Easter Reflections

Here is an abridged version of my Easter sermon. 

Reflecting on the words written in the Holy Gospel according to St. John, imagine, if you can,  that you were one of Jesus' followers, that you walked with him and talked with him, that you were there at the end. 

Remember that amazing Palm Sunday when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem before the adoring crowds. We all shouted Hosanna and proclaimed him as The Messiah, the great savior, the long awaited deliverer of the people.  The one who would certainly vanquish the imperial Romans and restore us and all of Israel to greatness once and for all. But our Hosannas soon faded as the plot to kill Jesus took form. 

On Thursday, Jesus, knowing his death was imminent gathered with us and the other disciples for one last meal.  This wasn’t the Passover meal we hear about in the other Gospels; this meal took place on the Day of Preparation, the day that the lambs were slaughtered.  He got up from the table, tied his robe around his waist, filled a bowl with water and taking on the role of a servant, he washed our feet.  Peter resisted but once Jesus explained to him why this had to be done, he agreed and we all had our feet washed by the master.  He told us to continue the tradition after he was gone from us. He told us he was going to die -- we heard him say that before -- but he seemed different tonight. He wasn’t sad. We were sad and troubled but he wasn’t.  He kept saying how his death would glorify his father in heaven.  We weren’t sure what that meant, but then again we never really understood much of what Jesus said. But the last thing Jesus told us we understood.  He told us to love one another the same way that he loved us – unconditionally.  He told us that would be the way that people could identify us and know that we were his followers.

What happened next was horrible.  They took him away, accused him, falsely judged him, sentenced him to death, beat him, nailed him to a cross and they murdered him.  They murdered our Lord.  Then they placed him in a tomb. 

 Our hope is gone.  (reflect on this for a moment)                                    

Mary went to the tomb this morning to anoint his body.  She has no joy left in her life.  Her future is hopeless, just like the rest of us.  We believed in him.  He was our Messiah.  But he was more.  He was our friend.  He was our teacher, our rabbi.  Now He is dead.  But when Mary got to the tomb, the stone was rolled away and she panicked.  Her first thought was that someone stole his body.  As if being murdered wasn’t enough, now they stole his body.  “The disciples”, she thought. “They’ll know what to do”.  And she ran to where we had been hiding to tell us of her discovery.  Nervously she said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him”.  She was alone when she saw the stone had been moved away, and yet she said WE do not know where they have laid him.  Maybe she was speaking for all of us.  Hearing her words Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, the same disciple Jesus asked to care for his mother from the cross, ran to the garden.  The rest of us stayed home.

The beloved disciple got there first and peeked into the tomb.  He saw the linen clothes lying on the ground, the same linen clothes that Jesus was buried in, but he never went in.  When Peter got there he went in.  He was always the bold one.  He too saw the linens and even the head wrapping.  But no Jesus, maybe his body was stolen after all.  Now they probably didn’t put two and two together at the time, but what thief is going to take the time to unwrap the body, and neatly fold the head wrapping.  Remember the story of Lazarus?  Jesus commanded him to come out of the tomb and told the community of believers to unbind him.  This is different; Jesus leaves his linens in the tomb.  The unbound Jesus leaves the tomb.  Jesus unbound leaves death behind.  He has done as he has promised.  He has conquered death.  But the disciples can’t imagine this yet.  All they can see is an empty tomb.  Confused and still hopeless the disciples leave, but not Mary.

Mary stayed by the tomb and overcome by her great sadness and pain at the loss of her beloved Lord she begins to weep.  Earlier in John’s gospel Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice.  You will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.  So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you”.  Still weeping, she looks into the tomb and sees two angels clothed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been laying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They asked why she is weeping and she reiterates that someone has taken Jesus and she doesn’t know where.  These angels are not messengers, there is no resurrection proclamation offered here.  No Easter news. 

Here is where our story takes a dramatic turn.  As Mary is speaking to the angels, she turns and sees Jesus standing there, but she does not recognize him.  Of course we as hearers of this story know exactly who is standing there, but Mary in her grief does not.  Jesus asks her, “Who are you looking for?”  She didn’t recognize him, much the same way the Samaritan woman failed to recognize Jesus at the well.  Again, stuck in the moment she can only continue her lament.  She only wants to find Jesus’ body; she really doesn’t understand what is unfolding before her.  It is not until Jesus calls her name does she realize that Jesus has risen. She responds “Rabbouni” which means teacher.  Think back to our farewell meal with Jesus. Jesus told us “you call me teacher and Lord, for that is what I am”.  Mary Magdalene became the first of us to witness the resurrection of Jesus.  Her pain and hopeless, have changed to joy and rejoicing, just as Jesus had told her.  She is also the first one to proclaim the risen Christ, telling the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”.

On this morning we have joy.  On this morning we have hope.  On this glorious Easter morning, through that very proclamation of Mary, “I have seen the Lord” our lives have been transformed.   On this day when we hear this story, we begin a new story, a story shaped by God in the resurrection of Jesus.  Today is the beginning of our story in Christ.  We have become and Easter people, an Easter church.  As disciples of Christ and witnesses to the resurrection we are commanded by Christ to love one another as he has loved us.  We are called also not to just to be proclaimers of the Word, but doers of the Word.  We are called to be Christ’s hands and hearts in the world.  The tomb is empty.  God has conquered death.  God is victorious.  Christ’s death is glorious.  Jesus lives and so we live in Jesus and for Jesus.  God has fulfilled his promise to his people.  We have seen the Lord.  Rejoice.  Now let us go out and tell this amazing story to all who have ears

Christ has risen.  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

Blessed Easter, Pastor Bob.