SonRise Service: Joy Cometh in the Morning – Can You See the Light?

Sermon Title: Joy Cometh in the Morning, Can You See the Light?

Good News Statement: Jesus rose from the Grave for you

Preached: Sunday, April 5^th, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Mark 16:1-8 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Mark. During the Lenten and Easter Season, we are going to be walking with Jesus to the Cross, listening to his parables, deciphering his teachings, and experiencing our own resurrection. Our walk continues to the empty tomb where Jesus is not there but has risen; and now it’s our job to scatter the news. Our scripture reading is Mark Chapter Sixteen, Verses One thru Eight. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.

The Resurrection of Jesus

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ² And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³ They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” ⁴ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ⁶ But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” ⁸ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

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

 

The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar Charles R. Swindoll, who offers commentary and thoughts on the Gospel of Luke in his book ”Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke” published in 2012 by Zondervan Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012.

 

 

 

Introduction:

Happy Easter Everyone! We begin this wonderful celebratory Sonrise service with a poem titled, “Easter Morning” found in collection of poems titled Derry’s Heart Poems:

This is the dawning of our joyous Easter morn,

Our delight can never end,

For Jesus is risen… He is risen from the dead.

We are embraced in love, He has taken all our death,

His light has broken the night, He has risen, as He said.

The precious One has fought and won – to go ahead,

Calling …”Come”, It is all done.

Joy is now set free, in the hearts of everyone.

In 1887, Edmund S. Lorenz and Mary Weinland penned these words in the hymn Joy Cometh in the Morning, “Joy cometh in the morning! Joy cometh in the morning! Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Ninety years later, Dolly Parton, in 1977, wrote in her song Light of a Clear Blue Morning, “It’s been a long dark night. And I’ve been a waitin’ for the morning. It’s been a long hard fight. But I see a brand new day a dawning. I’ve been looking for the sunshine. You know I ain’t seen it in so long. But everything’s gonna work out just fine. And everything’s gonna be all right, that’s been all wrong; ‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning. I can see the light of a brand new day. I can see the light of a clear blue morning. Oh, and everything’s gonna be all right
It’s gonna be okay.”[1] Today is a brand new day: we can see the light of a clear blue morning because that light is Jesus Christ and he has risen from the grave to grant us a joy that has set us free. On Good Friday, Sunday was coming; but today, Sunday is here!

On this beautiful Easter morning, Jesus has certainly risen: he has moved the stone away, walked out of the tomb, and is no longer bound by strips of cloth. God is looking down upon us and saying, “It is good….This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). In the words of Deanna A. Thompson, “By Christ’s death and resurrection we have been set free.” The light has conquered the dark! There is joy shining this clear blue morning. And that joy is Jesus Christ.

We are gathered here this morning, at a very special time of day when some people are still sleeping anticipating the joy that we are experiencing right now, to allow the resurrection of Christ to motivate us, to save us, and to grant us joy. We are here at “sunrise.” And I can’t tell you the last time I deliberately got up before the sun rose to see the sun rise! But today, is a different day: a day that instills in my heart the eagerness to rise, to see the beautiful Son rise and to have the world go from dark to light. Today is a kind of day that brings joy. Today is the day that the Lord has made and we should certainly be glad in it. Today is the day when we realize that everything is going to be okay. Today is the day that we walk out of the tomb living out the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We have arrived. After 40 plus days of anticipating and waiting and preparing, we have arrived. We have arrived before the empty tomb to witness a glorious and miraculous event. We have arrived bringing all that we are and all that we have to begin a new walk with Christ. We have arrived in such a way that we promise to let the light of Christ shine in our life. We arrived, together, after 40 plus days of Lent, to the morning of Easter. Jesus Christ is risen today: today Jesus Christ has risen indeed! This is the dawning of our joyous Easter morn, Our delight can never end, For Jesus is risen… He is risen from the dead…. Joy is now set free, in the hearts of everyone.

 

Body:

As we get settled in to the realization that today is Easter, or as some may call “Resurrection Sunday,” it is important to pause and take in the moment and significance of today: the pure joy and redemption, and the fact that you are here. Some of you arrived this morning with a list of things on your mind that you still have to get done before the Easter Festivities this afternoon. Some of you arrived this morning realizing that you have nothing else going on today because your Easter Festivities have come and gone. Some of you arrived this morning telling yourself, “It’s too early for this!” And some of you arrived thinking, “I wonder if the Pastor will be brief this morning because I am wanting breakfast!” You all arrived this morning in a different state of mind; but, be honest with yourself, you made it to church this morning which began shortly after the sun rose. You arrived! And that’s exactly what the women did that first Easter morning. They arrived to the empty tomb, just as they were, just after the sun rose, wondering who would roll the stone away. They arrived early; they expected; they entered; and they left.

