Easter Keystone

Context

This morning’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. The story of the first Easter morning.

Brief recap of recent events.

Jesus was betrayed on Thursday evening, he was unjustly tried and sentenced to death through Thursday night and Friday morning.

On Friday afternoon, he was crucified. He was hastily placed in a tomb on Friday night before the sunset. A cave. Large stone rolled in front of the entrance. A roman guard placed to ensure that no one tampered with it.

On Saturday, the Sabbath, all was quiet, no work for the Jews.

Then, on the third day, being Sunday, two of Jesus’ followers — Mary Magdalene, and another Mary (not the mother of Jesus) — went to the tomb and Matthew relates the following events.

Matthew 28:1–10 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Almighty God, by the power of your Spirit roll away the stone of Lenten sorrow reveal to us the Word of Life. Amen.

Introduction

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

This proclamation is the keystone of Christian worship.

Everything we believe and do as Christians is upheld by the fact of Easter: He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Another way of saying this is that Easter morning is not merely the end of Lent — it is the beginning of a whole new way of life.

To sorrow, to suffer, to die, to grieve…all of this is the way the world has always been up until Easter. But today, we celebrate something new: new hope, new life, new joy….and it is all because He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

From: The women go to see

On the first Easter morning, the women went to the tomb.

The image of Jesus’s beaten, scourged and crucified body were still burned into their minds.

They could still hear the taunts of his enemies.

They were still shocked at how his disciples had denied Jesus and abandoned him.

They could still feel the coldness of Jesus’ body when they had wrapped it and placed it in the tomb.

Yet, there was also other data.

Strange signs accompanied Jesus’s death

a darkness descended over the land.

there had been an earthquake.

Temple curtain torn from top to bottom.

In the midst of these signs, even one of the Roman soldiers at the cross had said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Added to these unexpected signs, were Jesus’ own previous comments.

Jesus had said: I will be betrayed, I will be abandoned, I will be condemned by the elders, I will be put to death…check, check, check...

AND, he also said, I will rise again from the dead on the third day. No check…

So, I like to think the women went to that tomb, ready to care for a dead body. That is the way the world has always been. But perhaps they also went in hope, a hope too remote to be fully entertained, ….that maybe there was something more, just one more miracle.

From: Gathering: Worship is an act of hope

Every Sunday morning is a recital of that first Easter morning.

Every Sunday we come to church with our griefs and shocks. We may carry the pain of a recent death of a loved one. Or it may be a financial or relational or professional crisis…or just a heaviness of heart for all the problems we see in the world around us.

We come to church with these sorrows…but not just sorrows.

We come also with hope.

For we have heard a claim: that Jesus died and rose again and is alive even today. That he offers new life to those who believe in him.

And so every Sunday morning, we come check and see… whether maybe there might yet be a miracle. A check for the box that is empty in our hearts.

This pattern of knowing the pains of life and how the world has always been, and yet to hope for miracle was established on the very first Easter morning.

The keystone of Easter hope is the fact: He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!

Through: Angel’s message

As the women are journeying to the tomb, preparations are being made at the tomb for their arrival.

An angel descends.

The soldiers faint in fear.

The angel rolls the stone aside and sits on it.

He awaits the women.

When the women arrive they see him. Glorious and bright. And they too are filled with fear, but the angel sets them at ease.

The angels says

Do not be afraid.

Then the angel tells them what is going on…he does this to situate them in reality, which may have been a fluid concept in that moment. He says:

You seek Jesus who was crucified. All the past is real.

BUT: He is not here. He has risen from the dead. Just as he said he would. This is the new reality!

Come and see the place where his body was lying, though he is gone.

The angel is assuring them: Jesus is really and truly raised bodily from the dead.

He dismisses them with this firm word: Behold I have told you.

They have received a divine word. The gospel is first proclaimed not by a human, but by heaven! Not by a man or a woman or a soldier or a prophet…but by the angel, in fulfillment of heavenly duty: His word is to be believed and trusted!

