Luke 24, 1-11

##

“It’s Safe to Go In Now”

Easter 01

Luke 24:1-12

Introduction:  Everybody is afraid at one time or another.  When I was young I was afraid to go into the basement alone.  I thought for sure that something down there was going to get me.  I didn’t know what it was but I was sure that it was there.  As a grown man, I still have to admit that there are times when I am afraid.  When I hear noises down stairs and I have to walk into a dark room, fear grips my heart.   Even now, as many of you have entered into the golden years, you have fear - fear of the unknown and fear of being taken somewhere against your will. Sometimes our fears are the result of something real and sometimes they are a result of our imaginations.  Young or grown and even in old age there is only one comfort for us.  That comfort is for someone to be with us.  We want someone to go ahead of us, to tell us that everything is all right in that dark room.  We want someone to make sure that the danger is gone and to tell us...It’s Safe To Go In.

I.          The Curse of Death is Dangerous

A.        Real danger - the wages of sin are death - dirt to dirt.  Not all danger is imagined.  Sometimes it is very real.  When Adam and Eve acted against God’s wishes, and ate from the tree they were not supposed to, they fell into a very real danger.  God in his displeasure, and according to His justice announced the consequence of sin.  From dirt you were created and to the dirt you shall return.  In other words, because you have sinned you will die.  The curse of death has plagued mankind ever since.  We have never gotten used to the idea of death.  When those people whom we love die we are still gripped with sadness...and with fear.

B.        Grips us with sadness.  Easter began as a day of sadness.  St. Luke tells us that the woman who had followed Jesus went early in the morning to his grave to finish the grim task of embalming Him with spices.  Jesus’ body had been hurriedly placed into the grave on Friday.  In death Jesus was unclean and untouchable, especially on the holy Sabbath.  Can you imagine the women's sadness?  They were going to take care of the dead body of their Lord.  He was the one that they had followed.  Who would they follow now?  He was the one that they had hoped in.  Now their hope was gone.  He was the one that they believed in.  Now they didn’t know what to believe.  All they knew was that it seemed like the curse of death had overcome the Lord of life.     

II.        The Curse Is Overcome by Jesus Christ

A.        In the Gospel lesson read today we are told that Mary Magdalene saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb.  His body was gone.  All she could think of was that somebody had stolen His body.  She ran to tell the disciples.  She finds Peter and John and tells them.  They run to the grave and see that all that she has said was true.  John didn’t go into the tomb, perhaps he was afraid.  Peter with his usual boldness runs right in.  What Mary had said was true.  Jesus was not there.  Then John, his fear being overcome, enters the tomb too.  Then John believed.  He believed that Jesus was resurrected from the dead...but he wasn’t saying anything yet.  Peter and John went home and left Mary at the tomb.

Mary stood outside of the tomb, weeping, then she went inside.  There in that place of death she was greeted by to angels shining with the glory of God.  “Why are you weeping”, they said.  “Because they have taken away my Lord”, she replied.  In despair she turned away from the angels.  Even their glory and appearance wasn’t enough to comfort her weary soul.  As she turned away she saw another man, the gardener she thought.  He too asked her why she is weeping.  She didn’t recognize that it was her Lord.  Then it happens.  Jesus softly and lovingly says her name, “Mary”.  Mary’s ears are opened and then her eyes.  Then her heart is overwhelmed by joy.  Oh what comfort, Oh what joy she knew, knowing that her Redeemer lived and to hear him call her name.

 B.       The Resurrection changes fear to joy.  The resurrection of Jesus changed Mary forever.  All the fear that she had was washed away in a flood of joy.  Everything that Jesus said was true.  She believed.  Her hope was restored.  Her Lord was Lord and death was dead.  Jesus had come to save the world by sharing in its curse.  By taking the curse of death upon himself He took it away from her and from the world.  The curse of death could not contain the Lord of Life.  

C.        The Resurrection excites with New Hope.  Jesus tells Mary to go to His disciples.  Mary could not help herself, she ran to the disciples.  She had good news.  Jesus was alive!  They had not been deserted.  They had not been left alone to fend for themselves in fear and in an uncertain world.  Jesus was with them and always would be...as He had promised.

D.        Our fears turn to joy and hope.  Just like Mary, Peter and John we have fears.  We fear being left alone to fend for ourselves.  We fear going through life alone.  We fear being taken where we don’t want to go...even to our own death and grave.  Just like Mary and John we don’t want to go into the dreadful tomb.  We fear that our Savior is gone forever, never to return.

            All of our fears dissolve as we remember that glorious day of Christ‘s resurrection.  We gather together to witness the empty tomb of Christ.  Each one of us, by faith, hearing our own name being called.  Our hope is restored.  Oh what joy, oh what comfort we have, knowing that our Redeemer lives.  We know that He loves us just as He loved Mary.  In a way He says to us, do not fear for I am with you...I will never leave you alone.  He reminds us that we are safe from all danger because we are in His hands.  He has gone before us into the world’s most dangerous place, the grave.  He reminds us that even though you die, because I live you too shall live again.  Now we can hear Him say as He stands outside of the door to that dark room of death...don’t worry about the danger.  Don’t worry about the grave now -- It’s Safe To Go In.      

Conclusion:  Death has been conquered.  Thanks be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He is risen.  He is risen indeed...Alleluia!

Ideas  Is that all there is -- Short obituary? -- The world’s perspective short sighted like its obituaries.  Before Easter morning the world thought that it understood death.

Living dirt to dead dirt to living dirt again in the recreation.