Easter
Sunday 04/12/20 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Alive and Alive in Us Eternally!”
(“The New Life of Easter” Series: Part 4 of 4)
Old Testament
Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
New Testament
Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4
Gospel Lesson:
John 20:1-18
He is Risen! He is
Risen, Indeed. Hallelujah! Welcome once again to this our Easter Sunday 2020
Service. Welcome on this day that we celebrate Jesus Christ our Lord physically
rising to new life, taking with him his body, soul, and divinity. On this day
death has been defeated, Jesus is alive, and since Jesus is alive literally,
then he is alive in us! On this day, Jesus Christ our Lord physically got up
and walked out of the tomb.
I have been to many Easter celebrations in my life, but
never without the church before. The few that we have here this morning
continue to be committed to worshiping here, and to bringing you at home into
that worship with us.
Most Christian Churches worship on Sunday mornings, as this
is the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Every Sunday, therefore, in
the life of most Christian Churches, we are celebrating the day that Jesus officially
conquered sin and death. This day is significant in that the saving work that
Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross on Good Friday is brought to completion on
this day. The claims that Jesus made, the things that he taught, and everything
that he was in general, now all sticks together, because his tomb is empty today!
Some of us remember Easter Sundays where some wore flower
dresses and the men wore suits. It was probably the dressiest Sunday service of
the church year that I can remember. Other than maybe getting a few clothing
items to start school each fall, Easter was a Sunday when you came out looking sharp.
This Sunday then, could not be more significant for the Christian faith, as
this is the Sunday that our Lord and Savior overcomes darkness, sin, and death.
Since Jesus was in fact fully God and fully human on earth, his resurrection
proves to us that he is indeed the savior that died for our sins.
Throughout the four gospels, Jesus told us that he would
die for us and then be raised to new life. If he wasn’t telling the truth about
this, then his claims would be false, he would have lied to us, and his death
on the cross would not have been for the sins of the world.
This is why Easter Sunday is so significant, and this is
why as Christians we are called “Easter People,” or children of “Resurrection.”
We are not a people of death, darkness, and despair, instead we are people of
new life, light, and love! The resurrection of Jesus Christ today isn’t only a historical
event, it is the power of God in our hearts and our souls.
As I said, for me, Easter Sunday for many years in my life was
a big “to do,” as the expression goes. New life was seen, taught, and experienced.
The church was often decorated like we have decorated the church this morning,
and we felt and experienced, hope, new life, and the love of Christ.
Of all the 38 Easter Sundays I have celebrated; I have to
say however, that this one is the most different. For on this grand high and
holy day in the life of the Christian Church, on this spectacular day of new
life, hope, love, and resurrection, we are not all gathered here physically together.
I am so grieved and saddened over this fact.
Last Sunday on Palm Sunday, I said that it didn’t really feel
like Palm Sunday, since we weren’t all physically here to celebrate it
together. In the same way, I feel that our Easter celebration will be truly
real when we are all gathered back together once again. Whenever we return for
in person worship, we will celebrate Easter again!
It’s interesting that on that first Good Friday that the
disciples and the first followers of Christ didn’t know what to expect. Sure,
they had heard Jesus talk about his resurrection, but it hadn’t happened yet.
On that first God Friday, I can imagine that there was despair, sorrow, hopelessness,
and not knowing what would happen.
The great news for us, is that Christ is indeed risen, and
when we celebrate Easter Sunday now, we celebrate and remember a historical
event that already happened. We don’t need to wonder if Jesus will rise from
the dead, as we already know he has. Easter Sunday in this way is like wedding
anniversary. The great day has already happened, and we are celebrating that
great day.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ this day is more than just
a historical event. This resurrection is more than just placing the seal on us
being offered forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This day is more than just
heaven and eternity with Jesus Christ. Once we repent of our sins and accept Jesus
Christ as our savior, then we are good in the way of salvation and eternity.
Our spiritual resurrections though, are then lived out, by living the life of Jesus
Christ. We are offered salvation and eternity through Christ, and we then are
called to live this out in the world every day.
In our reading for this morning from Colossians 3:14 once
again, it says:
“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that
are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and
your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be
revealed with him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4, NRSV).
So, on this earth, once we find Christ, once we experience our
own spiritual resurrection, let us live a life of resurrection. Let us live
like Christ.
As I said, this is the most different Easter Sunday that I
have ever lived through. Yet on this day nearly two-thousand years ago, Jesus
rose from the dead. Since this happened, whether we are in good times or bad
times, Christ is spiritually present and offered to us.
So, what if we can’t celebrate in person? What we do when
we can’t have many of our normal celebrations? Does this make us bad Christians
and bad people? No, I don’t think so. The world has temporarily changed, but we
are called to keep loving like Jesus. Right now though, we just need to do this
differently. The numerous acts of love and compassion that I have seen from the
people in this congregation, in this community, and in this world, through this
Global Coronavirus Pandemic, shows me the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
What so many of you are doing, shows me the power of the empty tomb. Friends a
Global Covid-19 Pandemic is currently present, yet we are still living lives of
victory though the resurrected Christ.
