Good morning again and happy Easter! I am guessing that the Easter bunny has
hopped over to your house- he’s been to mine—I’m guessing that there may have
already been an Easter egg hunt or two. Probably a little bit of chocolate has been
consumed
Well we’ve arrived here at church and it is our opportunity to hear the Easter
story-- to peak into the tomb where Jesus has been laid after his crucifixion
and see that he is not the there. Some 2000 years later, we become modern day
witnesses to what we see in the tomb --- resurrection.
When Mary Magdalene
and Mary mother of James and Salome peak
and I imagine they peak I imagine it was tentative approach not quit sure what to make of it. Remember what consumed their conversation
that morning was how they were going to roll back he stone so when they arrive
and the stone is rolled away.
When I was in high school I came out of my bedroom one
morning for breakfast-- now my bedroom in the house I grew up in was on the
first floor and opened into our dining room- as I stepped out I noticed a newspaper and coffee cup and
cereal bowl on the dining room table- evidence that my step father must be
nearby- as I took another step into the
dining room and I saw my stepfather flat
on his back on the floor- the first thought I had was this man has had a
massive heart attack and is now dead on the floor.
Not quite what to make of all that was happening- I slowly
approached my stepfather and whisper “Bill!”- no response- I creep up a little
closer “Bill”– I get close enough and I kick his foot with my foot- bill- he
says “What?”— I thought “Thank you Jesus and then said what are you doing on
the floor – he said I just felt sick and needed to lay down right on the
floor.
I imagine that the two Mary’s and Salome approached tomb kind
of like I just described- just ever so
slowly peaking around the corner in ever
so slightly--uncertain about what to
make of the stone being rolled away- and this strange man in the tomb Mark
tells us that they are terrified-- the
Greek work Mark uses could be translate as quaking with fear – this was an
overwhelming occurrence-- Mark says they flee the tomb and the don’t tell a
soul that Jesus has risen.
What happens when we look through the doorway of the
tomb? How do we see resurrection? What does resurrection look like for us- now
2000 years later? Is it an empty tomb with a few discarded
burial linens or is it something else--has Jesus been raised?
A few weeks ago, my wife Chrishelle lost a dear friend. Her
name was Kristie. Kristie was young
mother struck down in the prime of her life to metastatic breast cancer. Forty two, forty three years old – two middle
school children- a tragedy of epic proportion someone with so much to live for-
so much more to offer the world. One of
the gifts that Kristie offered the world a faith that never quit even in this
most dire and dark situation- she had full trust throughout her struggle that God was holding
her palms of His hands and would see her through
After she died we of course attended her funeral. Her
funeral was held at a church very different than St. Mark’s – it was much more
of a modern sanctuary that was kind of like an auditorium –seats were on a
slope and we were sitting some way back. As the service began the lights dimmed
as they do in a movie theater and our attention was focused on the praise and
worship band at the front.
Now I don’t remember the song- but I do remember feeling quite moved by the
music- part way through one of the opening songs- I noticed a gentleman far
toward the front of the church begin to raise his arms up in praise to God as he sang- but it was hard to kind of see because it was
dark and I was sitting some ways back.
As the music continued—I realized that the gentleman at that
front of the church with his arms in the air in praise to God- was Kristie’s
husband Chad.
Tears began to well up in my eyes as I realized that just
four days after his dear wife had breathed her last he was able to raise his
arm in praise to God.
As I have reflected on that moment- I have come to realize
that I was seeing Easter- right there- Chad’s arms high in the air—are because
of tomb is empty- and he knows it --that
even in that most terrible moment- Easter says everything is not lost— that God
wins- and that what God did for Jesus- he is doing for Kristie and God will do for us!
[In a few moments [at the ten o’clock service] we will baptize
little baby Elizabeth—each one of us will promise to raise her up in her life
with Christ- that’s the story we teach that’s the faith we instill that even in
death we can raise its arm in praise
because we see victory not defeat . ]
I guess when I look into the tomb – what I see a God who
breathes life into things that are dead—and that is not just life for us after
our hearts seize up and stop beating- I see life that breaks in right now. That can stand at the
edge of the grave and find a sliver of hope of joy.
I see resurrection down the street at Green Lake—I see it in
the midst of ashes of a burned out apartment --as this community begins to help
rebuild the lives of many who have lost almost everything-that’s resurrection breaking into our world.
I saw resurrection yesterday on Instagram- as my daughter and
her friends surrounded a friend with well wishes and prayers after the friends
mother died. Life emerging from death.
I believe we will see resurrection as we mark baby Ellie with
the sign as God sweeps in and claims her as his beloved child and promises, and
says this is my child there is nothing
that she can do that will separate her from my love.
I see resurrection when people gather right down here at the
rail and put their arms around one another ask for God’s healing --that’s resurrection
–life in the midst of death.
I see out there on the
streets smiles breaking through into our lives from strangers.
Where do you see resurrection? What does it look like for you? Where do you
see God bringing life?
Maybe you could spend some time over Easter dinner telling
stories of where you see resurrection, where you see life emerging.
You see I don’t
believe that resurrection didn’t stay
bottled up sealed up TRAPPED in the tomb-
that first Easter morning- I believe burst out of the tomb and it is now
a part of our world-- now permeates and
infiltrates our world. It springs up
into our lives and into the world day after day.
And we are witnesses to that life—and our job
is to point at it and say there it is.
What do you believe? What do you believe happened that Easter
morning, because you know what-- it makes all the difference?
Alleluia Christ is Risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia.
AMEN
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