Easter sunday sermons

I just realized I never posted these. So, a week late, here are the Easter Sunday sermons. Mark from the sunrise service, John from the 10am service.

Starting over from the beginning

Mark 16:1-8

Have you ever read a book and reached the ending and said, “Wow! I didn’t expect that!?” So, you read the book again, to look for signs in the book that foretold the ending. Knowing the ending, you are more aware of the little things that lead to the climax and finish line. Maybe you even begin to wonder what else you missed, so you read the book a third time, looking for stories and clues you hadn’t noticed before. A few years later, you read the book again, and it’s like the book is an old friend, but also entirely new, because you have a different perspective on it now.

The Gospel of Mark is like that. We read it every three years in the lectionary cycle, and every year, we come upon Mark’s particular way of ending his story of Jesus. Because we know the ending from the other gospels – that Jesus was raised from the dead, that he appeared to his disciples for 40 days, and sent the Holy Spirit 10 days after that – because we know the ending, we are stunned that Mark’s text ends here.

The monks and others who copied the manuscripts didn’t like the ending, so they added other endings, more like Matthew and Luke’s gospel, with resurrection appearances and a commissioning to go out and share the good news.

But, Mark ended the story here. For a couple of reasons, at least.

First, to cause readers to go back and read the story again, looking for clues that foretell the ending. And to read it again and again, until they really understand that the beginning of the Gospel says it all: “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Everything in Mark’s gospel points to this opening statement.

And, second, so that we can do a better job of understanding and responding to the good news than the disciples and even the women at the tomb did. We will not refuse to believe that God is more powerful than death. We will not run away in fear. We will not be silent.

We will rejoice this day and all the days to come, because Jesus has been raised from the dead and that means there is something beyond the grave for all of us.

We will believe and confess that the tomb is empty, and because of that, anything is possible with God’s help.

We will share the good news of the resurrection of Jesus with all whom God puts in our path so that others can come to believe, also.

Please pray with me. Mighty God, we praise you for the joy of this day, the hope in our hearts that there is a purpose for us to live and love and serve you. Send us out so filled with your power that we can’t help but praise and glorify you to all the world. Amen

Jesus calls our name

John 20:1-18

Today’s the day. Today, after six weeks of Lent, after the shadows of Maundy Thursday and the grief of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, today we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Today we sing alleluia and praise the Lord. Today, we rejoice!

Today, we remember the first Easter, when the disciples didn’t yet know for sure that Jesus had been raised. Today, we join Mary and Peter and the Beloved Disciple at the tomb and look in in wonder and amazement.

Since Friday afternoon, the disciples have been huddled in a locked room, praying for two things. First, that the Romans would not come and arrest them as companions of Jesus the rebel. And second, that the promise Jesus had made to them, that he would be raised from the dead, would actually happen.

On the morning after the Sabbath ended, before it was even light, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb. She expects to find it as it had been, with the stone still in place, and therefore with Jesus’ body still inside, still dead. But she finds the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty.

She hurries to tell the others, and Peter and the Beloved Disciple have a foot race to see for themselves if what Mary has said is true. They look into the tomb, see that Mary is right, and then run back to the rest of the disciples to tell them what they saw.

Mary stays there in the garden, crying, puzzled, afraid, wondering. She notices a gardener, and asks him where Jesus’ body has been taken. And then the gardener speaks her name, “Mary.” The voice is filled with compassion and joy, as if he says, “Surprise!”

Suddenly she realizes the gardener speaks with Jesus’ voice. And looking at him, she sees that the gardener is really Jesus. She falls at his feet and weeps with joy, hugging him, and perhaps kissing the wounds in his feet. But he says, “Don’t hold onto me. I can’t stay here with you.” I imagine he adds, “I wanted to show you that I have been raised from death, just as I promised.”

Jesus tells her to go and tell the disciples that she has seen Jesus, which she does. Next week, we’ll hear the story of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples later that day.

I have spent some time talking about the conversation between Mary and Jesus because it’s the part of the story that grabs my attention this year. I notice what happens when Jesus calls Mary by name. When he uses her name, she recognizes he is there with her, and she responds to him.

… We all notice it when someone calls our name. We respond with love when we are named with love by our spouses. How many of us turn to respond to the child in the grocery store who calls out “Mommy!” or “Daddy!” even though most of us are grandparents? When we are baptized, we are named before God, so Jesus can easily call us by name. “Suzy, Billy, you are my beloved child, now and forever.”

… Just about a week before the crucifixion Jesus had called out to Lazarus by name: “Lazarus, come out!” and he awoke from death and came walking out of his tomb.

In a later appearance of Jesus to the disciples, in John chapter 21, Jesus speaks directly to Peter. “Simon son of Jonah, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep.” We see in this passage two things: Jesus forgives Peter for denying him, and a commissioning to tell others about the resurrection. Peter responds by passionately following Jesus to his own death.

Much earlier, in John Chapter 4, Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well. While we do not know her name, we know that Jesus called to her heart, and she heard him, responding with her own heart.

In the same way, Jesus called out to Nicodemus, and to the man born blind.

Like the shepherd knows the names of all the sheep in a flock, Jesus knows all of our names. And he calls out to us, in little and in powerful ways. I hope you have all had at least once the sense that Jesus has called your name.

For example, last summer Deacon Diane and I were at a conference in Traverse City, Michigan. The conference addressed ways to do ministry in today’s world, and how the younger generations are like and unlike older generations.

Much of that material was familiar to me, but I gained a better understanding of the need to change the way we do ministry. That was good and I was glad I went to the conference.

BUT: The thing I remember the most was a single comment by Pastor Rick Barger, the president of Trinity Lutheran Seminary. You’ve heard me use it a lot since that conference. He said simply, “The tomb is empty.”

Well, I’ve known that for a long time. I have believed it since I could understand the words. But, the way Rick said it was as if Jesus had called my name in the room that day. “The tomb is empty!” … So, there is nothing that Jesus and I can’t do together.  Paul says in Philippians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

When Jesus calls our name and we respond, wonderful things happen. We discover and rediscover that the tomb is empty. We finally get it that we can do whatever it is that God is calling us to do. When has Jesus called your name? What has he invited you to do?

·         Visit the sick?

·         Make quilts?

·         Mow the lawn?

·         Cook a pot of soup or a whole meal for the congregation?

·         Clean the carpets?

·         Advocate for justice for the poor, the abused, the homeless?

·         Teach children about Jesus? Teach adults about Jesus? Learn more about Jesus?

·         Invite someone you know to learn more about Jesus’ love and forgiveness?

·         Tell someone that the tomb is empty?

Listen for Jesus to call your name and let his love for you fill your heart. Let his courage give you courage.  Let his power give you power. Let the empty tomb be your guiding light.

Please pray with me. Risen Lord Jesus, we hear you calling our names. Remind us often that the tomb is empty. Lead us and we will follow. Amen