Christ The Lord Is Risen (Easter Sunday) – Jesus Revealed Part XIII

Sermon Title: Christ the Lord is Risen, The Resurrection is Real

Good News Statement: Easter Has the Power to Change Us

Preached: Sunday, April 09, 2023 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): John 20:1-8Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of John chapter twenty verses one thru eight. In this story of John’s Gospel we encounter the changing power of the Resurrection. Listen to these hopeful words of John…

 

The Resurrection of Jesus

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus’s head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed…

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

Introduction:

In the words of Charles Wesley, “Christ the Lord is risen today…! Earth and heaven in chorus say…! Raise your joys and triumphs high…! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply…! Love’s redeeming work is done…! Fought the fight, the battle won…! Death in vain forbids him rise…! Christ has opened paradise…! Hail the Resurrection, Alleluia!” Today, Christ has risen!

In 1739, Charles Wesley penned these words as a reminder to all of us that nothing can conquer the resurrection of Jesus Christ: a tomb could not contain him, a cross could not destroy his spirit, and death could not stop him from “rising again.” Through Christ’s resurrection we experience the work of his redeeming love, we embody the victory that leaves an empty tomb, and we embrace the grace which has saved our souls. The resurrection of Christ allows us to soar where Christ needs us. The resurrection of Christ reminds us that we have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139) with the strength to face tomorrow. The resurrection of Christ is our alleluia to victory won: it is our start to new beginnings! Ultimately, Christ’s resurrection provides for us the opportunity to remember, to live into, to accept, that through him we “shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Charles Wesley wrote his hymn to help us understand that the resurrection is eternal, life-changing, and real. There is power in the resurrection of Christ and that power begins today.

Body:

There is a scene in the movie “Jesus of Nazareth” where Caiaphas, the High Priest and a group of soldiers come rushing to Jesus’ empty tomb that first Easter Sunday. In it, there is a discussion of what has happened to the body of Jesus. The soldier in charge tells Caiaphas that it would have been impossible for anyone to have come and taken the body because his soldiers, along with some of the Temple guards, were there all night keeping watch over the tomb. Caiaphas then walks into the empty tomb and, as the camera zooms in on his face whispers, “Now it begins. Now it all begins.” Our new life, in Christ, begins today.

Over the past several weeks, we have been listening to Jesus as he tells his disciples what and who he is: Jesus is the light of the world, the good shepherd, the bread of life, the vine, and the way, the truth, and the life. All the “I Am” statements found in the Gospel of John not only tell us who and what Jesus is but they lead us to understanding that Jesus is the new beginning to our life which we seek every day. Light reminds us that Jesus is fully divine, the eternal Word of God showing us the path to the Father who promises us to guide us to new beginnings even during our darkest valleys. Bread reminds us that Jesus is fully human, born to provide us with nourishment to face tomorrow. The good shepherd reminds us that Jesus will do what he can, as we seek new life, to protect us, save us, find us when we are lost, and to lead us to “greener pastures and still waters” (Psalm 23). The vine reminds us that we are connected to Jesus Christ yesterday, today, and tomorrow because he is “the vine and we are the branches” (John 15:5). The way, truth, and life of Jesus remind us that he is the only way to the Father, the only truth that sets us free, and the only life that provides us with eternal life. When we accept that Jesus is the light, the bread, the good shepherd, the vine, and the way, truth, and life, we begin to truly understand the meaning and significance of what Jesus means when he says to Martha after the death of Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25). Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and today his words become real. But what is behind the realism of resurrection that makes it real?

Throughout the years, many people have defined the resurrection of Christ in many ways. Poet Julia Esquivel in her poem, titled Threatened with Resurrection, shares that Jesus’ resurrection is a command to stay awake. Deanna A. Thompson notes, “By Christ’s death [and resurrection] we have been set free.” Lastly, the resurrection of Christ, offered by Shawn Copeland, is “transformative encounters with the risen Lord.” Although all these statements are worthy, I invite you to view Christ’s resurrection as joyful, peaceful, graceful, and relational.

From our text, we read that Mary has come to the tomb and sees the stone has been rolled away. She rushes back and tells Peter and John that someone has stolen his body. John outruns Peter to the tomb – stops at the entrance – stoops down, looks in – sees the linen clothes lying on the floor of the tomb, but won’t go any farther. Finally Peter gets to the tomb – probably not slowing down one step – he enters the tomb and sees the same burial clothes that John has seen, but then he sees something different – over there – the cloth that had covered Jesus’ face – folded up in a place by itself. Verse eight tells us that John then goes into the tomb with Peter, “…and he saw, and believed.” Believed what? Did he believe that Jesus had risen from the dead? That is what Jesus had said was going to happen! Over and over and over again He tells them, so is that what they believed?

NO! The next two verses (nine and ten) tell us: “For as yet they did not understand the scripture that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.” They believed the same thing that Mary believed: they believed that someone had come and stolen, or at least moved, Jesus’ dead body. They believed that early Sunday morning—three days after the crucifixion of Jesus—to be the end! But we know it’s not the end, but just the beginning.

The resurrection of Christ is the beginning of joy rather than weeping. John writes, “But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb;” but later on writes, “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (John 11, 18). There is joy to be found in the resurrection of Christ. In John 16:20-22, Jesus tells His disciples that He has come to turn their sorrow into gladness – their weeping into joy:  “So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22).