You heard our scripture lesson from this morning, but let me retell it to you from the perspective of children’s author Glenys Nellist, who wrote the book “’Twas the Morning of Easter.”

‘Twas the morning of Easter, before the sun rose, two guards on a hillside were just trying to doze. You see, Jesus had died, only three days before—a huge stone had been placed, to seal the cave door.

The disciples were sleeping, but tossed in their beds, as visions of danger swirled ‘round in their heads. Would they be arrested and led away too? Without Jesus, their leader, what would they do?

In her small, quiet home, not too far away, Jesus’ friend, Mary, was planning the day. She would go to the cave with perfume and spice, in hopes that her gifts would make Jesus smell nice.

The sun, through the trees, was just starting to peep at the guards on the hill who were now fast asleep. When all of a sudden, there came an earthquake! And the rocks and the trees all started to shake.

The guards jumped in fright, then fell straight to the floor as the stone rolled away and unsealed the door. Then Mary arrived, and crept up to the cave. She had to see Jesus…she had to be brave.[2]

But the cave was now empty! He just wasn’t there! Mary sat down and wept, and her cries filled the air. But suddenly Mary heard someone behind. “Dear woman, who is it that you hope to find?”

Mary jumped and turned around, so confused and afraid. Was this man the gardener? And why had he stayed? But the calm in his voice; the words that he said, so let Mary know she had nothing to dread.

“Dear Mary, it’s me! It’s Jesus, your friend! My story’s just starting—this wasn’t the end!” His eyes, how they twinkled; his smile so bright—Mary knew in a moment, but could she be right?

She gasped in surprise and cried, “Jesus! It’s you! You came back to life—your promise came true!” Jesus nodded and said, “But there’s no time to lose—you must tell the disciples—go! Spread the good news!”

So she jumped to her feet and away Mary went, she [had] a story to tell—a tale heaven-sent! She ran without stopping, and called through the door, “Disciples, you’ve never heard this news before!”[3]

“Now Peter, now James, now Thomas, now John! I went to the cave—Jesus’ body was gone! But he called me by name—he’s alive! It is true! It’s a miracle only our great God could do!”

Then the trees seemed to dance; birds started to sing. All creation joined in to worship the King. “He’s alive, he’s alive!” the rocks cried in praise. The whole earth rejoiced on this day of all days![4]

Although the story offered by Nellist differs slightly from our scripture text, the message is still the same: Mary, or women, arrived early to the tomb to find it empty and to be told that Jesus had risen from the dead, and that this news had to be spread. This morning, I invite you to consider the importance of those who arrived to the empty tomb first; and what it means for us to arrive early, arrive expecting, arrive to enter, and arrive to spread the news, to rejoice on this day of all days.

 

Movement One: They Arrived Early…

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of  James, and Salome gathered spices and ointments to anoint Jesus’ body: a  practice that should have been done the day Jesus was laid in the tomb, except that by the time Jesus was laid in the tomb—which was purchased by Joseph of Arimathea according to Luke 23—the Sabbath had begun. Therefore, no work, not even preparing the dead for burial, could have been done. Today, we recognize that day as Holy Saturday. Luke 23:55-56 records that they had seen the tomb and where his body was laid after he was taken down from the cross. Yet, they had to return home where they prepared the spices and ointments, because their work was delayed because of the Sabbath. Even though Nicodemus and Joseph had anointed the Lord’s body, it was done in haste, and was not satisfactory enough for these ladies. So, the ladies took it upon themselves to finish the job and do what was right, not merely because of cultural customs of the day suggested this ritual, but because they loved Jesus, who also loved them.

Thus, as soon as they could following the Sabbath, early in the morning while it was still dark, they left their homes, met together, and went to the tomb of Jesus. One must admire the devotion, and courage of these ladies. As the story told us, they had “to be brave.” He must have a proper burial. It was the least they could do. They were courageous in what they did. They did not fear the darkness nor did they fear being identified with Christ. Nor did they fear, although perplexed, about who would roll the stone away. All they worried about was getting to the tomb early in the morning. These women were the complete opposite of the disciples, who scattered in fear and chose to be in hiding.

