Does Easter still matter?

Easter Sunday
March 23, 2008
Year A
Does Easter Still Matter?
Matthew 28:1-10
Acts 10:34-43

Introduction (Easter is a hard holiday to relate to)

I was in a very crowded Whole Foods yesterday. I thought that it was interesting that even in the midst of the long lines, one worker comments to another that unlike Christmas, this was not their busy season. People don’t make such a bog deal over Easter as they do Christmas. Ad I guess it is like that here at church also. Coming to church at Christmastime is a tradition, coming to church at Easter is a chore. Just a part of the family visit. It is easy to relation to babies, and shepherds and wise men. Those are all things that we can relate to. But what do we do with torture, and death and empty tombs? We can relate to God coming to be with us here on Earth. But what do we do with God raising someone from the dead bringing him back to life? Easter is the true test of our devotion and our faith.

What are you relating to?

The most popular version of the story of this day comes from the book of John. John 20 – where Mary spots the tomb and she runs back to tell the disciples, who come to see for themselves that leader that they buried just days earlier is no where to be found. When they see him, they don’t recognize him – and he tells them not to hold onto him, because he must still be raised into heaven. This morning we heard a slightly different version of the story – found in Matthew 28. In this version there is an earthquake when Mary appears at the tomb. Everyone is trembling until an angel tells them not to be afraid. Whenever an angel appears in the bible, they always tell us not to be afraid of the unnatural. The angel does not explain what has happened overnight – the angel just explains that Jesus is not here. The angel tells Mary to go to Galilee to tell the others. And as Mary is walking Jesus appears. He too tell her not to be afraid. But continue on her journey and sheill will see Jesus later.

Mary’s Story

I will meet you in Galilee

Experience with those who have passed on

As I have been a pastor, and as I have had more experience with death, I have found that not to be an experience that is out of the ordinary. I have heard many people who have said that their loved ones appeared to them after death to tell them things would be okay. That she was moving on, and that I should not mourn for too long and to move on too.
Just last year a member passed away. She was in the hospital for some time before she died. And whenever I would visit her, she would always ask me to take her home. I did her funeral, and a few weeks afterward, I seemed to feel her presence while walking into a Walgreens. I thought to myself about how much I missed her. As soon as I walked into the story and spoke to an employee – the only thing the woman said to me was that she wanted to go home. I had to laugh , because I knew that was Kay speaking to me in a language that only she and I would understand.
So we are not getting into strange territory yet, for Jesus to appear to his disciples and to tell them to meet him in Galilee.

Where are the other places that Jesus says that you will see him?

Where we do get into strange territory is the places where we meet Jesus in our lives today – 2000 years later. Jesus speaks of ways in which he would appear to us in the bible. He says that he is in the presence of those who are hungry, in need of clothing, or imprisoned. He says that he is the morning and evening star. He says that there is no place on earth or heaven that we can go that he is not there, he says they he prays in heaven on behalf of us, he says that anything that we ask God for in his name will be given to us.

Who is Jesus for today?

But in order for us to believe that in life? We have to have an experience of Jesus in our own lives. Jesus comes to us in the midst of our sorrow, in the midst of our despair, in the midst of our questions, in the midst of our doubts. Even in the midst of our unwillingness or our ability to believe that he has appeared to us.

Story of the stone

There was an eighth grade teacher in a catholic school who decided that she wanted to put on a passion play – the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. She started to assign the parts – and one by one, students took the part of Mary, of Jesus, of the soldiers, of the angels, of Pontius pilate, of the disciples, one student even volunteered to be Judas. Johnny was still left to be assigned a part. When she asked what part he wanted to play – he volunteered to be the stone. I want to be there to let Jesus out of the tomb – he said.
The teacher explained that the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out – he was already out – the stone had been rolled away to let Mary see in. To let Mary see that a miracle happened – and that no Sunday morning would ever be the same.
God is till in the business of rolling away the stones in our lives. The stones are things that stand in the way of us seeing Jesus in our lives. The stone is the attitude to which we look ahead to the future. Are we looking for Jesus or are we looking for failure?
If you have ever seen something in your life that you have given up on, come back to life, of you have ever seen something that you doubted turn our perfectly, if you have ever been afraid and able to do something anyway. Then you have seen Jesus. If you have seen hope, joy, celebration, life, vibrancy, or even the newness of Spring, then you are a witness to the Risen Christ.

What burden can Christ take away from you, so that you can see life more clearly?

The power of the Resurrection of Christ is not to fact that Jesus is no longer present in an empty tomb. The power of the resurrection is the fact that death has been totally transformed into life. Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to remember me on the cross – but to look for me on your way to Galilee. What stone can Jesus roll away in your life that will help you see life more clearly? What lies ahead is a surprise – that you will only see if you are looking for Jesus. Easter is a celebration of God’s wonderful surprise for our life.
When you go forward on your journey of life, may you see Jesus in each moment of hope, of peace, of love and of grace that you experience in life. Amen.