April 3, 2010
Luke 24:1-12
We read only four of a possible twelve readings from the Old Testament, or Hebrew Testament, all of which tell the story of God’s ongoing relationship with God’s people. These stories remind us of God’s wish and plan for salvation for all God’s people. God has tried many ways to help us keep our focus on God and God’s purposes for our lives. God has sent disaster, rescue, and prophets in the effort to get our attention. Finally, God sent the Son, God’s own Son, to live, speak God’s heart to the people, and to die so that we might know of God’s love for us. The final word was the resurrection.
As we read the resurrection story from Luke, we notice that it’s somewhat different from the more familiar story in John. At least three women had followed Joseph of Arimathea as he and others placed Jesus’ body in the tomb. Because it was the Sabbath, they went home – to wherever they were staying. They grieved, because they only saw death, and did not think about Jesus’ promise to be raised on the third day. Why would they? It had never happened before!
The next evening, after the Sabbath ended, they prepared the spices to anoint the body, one final, loving deed. At first light, they went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away, and two men – angels, really – who asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? Jesus is not here; he has risen, just as he told you he would.” The women then remembered what Jesus had told them.
They ran, excited, to tell the men. The men, however, didn’t believe the women – “You’re just making this up, telling idle tales!” However, Peter did run to the tomb, to see for himself that it was empty. Note that no one has seen the risen Jesus yet. The angels told them “he is not here,” but they haven’t seen him yet.
The people who saw him first were two disciples walking away from Jerusalem
In Acts, we read that Jesus appeared to many people for forty days, and then he ascended to heaven. Ten days after that, on Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the crowd gathered in Jerusalem
Tonight, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as proof that God is more powerful than death – after we die, we will continue to live with Jesus. Jesus promised to not abandon us. In the meantime, with the sending of the Holy Spirit, we know God is present with us at all times, even when we doubt it.
The women who went to the tomb took spices, expecting to anoint Jesus’ dead body. They didn’t believe what he had said. The men thought the women’s story of seeing angels was an idle tale. And they all had doubted Jesus’ promise to be raised from the dead. No matter how strong our faith is, when things in life are going really badly, it’s easy for faith to turn to doubt, as it did for the disciples. When this happens, it’s hard for us to find life, hard for us to place ourselves among the living.
During seminary, I spent a summer as a chaplain in a hospital. One of the patients, named Irene, had been a patient advocate in the hospital. She was known as a faith-filled woman, kindhearted, joyful, and loved by all who knew her.
Irene had had surgery in the past and dreaded it, because she always reacted so badly to the anesthetic, with nausea and vomiting for days afterward. She was in the hospital for tests, which confirmed cancer in her uterus. She would need a hysterectomy. As her chaplain, I spent time in her room, sitting with her as often as I could. She was silent, depressed, withdrawn. I hoped my presence in her room would remind her of God’s presence.
The night before her surgery, I sat with Irene and held her hand, praying silently. She seemed to be preparing herself for death – she’d rather die than have the surgery and its aftermath of nausea and vomiting. As she prepared for the night, she placed her rosary in my hands. It seemed to me that she had asked me to have faith for her, because she couldn’t have it for herself. I watched her fall asleep, and stayed until my shift was over.
The next morning, I was with her before surgery, then afterwards. L The next day, her room was dark, and so was her mood. Each day I checked on her, and she continued to prepare herself for death. My only goal was to remind her that Jesus loved her, and that she would get better.
On the third day, I went to see her, expecting her to be much the same, if not worse. People can will themselves to die – though that can take a very long time.
J Instead, she was sitting up on her bed. I heard her laughter before I even entered the room. Her best friend was there and they were telling stories. They saw me and waved me into the room. I was amazed at her smile and the joy that was evident in her. “Just think,” she said. “I wanted to die!”
I had gone to Irene’s room expecting her to be even worse, even closer to death than on the day before, but instead, she was very much alive. She had found life! It was as if she had died and been resurrected. I often wonder how that experience effected her – I wonder if she has the sense of having been dead and reborn.
Sometimes, we get the opportunity to help someone find God, or to represent God’s presence for someone in need. On those days, we know and do not doubt that Jesus has risen from the grave, and has sent his Spirit to be among and within us. On other days, we may be the one in need of such a reminder.
Rather than idle tales, we have the eye-witness reports of those who saw the resurrected Jesus. We have the faith stories of countless believers through the centuries, stories of how Jesus has been present in their lives and the lives of their loved ones, stories of how he lives on, in our lives and in the rest of the world. Jesus’ body died, but he is alive again, and calling us to follow him in faith.
Please pray with me. Tonight, O Lord, we celebrate the saving gift of resurrection and new life in you. Encourage us to see life where others see only death. Help us to believe when we doubt, and to have strong faith when others doubt. Amen
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