrowful about.
In our Good Friday service we took time to contemplate our human weakness and sin, as Jesus on the cross reminds us of the inevitability of death. We sang hymns like “Rock of Ages Cleft for Me”, “My Jesus I Love Thee”, and “Abide with Me” – hymns that are often sung at funerals for the way they connect our death with Christ’s, and the way they confess our trust in God to see us through hard times.
Today is a day that starts in darkness. The gospel reminds us that Mary set out to Jesus’ grave ‘while it was still dark’. She was trying to grieve in her own way, her preparations were not unlike our funeral services – they were giving her an appropriate outlet to mourn the loss of one she loved so deeply. In the midst of her pain she stumbled upon a terrible mystery – the grave was empty! Like most of us, the thought of resurrection would not occur to her, she could only think about how her opportunity to mourn had been taken away from her. Deeply troubled she returned to the disciples to give them the news. John (implied by the gospel) & Peter rush to the tomb to see if it was true; and sure enough they discover the tomb is empty.
But their mourning, and unimaginative minds, keep them from perceiving a miracle. Instead of hoping for new life, they are dejected even more. But Mary lingers at the site, and is graced first by the appearance of the angels in the tomb, and then…then we can almost sense her excitement as she realizes the man she mistakes for the gardener is actually her risen Saviour!
“Mary!” he calls to her. Immediately she recognizes the voice of Jesus, “Teacher!” she lovingly responds. The text is very intentional about letting us know the significance of Jesus’ addressing Mary. He speaks to her earlier, calling her ‘woman’ (a general description if there ever was one) and Mary responds to his questions in a matter-of-fact way, thinking he is only the gardener. But something happens when Jesus calls Mary by name:
“Mary’s closed world (and ours) is broken open when Jesus calls her name. Something illogical, impossible, and unnatural takes place. The One who was certified as dead (19:33) greets Mary. The established rules as to what can happen and how are overthrown. The old plausibility structure is left in shambles. It is a new day…The voice of Jesus calling her name shatters her customary world…and opens up a brand-new future. What she is to do is to grieve no longer, but to go to the disciples with the word of Jesus’ impending ascension.”
Jesus calls Mary by name, and his resurrection thrust her into a new way of life. And this wasn’t simply a spiritual resurrection that took place, it wasn’t simply a fresh bout of enthusiasm that came over Jesus that allowed him to continue his work, it was a resurrection from the dead.
Paul Ricoeur writes, “If the Resurrection is resurrection from the dead, all hope and freedom are in spite of death.” Death is our great enemy. Our Psalm today reminds us that the people of God have always known what it is like to be surrounded by death. But the Lord is our strength and salvation. Just as he rescued Israel from surrounding armies centuries earlier, so he defeated death by rising Christ from the dead. This Psalm is our Psalm today. Jesus is Alive! “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps 118:24)
Our rejoicing is not just over the miracle that took place 2000 years ago. It is because Christ shares his victory with us. It is because God is up to something radically new. St. Paul tells us, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being (that’s Adam), the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being.” (1 Cor 15:20-21). Because of Adam’s fall into sin, all of creation became subject to death. But now, the new Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, rises from the dead as the pioneer of resurrected life. Now all who follow Christ, “the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25), will experience resurrection life.
Physical death is no longer the end for us! We are given the promise that in the end of days God will call us by name, transform our physical existence, make us perfect and pleasing in God’s sight, and re-create the earth for us to enjoy for all of eternity. This is the Biblical hope and promise we have received!
And the icing on the cake for us here today, is that we do not have to wait for the end of our lives to experience this life. The Spirit of Easter was poured out at Pentecost fifty days after the Easter event. Paul tells us that the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, and gives life to our mortal bodies through this Spirit! (Rom 8:11) The life of God lives within us, and is all around us. We must have eyes to see it. Martin Luther said, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” With the sunshine and the promise of spring life, can you perceive God’s resurrecting life? Can you see that for every loss, every sorrow you experience in this life there is also an opportunity for healing, for miracles, for new relationships and new opportunities?
Can you see, as one man said, that “Every parting gives a foretaste of death; every coming together again a foretaste of the resurrection”?
My friends, and fellow Easter people, let us rejoice and be glad today. The darkness has been scattered. Death has been defeated. Let us, as William Law says, “Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God's goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new - created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing.” Amen.
Song:
I Will Rise
By Chris Tomlin
Verse 1
There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say it is well
Pre-chorus
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
Chorus
(And) I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow no more pain
I will rise on eagle's wings
Before my God fall on my knees and rise
I will rise
Verse 2
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Misc 2
(BRIDGE)
And I hear the voice of many angels sing
Worthy is the Lamb
And I hear the cry of ev'ry longing heart
Worthy is the Lamb
(REPEAT)
Worthy is the Lamb
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