I am the kind of person that likes to show up early to things. In one of my favorite movies, the band director states to the band, “You’re on time if you are five minutes early. You are late if you are on time.” Granted, I am not early to everything.  There are some instances where showing up a little late is best; however, arriving  early is what I tend to do. These women arrived early with anticipation of preparing the body of Jesus Christ for a proper burial: they didn’t ask for help from the other disciples, they didn’t walk to the tomb guarded by others, they didn’t’ fear being recognized as “Jesus followers,” and they didn’t fear the Roman soldiers at the tomb. They arrived early because that is what needed to be done. They arrived “five minutes” before they needed to be there because they wanted to, because they needed to.

Each of you has gotten up early this morning, probably earlier than usual, to experience the early morning hours of Easter. You arrived to the tomb early not because you wanted to but because God needed you to. God needed you to realize that there is joy this morning before the rest of your day gets busy. God needed you to witness the beauty of his Son rising. God needed you to see the light of the clear blue morning. Arriving to the tomb early is half the battle, now Jesus is going to do the rest.

When was the last time you arrived early for Jesus Christ? When was the last time you allowed yourself to go to the empty tomb before anyone else? Jesus is willing to wait on us, but sometimes if we really want to experience the truth of Jesus, we have to arrive early and on time when he needs us to be there. The women knew they had to be there early. They may not have fully understood why they needed to be there that early, besides anointing Jesus’ body, but they would soon find out. We have arrived early to this Easter story.

 

Movement Two: They Arrived Expecting…

After realizing that the women arrived early to do what God needed them to do, we take note that the women arrived expecting to witness something specific. What did those ladies expect to see? They expected to find a body. They came there to anoint the body of Jesus with spices and ointments since they were unable to do so because of the Sabbath. They expected to see Roman Soldiers standing guard. They expected to see the stone in its place sealing the tomb. They expected to feel sad, possibly guilt, and maybe regret. They expected to weep. They expected to struggle with trying to figure out who would roll away the stone. Mark tells us, “They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back” (Mark 16:3-4). These women had certain expectations, but Jesus had another plan. It’s almost as if Jesus was trying to tell them what Jeremiah shares, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11). Jesus had plans for these women: his plan was to overturn their expectations into something they needed to see.

We live a life where we expect something to happen. We expect the groceries we bought to last a certain amount of time before expiring. We expect the gas in our vehicles to help us get to wherever we need to go. The hard work we put in now, we expect to help make things easier in the future. The tool we purchase today, we expect to come in handy for a future project. (The duct tape we buy, we expect to fix our shoes with….maybe that’s just me!) The ministries we create, we expect to have some sort of impact upon those in the church as well as those outside the church. We do “x” and “y” so that “z” will take place. We establish expectations today for tomorrow. Just like the women at the tomb, we conjure up expectations before making it to our final destination. The women should have already known what to expect, but they allowed their own expectations to supersede those of Jesus Christ, who has told them that he will rise again. The women should know this but they didn’t expect it to be true.

This morning, as you arrive with expectations to the empty tomb, what sort of expectations do you have? What sort of things do you want the risen Lord to do for you? Are you expecting today to go nice and smooth? Are you expecting for the Easter dinner to be perfect? Are you expecting for everyone to get along as they sit around the table? Are you expecting to get some rest?

When it comes to Easter, some people expect to shed a tear knowing that Jesus has risen for them. Some expect to deal with grief knowing that Jesus died for them. Some people expect to simply be in awe of how Jesus has answered their prayers and how someone they know has been given a new life in Christ because Christ has risen! We approach Easter with many expectations; and some of those expectations get in the way of allowing us to fully experience the significance of the day. I wonder what Mary was expecting when she was in the garden alone. Here is what our book told us:

But the cave was now empty! He just wasn’t there! Mary sat down and wept, and her cries filled the air. But suddenly Mary heard someone behind. “Dear woman, who is it that you hope to find?” Mary jumped and turned around, so confused and afraid. Was this man the gardener? And why had he stayed? But the calm in his voice; the words that he said, so let Mary know she had nothing to dread. “Dear Mary, it’s me! It’s Jesus, your friend! My story’s just starting—this wasn’t the end!” His eyes, how they twinkled; his smile so bright—Mary knew in a moment, but could she be right? She gasped in surprise and cried, “Jesus! It’s you! You came back to life—your promise came true!”[5]

Mary didn’t expect the gardener to understand her weeping. Mary didn’t expect for the gardener to know her name. Mary didn’t even expect for the gardener to be there. Mary didn’t expect for the gardener to be Jesus, her friend. However, her expectations were nothing compared to the expectations of Jesus Christ for Mary: Jesus, claimed to be her friend and he knew her name. This morning, what sort of expectations to you bring to the garden, to the empty tomb? How will you let your expectations be turned into what Jesus needs you to experience, so that you can experience the joy of today?

