The Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Sunrise

God Wipes Away Our Tears

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed Alleluia!

The day that had been prophesied since the fall into sin in Genesis 3 came to pass on Easter Morning nearly 2000 years ago. This promise that even though the devil had struck the heel of the savior of mankind, that Christ had crushed the serpent’s head and set us free from His power. This is the moment that all of the Old Testament writings had been pointing towards from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachi it had been pointing to this glorious morning, they were pointing ahead to Jesus, and what Jesus was going to do. People wonder why do we include the Old Testament, and why is it worth reading as a Christian.

Look at our Old Testament Lesson and see what the Prophet Isaiah has to say about this promised salvation that God was going to accomplish. The prophet describes here a mountain upon which God will make a feast of rich food and well-aged wine well-refined. Do you remember back to Maundy Thursday when Christ institutes a meal that gives us to His body and blood, that were offered up on Good Friday on the mountain of Golgotha. When Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, and well-aged wine, what is it referring to? The body and blood of Christ for you. This feast has been prepared not only for those in the upper room on Maundy Thursday, but for you

Here is the meal that God has prepared, from the sacrifice that His Son, our High Priest offers up, here is the food that nourishes not just our body, but our soul as well, that gives to us life and salvation that we can find no where else. There is no more precious food than the body and blood of Christ given to us here on Calvary, for look at what happened on this mountain as the meal was prepared.

Death was swallowed up forever, that covering that had been cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations, now when you read nations there, don’t think just of countries, but think of all the various ethnic groups. This meal was needed for mankind had been starving for righteousness, because death reigned over mankind since the fall of Adam and Eve and it describes it as a covering, and a veil. That all of our lives from the beginning were wrapped up in death, because affects and afflicts every man, woman, and child.

We try to ignore it, we don’t want to think about, and we push it back as far as we can so that it is out of our minds. We try to ignore that spectre that looms above our heads in everything we do. Then this last year, we saw that the world truly is terrified when suddenly something they have been trying to avoid and not think about was thrust into their face and they weren’t ready. Because they had not considered the day of their death. Only fools ignore that day for no matter how hard you fight, how many masks you wore this last year, or vaccines you take, it will not change the fact that everyone here is going to die. We are mortal and there was nothing we can do about it.

But that’s what makes Easter Morning so special look here at the text, what did God do on this holy mountain as he prepared for us this rich feast? He swallowed up death forever that thing we have tried to ignore, the thing that we fear, Christ embraces and consumes it all for our sake that we may no longer fear death, and that he might wipe away all the tears from our faces. And our cowardice, our shame, our dishonor, our sin, He will take away from us. For He has spoken and declared it, and the Lord keeps his promises just as He kept the promise He gave to Adam and Eve to send into this world a savior for mankind.

Think about what that means, that death no longer has any power over you? What does it mean that Christ has conquered, this isn’t just some abstract blessing that God has given to you and to the world. Jesus overcame death, by his rising from the dead. His resurrection was not just a spiritual resurrection, the tomb was empty, because His physical body was raised. What does that mean about your body? What does that mean for your life? What does that mean about your funeral? I understand the fear we have and the anxiety that plagues us about things that are uncertain, but what about this? Why should we fear our death as the world does when we joyfully confess Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed Alleluia.

I’m not saying go out and be foolish, but the veil has been pulled back, and we know what awaits us in death. We should not be afraid as the world is, but rather we should find our comfort in the gifts that Christ has won for us upon Calvary. For look at what we get to say on that day.

It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Here today we can be glad, for death has been conquered, the tomb emptied, and the meal that God prepared for all people is before our eyes. For Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed Alleluia! We ought to be a people of joy and gladness, though the world may be terrified and fearful of what comes. Christ our Lord has overcome the powers of death this day. There is no greater threat that we have ever faced, and Jesus has shown us that He is greater than death, and He promised to bring you out of your grave.

We can head out the doors this morning into the world as a people full of joy and gladness. For the Lord has chosen us to be his children and to receive these wonderful gifts. More than that, as Christians we know that God has set not only the day of our birth, numbered the hairs on our head, He has even set the day of our earthly death and we now know that when that day comes. We will be in the presence of the Lord. We have no reason to be fearful and timid in this life, but rather to lift up joyful hearts to our Lord and God and sing His praises. For God has provided for us on the mountain of Calvary far more than we have deserved or earned because of his great love for us.

So my brothers and sisters as we celebrate this holy day and awesome day. Let us not descend into the darkness of fear and uncertainty that the people have when they see their gravestone in the distance, we know that Jesus has swallowed up death, and He has torn aside the veil that prevented men from truly knowing what awaited them, and this morning we are given His body and blood as a pledge and promise that we shall live as He lives eternally. For Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed Alleluia. Amen.