Maybe
though, Easter Sunday 2020 has some connections to that first Easter Sunday.
How you might ask? Well, like Easter Sunday 2020, that first Easter Sunday, on
some level, was filled with uncertainty. By this I mean, we have had a shut
down because of this virus for a while. Due to this, we cannot come to church
on this Easter Sunday. Some have said a week or two ago, “Well what will Easter
Sunday look like?” Some have said, “How can we still worship on Easter Sunday?”
We know of course that Christ in indeed risen, yet this year there is so much
uncertainty.
On Good Friday, as I said, I can imagine that Jesus’
disciples felt broken and uncertain about the future. Some of you might feel
the exact same way right now. The good news for us, is that Christ is truly
risen, and I know that this Global Corona Virus Pandemic will end. When it
does, won’t it feel like a resurrection? Not the resurrection of Christ, but we
will have a taste of life again. In going through this time, maybe we can
understand a little more what it might have felt like on that first Good
Friday, or yesterday, that first Holy Saturday, but a resurrection is coming!
When we look again at our gospel of John reading for this
morning on the resurrection of Christ, we see once again, the amazement and the
unexpected truth of Jesus’ resurrection. This virus will end, and when it does,
we will be resurrected back into a life that is more normal again!
Yet on that first Easter morning, like today, there is fear
and confusion. In John 20:1 it says:
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary
Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the
tomb” (Jn. 20:1, NRSV).
After
seeing this, the gospel then says of Mary Magdalene:
“So she ran and went to Simon Peter and
the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have
taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then
Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were
running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb
first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he
did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He
saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’
head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then
the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and
believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise
from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes”
(Jn. 20:2-10, NRSV).
Clearly, Mary Magdalene, Peter, and
John, had no idea what happened. Mary Magdalene was confused that the stone in
front of Jesus’ tomb was rolled away. In fact, as I just read, Mary Magdalene thinks
that Jesus’ body was stolen. Mary Magdalene doesn’t think that Jesus rose from
the dead. Instead Mary Magdalene thinks that Jesus body was taken from the tomb.
So, rattled by this news, Peter and
John then ran to the tomb to investigate. They seem perplexed by this reality.
The gospel says that John believed, but he didn’t understand the resurrection
yet.
I wonder, with this Global Coronavirus
Pandemic if we are not like this? We are hoping that something good is coming
soon. We are hoping for a resurrection or end to this virus, yet will it truly
come? Or like Mary Magdalene thinking that Jesus’ body was stolen, are we stuck
with the Coronavirus forever?
This gospel lesson ends as the Global
Coronavirus Pandemic will eventually end, with new life, new hope, and new love.
Remember, Mary Magdalene still thinks that Jesus dead body had been taken from
the tomb. Our gospel of John reading ends once again by saying:
“But Mary stood
weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in
white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the
other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to
them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid
him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,
but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said
to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him,
and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to
him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”
(which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have
not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am
ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I
have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her” (Jn.
20:11-20, NRSV).
So, Mary Magdalene still thinking that
Jesus’ body was taken, is crying outside of Jesus’ empty tomb. She then sees
two angels, and these angels ask her why she is crying. Again, she believes
that Jesus’ crucified and dead body has been stolen.
The Jesus himself is standing in front
of Mary, but she doesn’t recognize him at first. In fact, she thinks Jesus is
the gardener, and she then asks him where Jesus’ body is. In this moment, Jesus
says Mary’s name, and Mary sees him. Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to go and tell
the others that he is risen as he said he would be.
Mary heads to Peter and John, and the
others, no doubt with great speed and excitement. What seemed like torment,
lost hope, fear, suffering, and uncertainty, became hope, joy, peace, love, and
resurrection.
The story of this day friends, that
first Easter Sunday, is the story of righteousness, mercy, hope, and love
winning. On this first Easter Sunday, death, anger, fear, hopelessness, and evil
have been defeated.
We
as Christians are people of resurrection. We are “Easter People.” Jesus is “Alive
and Alive in Us Eternally!” His love burns in us, and this love will be on full
display, that very first Sunday we are all gathered back here for worship. Even
though the resurrection of Jesus Christ happened long ago, even though it
secured our salvation and eternity, won’t it be like a resurrection when we are
all gathered here again? Won’t it be like that moment when Mary Magdalene knew
that Jesus’ body wasn’t stolen, but rather that he was alive and well.
Our first Sunday back together will be
a resurrection, as this quarantine, as the lives that we are living now, the
fear, the worry, and the anxiety, will all be extinguished with the power of
the resurrection. So, if we are living through a Good Friday or a Holy Saturday
right now, wondering, waiting if there will be a resurrection, we need to have
faith that there will.
When
will it happen? I don’t know, but brothers and sisters, a resurrection is
coming! Happy Easter from Melissa and I, and your church family. Know that you
are loved, prayed for, missed, and the Jesus is “Alive and Alive in Us
Eternally!” For He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed.
Hallelujah! Amen.
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