Through: Hearing and responding the Word

When we come to church with our hope, faint though it may be, we are met with something that has been prepared for us from long ago.

Heaven has been expecting us.

Here at church we are greeted with the message that God has raised Jesus from the dead, and that He is alive right now.

This is not a message inspired by human wisdom or speculation, but a word that comes from the mouth of the angel, to the women, to the apostles, to creeds and confessions, to us today.

Apostle’s Creed: I believe in Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified…

This message is accompanied by the power of God. From the moment we arrive we are met by the Holy Spirit of God.

Like the angel of old, the Spirit of God speaks to us: a word from a prayer, from the confession, from the Scripture, from the sermon.

Bible Study example: we all know what it is like when God speaks to us.

Paul — you received from us the word not as the word of man, but what it truly is the Word of God. (Thessalonika)

The keystone of Easter that God has given us this good news: He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Toward: Encounter with Jesus

As the women are going back, they bear the good news to the disciples, the women are met by Jesus himself.

They recognize him instantly of course…and yet he is different. Everything about him exudes life. He is beyond the power of death. Lord of eternal life and glory.

He says to them Greetings — Charis - Grace! This is his new greeting: His resurrection means that all is forgiven, all is healed, eternal life for all is now possible.

Go tell my brothers — his new word for the disciples — that they will see me in Galilee.

He command to the women is the same word as the angel.

The women were already going to do that. In fact the women were under the impression that they themselves would not see Jesus until they were in Galilee…that is what the angel had said.

So, why did Jesus jump the gun and appear to them? I like to think Jesus appeared for a personal reason.

He loved them.

He appeared to them so that they could run to him. So they could embrace him. Fall at his feet. Worship him.

So that he could embrace them. Smile at them. …and show them himself the very heart of Easter:

At the center of Easter is not just a message… but a relationship with Jesus.

The women continued their journey now to the disciples with this added news: we have seen him, embraced him, talked with him.

Toward - Knowing Jesus Personally

Christianity is a religion. We have our churches, rituals, sacraments, and creeds and confessions…all to commend the message of the gospel, that Jesus is raised from the dead But at its heart our faith is based on a relationship. We actually know Jesus. We’ve met him. Better: he’s met us.

Some of us baptized and grown up in him. Always known him.

Some have come as adults. Some can report and exact date and time. Some of us have gotten to know him gradually.

But all of us have come to know him.

That he loves us.

We’ve met Christ. We fell at his feet. Not literally. But in our spirits.

The keystone of Easter that we have met Jesus set on Easter morning and we affirm it today: He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed.

Conclusion

Easter morning is the new reality of our lives as Christians.

It is because of Easter that we gather together in hope

It is because of Easter that we hear the good news of the gospel.

It is because of Easter that we personally know Jesus the risen Lord!

He is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed!

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Let us unite our hearts in prayer, saying, Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For the Church throughout the world, that as we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ resurrection, we may renew our faith and strengthen our witness in Jesus’ name. Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For pastors, teachers, and ministers, [especially our bishop N. our pres ding elder N., our pastor, etc.] that they be wise in leadership, humble in service, and fearless in the face of evil; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For the governments of the world and its leaders, [especially President N., Governor N., etc.] that they may practice compassion and reject the politics that use death and suffering as means of control; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For our planet Earth, that people may be good stewards of its resources and share in its abundance; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For the poor and the stranger, that they may receive a place of refuge, hope, and hospitality; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For the sick and those in distress, that they may find healing for their pain and be restored to fullness of life; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For our neighbors, that together we may dwell in harmony; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

For our enemies, that we may love them and be agents of reconciliation in the name of Jesus; Lord in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, receive these prayers we offer, and by the power of your Holy Spirit use us for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.

CHARGE

Receive the good news: Christ is risen from the dead. Tell the good news: the power of death shall no more oppress us. Live the good news: we are free to love as he has loved us.

BLESSING May God who raised Jesus from the dead bless you and by the power of the Holy Spirit raise you with him in glory.