Sermon 04-04-2010

Psalm 118:23-24                                                                                  John 20:1-10

“The Surprises of the Resurrection”

Surprises! Surprises! Isn’t that what Easter is all about!

Easter screams color, new birth, new life, resurrection from the dead literally!

Just a few weeks ago our landscape was bare and now it suddenly feels like

everything is alive again! The surprises of the Resurrection!

PRAYER

The Bible story tells us that Mary Magdalene, came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, to care for the body of Jesus. She intended to prepare his body for burial, and pay homage to the dead, as the Jewish law required. But as she arrived at the tomb it was obvious that the stone had been removed. Can you imagine her shock! The stone was removed! The body was gone! The tomb was empty!

She was so surprised that she had to run back to tell Peter and the beloved disciple.

She needed to know who took Jesus out of the tomb? Where have they hidden him?

“Mary’s logic is right on target. (she wants the disciples to help her) find the body, wherever it was taken to and get on with grieving.” Mary was concerned with the traditional way of doing things. “Mary wants the body of Jesus, she wants to do for him what is conventional and proper. She cannot accept the prospect that the corpse has been stolen or hidden. He deserves a decent burial.”

                                                                                (Brueggemann, pg. 275-276)

After they were listening to Mary, the two disciples came racing down to the tomb.

It looked like they were challenging each other to see who could make it first to the tomb. The beloved disciple out ran Peter and reached the tomb first. He wanted to be the first one to see! But he did not go in! Then Peter came running into the tomb, not stopping but going right inside.

What is it with this need of racing to the tomb? Peter got there first but John was the first male to see the empty tomb. “John, after all, had stayed with Jesus all the way to the bitter end; why would he not want to see what has happened now? …he must see for himself the linen cloths and the body less tomb. He instantly believes without full comprehension or explanation of what it all means.”

                                (Nancy Claire Pittman, Feasting on the Word, Year C, Vol. 2, p. 375-377)

Are we like John, right there with Jesus all the way, even if we can’t fully understand?  Or are we like Peter?

“It’s not clear why Peter wants to footrace to Jesus’ tomb; after all he has just spent the last few days running away from Jesus. Why is he running towards him now? Perhaps he is trying to prove that he is as good as John… Or Perhaps guilt motivates Peter to run out the door so that he can say he is sorry… for denying Jesus… for not being present at the cross, for running away when the chips were down.” Or perhaps the surprise of the resurrection, “in the midst of his complex emotions,” has given him hope again, a second chance. (idem)

And “…yet they did not make the connection or understand the words of Jesus from the scriptures, that he must rise again.” (paraphrasing v.9)

What did they believe in? Why couldn’t they make the connection between what they are seeing and the words of Jesus, about his rising from the dead? Were they only surprised, or were they able to solve the mystery? Have they faced the truth? What truth would that be?

The disciples could not believe their eyes and went back to the house to tell the

other disciples, leaving Mary behind weeping.

As Mary was weeping, she bent over to look in the tomb, and saw two angels.

They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, someone has

taken Jesus out of the tomb, and she did not know where they have laid him!

When she turned around Jesus was standing next to her, and he asked her:

“Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” but Mary did not

recognized Jesus, mistaking him for the gardener. “Mary’s tears covered her eyes, they blinded her… due to her disbelief  she could not take her eyes off the tomb, and her back being toward Jesus.”                                   (Barclay, John, vol.2, pg. 269)

Jesus calls her name, Mary! Mary! and at that moment that familiar voice made her come back to her senses. She turned around and said to him “Teacher”!

“Mary’s closed world is broken open when Jesus calls her name. Surprised by the one who was… dead greets her… The voice of Jesus calling her name shatters her customary world… and opens a brand new future.”         (Brueggemann, Year B, pg. 276)

And she runs back to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (v.18)

That evening Jesus surprised the disciples and the women, as he appeared at the house where the doors were locked. The disciples were fearful that they could be victims, the next ones to be put to death. In the midst of that fear Jesus greets them with the most beautiful and comforting word ‘Shalom’! Peace be with you! and

as he extended his hands, the marks of the crucifixion were obvious. They then rejoiced with him, making their broken lives whole again.

“Thomas was not originally there when Jesus appeared to the disciples. As soon

as Thomas came by the house the disciples shared with him that they had seen the Lord. He did not believe them. He needed to see in order to believe. He needed to touch Jesus and see him personally. It happened for him a week later, when Jesus again appears to his disciples at the same house. It was supper time, and Jesus said to them: “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it on my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “my Lord and my God! Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”                          (Nan Duerling, “The Word and You” vol.1, pg.154)

Are we called to believe without seeing?

“The message of Easter is much more than the news of an empty tomb… In life and in death, we are called to value and celebrate not because of our absences, but because of our presence – especially at the critical junctures in life. It is when we are present – present to comfort a friend who has suffered great loss; present to give support to a (changing) church; present to give direction to people stumbling in darkness; present to proclaim life in the midst of death – it is when we are present that we best embody the power of the resurrection. Amen!”

                        (Reflection by Rev. Kenneth L. Samuel, Daily Devotionals, ucc.org. 03-04-2010)

BENEDICTION

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!

On this Resurrection Day,

Let’s go out into the world rejoicing that Christ is risen!

and may we let God continue to surprise us!