Apr. 09, 2023

I want to tell you about something that happened to a Pastor that I know.  A couple weeks ago, one of his children dropped off an envelope addressed to her parents.  Inside was a fairly elaborate easter wish-list.  The list was somewhat unexpected by the pastor and his wife prompting them to remind their daughter that it wasn’t Christmas.  The pastor even uttered the words “Its only Easter.”

As Christians we need both gifts…Christmas and Easter.  God saw us, meaning he saw our situation, he loved us and sent Jesus to us.  Our situation was dire enough that Jesus needed to intercede on our behalf and eventually paid the wages of sin for us.

We celebrate Christmas because of Easter, and we celebrate easter because of Christmas.  The two are inseparable.  To be truly honest with you all, it was at my house that a pair of envelopes were left with easter wish lists.  It was at my house that a pastor said…”it’s only Easter.”  Perhaps that’s why this week has been so tough to type out an easter message.  As I shared communion this week with Mildred Diehl I told her that my sermon wasn’t coming along and as strange as it may seem what do you say on such an important Sunday?  We all know the story, what could I possibly add?  What teaching was there to be had?  Mildred said while it was true that we had all heard the story and knew it well, we want to keep hearing it.  We broke into a bit of song singing “I love to tell the story…”

It’s not a traditional Easter hymn by any stretch, but it is the message of the day…to tell the story of Jesus and his love.

When we say that God’s love surpasses all human understanding, I think that is on display in our Gospel this morning.  Why are the Mary’s going to the tomb?  We can wonder what they expected to see.  Afterall that is what they were there for as the New Revised Standard translation and most others tell us…to see the tomb.  What were they hoping to see?  Was there more hope than faith in what might await them?   Whether they had a handful of hope or a mountain of faith, what they saw was not only incredible but I’m certain more than they ever imagined.

The experience of the earthquake.  The world was literally rocked.  It was rocked by Jesus's birth, by his ministry, his death and now by his miraculous resurrection.  The earthquake is just the beginning as next an Angel descends from heaven…a messenger just as Jesus mother Mary had received an Angel messenger to tell her that she had been chosen, she was to be favored among women and that from her womb would come our savior, an angel messenger is telling a pair of Mary’s some 33 or 34 years later that Jesus has not left, but has in fact returned.  And the angel does it in splendid fashion.  What must it have been like to be in his presence?  I’m still trying to wrap my mind about his appearance being like lightning.   

When I was a child, my mother was home alone during a strong thunderstorm when a tree in our yard was struck by lightning.  My mom when she told the story said that she was in the master bathroom on the backside of the house when it happened and that even though it was a tree in the front yard that was struck, the light that came through the window in that back of the house room was the most intense and b right light she had ever seen.  I wonder if that was what it was like to try to gaze upon the heavenly messenger that morning just after dawn.  A face of lightning and clothes that were whiter than any white human eyes had ever seen.  It is no small wonder that the guards standing there were so shaken that they fainted from the sight.

 Our Mary’s however were still standing, still able to receive the message and somehow, some way, the message that the angel had to deliver was even more powerful than his appearance.  That lightning in his face was pale compared to the light of the world and the message to us that that light had not been snuffed out as some had imagined.

That phrase “don’t be afraid” could have more than one meaning here.  In the literal sense it seems appropriate that the angel who needs to pass on a message must not have the ladies faint away like the soldiers did.  Don’t be afraid that someone has tricked the soldiers and stolen the body.  Don’t be afraid that you will be arrested or prosecuted because you were friends of Jesus.   But how about this…don’t be afraid that you’ll find him here.  

I talked earlier about hope vs. faith in this situation.   When you hope for something, it is because you think that the other outcome is either possible or maybe even more likely than the one you’re wishing would take place.  Don’t be afraid to have faith!  Don’t fear believing the words and promises that Jesus shared with you in the days leading up to this moment.  That’s what we need not be afraid of.

In the angel’s own words…” I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here!”  Why?   Why is he not there?  The angel continues with what we come here to celebrate on this easter morning!  “For he has been resurrected, just as He said.”

He is Risen…He is Risen Indeed!

The work is just now beginning as the women are now tasked with telling the disciples that Jesus has done just as he said that he would and has risen from the dead.  But then he tucks in some extra assurance…you’ll see him in Galilee.  The angel has already provided them a glimpse of the empty tomb, but is there still some fearful doubt?  You will be provided just what we need.  Thomas will later ask to see so that he can believe and those who visited the tomb that early morning will get that opportunity, so they think in Galilee.  They leave the tomb thinking they must wait to get their assurance to let their eyes allow their hearts to believe.  Jesus knowing that the task of telling the Gospel is a critical one and one that must come with conviction offers immediate physical assurance by appearing to them in the garden.  

Jesus knows us and knows our needs that even after taking on the crucifixion and taking on the grave, he still tends to our needs.   If there was every a time to flop down on the couch and unwind, this would be it wouldn’t it?  No, Jesus is still there, in tune with what our needs are.

Now, the second call to proclaim the Gospel and this time from Jesus himself as he tells the women, just as the angel had, to tell the disciples that he is risen and that he would meet with them there.  Before he bids them go and just before commissioning them, they themselves become the messengers of Christ, he says those important words again…”Do not be afraid.”

Go with certainty, go with confidence and go without hesitation to spread the news of my resurrection.  That is the order.

Mildred’s words from earlier in this message ring in my ears.  We want to keep hearing it.  We want to hear the story again.  How many times do you think the women recounted that story?  What details do you think they remembered and forgot as time went on.  Were their feet wet with the early morning dew?  What were they carrying as they went to see the tomb?  What was the first thing that they saw?  Was it cold?  Was it unseasonably warm?  Could they hear the soldiers carousing or was all quiet just before the earthquake and the angel’s appearance?

For Mildred and for the pastor who said “It’s just Easter” let me tell the story one more time.

Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

He is Risen…He is Risen Indeed!

Please pray with me…

Jesus, our wonderful savior, and redeemer.  We gather here today to celebrate your victory over death.  Let us not be afraid, let us have faith over human hope.  God, how can we adequately say thank you?  You gave us the greatest gift of all time and you gave him to us not just once but twice.  You allowed your Son to be humbled, born of a woman and live among us.  You allowed him to be humiliated and suffer death.  You did all of this for our benefit and in the process, Jesus bought and paid for our eternal lives so that we may after our earthly death experience angels with faces like lightning and majestic sights we could only hope to imagine, but more importantly we will live out our eternity with the joy of those who first learned of your resurrection.  Be with us, guide us and protect us, this day and always.   A-men.