 

Movement Three: They Arrived Entering…

After arriving, after expecting, we now consider the fact that the women arrived to enter the tomb. Mark 16:5, “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.” The women enter the tomb: they don’t just peek their heads in. They literally entered the tomb. In Greek the word here is eiselthousai, which can be translated “come in, get in, go into.” They literally placed themselves in the tomb. John doesn’t even do that: he merely peeks into the tomb (John 20:5). And what they saw alarmed them. They didn’t see Jesus—or did they? They saw a young man dressed in a white robe and sitting on the right side. The women were in so much shock, so much disbelief, so much perplexity that they didn’t realize who was talking to them; much like Mary didn’t recognize Jesus and similar to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus that didn’t recognize Jesus right away.

Before leaving the tomb, the one dressed in white told them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee, there you will see him, just as he told you” (Mark 16:6-7). The women have just received instructions to go tell the disciples that Jesus, who should be in the tomb with them, has risen: that Jesus is alive!

But that’s not what happens. Mark tells us that they “went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). That’s how the original book of Mark ends, with the women saying nothing to anyone. However, an additional ending to the Gospel of Mark indicates that Jesus had spoken to the disciples before he was taken up to heaven (Mark 16:20), and the disciples went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere (Mark 16:20). Whether or not the women actually said anything to anyone is something to ponder; but, we need to keep in mind that what happened on that day, at the tomb, was shared because we are living it out today in our life.

The women entered the tomb with wonder and confusion, but left the tomb feeling afraid. The women entered the tomb with certain expectations, but left the tomb with a new promised realization of hope, grace, and salvation. The women entered the tomb as themselves, but left the tomb as new-beings in Christ. During Lent, we long for the day to enter the tomb: to see where Jesus lay, to witness the linen on the ground, and to take note of the folded face cloth. We enter the tomb with expectations, but we leave the tomb being made new in Christ: undergoing our own resurrection.

We can’t be resurrected until we enter the tomb and are given the instructions to walk out and spread the good news. We enter the dark tomb only to leave to experience the joy of a clear blue morning, to bask in the light of the risen Son. Why do you choose to arrive in the garden to enter the tomb? Why is Jesus inviting you to enter the tomb today? After entering the tomb, and leaving everything in it, are you willing to live a new resurrected life in and for Christ?

 

Conclusion:

You arrived early to church this morning to experience the Son rising! You arrived before the empty tomb to witness a glorious and miraculous event. You have arrived bringing all that you are and all that you have to begin a new walk with Christ. You have arrived in such a way that you have been given the promise to let the light of Christ shine in your life. You arrived, after 40 plus days of Lent, to the morning of Easter. Jesus Christ is risen today: today Jesus Christ has risen! He is no longer in the tomb that those women entered.

Joy has certainly come in the morning! The light of the clear blue morning is a reminder that everything is going to be okay. Because you arrived early, arrived knowing that your expectations are no match for the reality of Jesus Christ, and arrived to enter the tomb and to leave as a new person, you are now resurrected in Christ and charged with sharing the exciting news that Jesus is risen!

Nellist’s book ends with these words: “When later that night, Mary knelt down to pray, she thought about all that had happened that day. And the stars heard her whisper, through soft evening light…’Happy Easter to all, and to all… a good night.’”[6] Joy has cometh in the morning! There is a new light illuminating a clear blue morning! The Son has risen! Joy is set free! Happy Easter to all!

Go, and share about the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

 

Communion:

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, you rolled the stone away, you left the tomb empty, and rose from the grave for each and every one of us. Help us to live our life knowing that we arrived before the tomb for a reason and that reason is to accept the promise that the resurrection is real and that it lives within us today and every day. All honor and glory is yours, now and forever. Amen.

 

Benediction:

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go sharing the news that Christ is risen and that the resurrection is real. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] https://lyrics.lyricfind.com/

[2] Glenys Nellist, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter, illustrated by Elena Selivanova, Zonderkidz: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2021.

[3] Glenys Nellist, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter, illustrated by Elena Selivanova, Zonderkidz: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2021.

[4] Glenys Nellist, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter, illustrated by Elena Selivanova, Zonderkidz: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2021.

[5] Glenys Nellist, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter, illustrated by Elena Selivanova, Zonderkidz: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2021.

[6] Glenys Nellist, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter, illustrated by Elena Selivanova, Zonderkidz: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2021.