At the tomb, Mary recognizes Jesus because he calls her by name. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows his own and calls them by name, and Mary is one of His sheep who knows his voice. Immediately her tears of sorrow become tears of joy—a joy that no one can take away from her. She is now able to go to the disciples and proclaim, “I have seen the Lord.” There is joy in the resurrection of Christ because it gives us hope that Jesus is always with us—ready to wipe away each tear that falls and doesn’t hesitate call us by name. Even while sitting in our own tomb, Jesus will find a way to give us joy. Joy is just the beginning!

Easter is the beginning of peace rather than fear. John wrote in the twentieth chapter of his Gospel, “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you’” (John 20:19-21). After Peter and John return home, it is noted that “…the doors of the house where the disciples met were locked for fear of the Jews.” The disciples were terrified that the Jewish leaders would come and do the same thing to them that they had done to Jesus. They weren’t ready to die. They weren’t ready to follow what Jesus told them in Matthew 16:25, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”

Knowing the disciples fear, Jesus suddenly appears inside that locked house and once again proclaims to them one of the great messages of the gospel: “Peace be with you”—the same words that he says to calm the storm and the same words God says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Just before His crucifixion, Jesus tells His disciples, “Peace I leave with you: My peace I give to you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (John 14:27). The resurrection of Christ is not something to fear, to lock your doors and hide from the enemy, but to accept the fact that Jesus will bring you peace in all your battles. Through the resurrection we receive the great assurance that Jesus will bring peace to our troubled hearts as we walk with him out of our own tombs.

Easter is the beginning of grace rather than judgment. In Mark’s account of the empty tomb, he notes, as Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome enter the tomb, “they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side…” (Mark 16:5). The women were alarmed and possibly confused and emotional, but the text doesn’t say that they judged or condemned or blamed this person who is sitting where Jesus should have been laying for removing the body of Christ. After hearing the words of this man dressed in white and fleeing from the tomb in “terror and amazement” as Mark notes, I like to presume that they offered grace to this person. Grace knowing that he didn’t harm them, grace knowing that he told them the truth, and grace knowing that the Jesus’ words had been fulfilled: he had risen from the dead.

During the resurrection of Christ, there is no time to judge but only time to forgive, seek grace, and extend the assurance of love to others. The resurrection is the beginning to fulfilling the new commandment of Christ: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt: 22:35-40) not judge them. The Apostle Paul when writing to the people of Corinth, who were in a grossly Roman-sinful atmosphere, wrote, “For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died….So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!” (2 Corinthians 5:14-17).

“Look, new things have come into being.” Paul is absolutely correct: “there is a new creation, everything old has passed away….for the love of Christ urges us on.” The resurrection of Christ urges us on, to keep going, to face tomorrow, to not be alarmed, but to know that Jesus Christ is alive and that Jesus Christ lives in our heart today and tomorrow. There is not time to place a veil over the resurrection of Christ but only time to receive his grace and instructions for living a new life. Easter is the beginning and reassurance that grace trumps judgment and that love will get us closer to Jesus. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)? And didn’t Jesus offer grace to the thief on the cross next to him when he said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43)? Even on the cross Jesus offered grace and not judgment. Maybe we can do the same?

Finally Easter is about relationship. John 20:17 states, “Go to my brothers and say to them, ’I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and to your God.” Easter has accomplished that relationship. Because Christ is alive, what is true of His relationship with God the Father is now true of those who believe in Him! His God is now our God—His Father is now our Father! And through that believing—through that relationship—we have life! When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) he doesn’t just say that to bring Mary and Martha comfort, but to invite them into a lasting relationship with him: to begin accepting Jesus in their heart, to live and act with love, to no longer be afraid of tomorrow, to receive his free grace of salvation, and to know that the day has come to live in the new creation—to leave all the worry and stress and tears of yesterday in the tomb so that they can walk with him experiencing their own resurrection. Jesus is the resurrection and the life which gives us the strength to encounter new beginnings. In the words of Fredrick Buechner, “the worst thing is never the last thing.” Jesus’ death wasn’t the last thing: Jesus rose and gave us a new life and his resurrection is real, today, and everlasting.

Conclusion:

As the hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” reminds us, “Christ the Lord is risen today…! Earth and heaven in chorus say…! Raise your joys and triumphs high…! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply…! Love’s redeeming work is done…! Fought the fight, the battle won…! Death in vain forbids him rise…! Christ has opened paradise…!” Today, Christ has risen! Today, Christ has left the tomb! Today, Christ has given us a triumphal love that deserves an Alleluia! Today, the Resurrected Christ has given us paradise! The resurrection of Christ is just the beginning… Christ is Risen! Indeed, the Son is risen today. The resurrection of Christ is a day of new beginning; it is joyful, peaceful, graceful, and relational. And the best part about his resurrection is the fact that his resurrection lives eternally in your heart yesterday, today, and tomorrow! “Now it begins.” Now, we live in the resurrection of Christ. Now, we believe and continue what Jesus has started!

 

New Membership Transition:

To continue what Jesus has started, we welcome two people into our church family as members of the church. Today marks a new beginning for them, a deeper and more meaningful walk with Christ, and the acceptance of a new family. Today, they are resurrected and made new.

 

Communion Transition:

To celebrate the risen Savior, let us join together around a common table and partake in Holy Communion. Through this meal may we ask for forgiveness, seek a fresh start, be filled with hope, and accept a new and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

 

Benediction:

Whisper to yourself, “I am resurrected. I am resurrected with Christ. I am ready for a new beginning.” Christ is Risen today! Raise your joys and triumphs high! Hail the Resurrection! The resurrection of Christ is a day of new beginning; it is joyful, peaceful, graceful, and relational. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go, living out the resurrection of Christ. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.