Resurrection Moments

Matthew 28:1-10

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

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Introduction

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ has risen indeed! Today we bask in the light of new hope and new life. Yet as glorious as Easter is in its splendor, the first "Easter" was undoubtedly anything but quiet or majestic. The massive stone sealing the tomb rolled away, mysterious figures cloaked in bright light appeared, and disciples were tucked away in a hidden place only to be startled and roused by the testimony of women who they did not believe. Easter is a season of the unexpected. It is a season for us to catch a glimpse and hold onto the things that should be, not are. And on this day, we are reassured that our risen Lord is not yet done.

The Empty Tomb

First, we have the empty tomb. An empty tomb is disorienting because it symbolizes death, and now it's lost its power. Like the women who first found this sight, I imagine we too would be shaken if we discovered a person's resting place to be disturbed and opened. However, it is in this empty tomb where we are challenged to see the unexpected, the innumerable opportunities that God opens up once we embrace the empty tomb. Today we are reminded that God is doing something new in our midst, even though we believe death, fear, pain, or seasons of change have the final word. 

It is in those empty spaces, the void, where God does something new. We must pay attention to the new things God is doing or, at the very least, open our hearts to seeing these miraculous sights. Nothing is impossible with God. And this Easter, we are mindful that we often ignore or pay no mind to what God is doing around us. Let us be watchful and receptive to what God brings forth from the tomb. For those of us on this day who are tired and weary or struggle to find Easter hope, may an empty tomb serve as a reminder that the newness of God takes many forms. 

Unlikely Messengers

And then we find the women who discover that Jesus's tomb is now empty. Easter is not about staying quiet. What kind of Easter would we have if the women ran off and didn't say anything to anybody? The women find where the disciples are hiding and bust into the room. They didn't care about the looks on their friend's faces (they were probably shocked, annoyed, or even angry); the news was so good they had to share it! There were no loud renditions of "Jesus Christ is Risen Today," only their words of exuberance as they reported what they saw and heard from the angels cloaked in radiant light. 

What makes this proclamation so joyous and so life-giving? The women who ran to the disciples and their friends remind us that our eyes cannot be fixed on what was or what has been sealed away in the cold stone tomb. The women were unexpected messages that brought a good word with them. We should keep in mind that good news comes from the least likely messenger. As people of faith and as a church, there are voices/stories waiting to be told. Our focus should be on the good news of our current and future hope that comes from unexpected places. 

Look Elsewhere

Lastly, we hear an essential question from the angels in dazzling clothes, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." Why do we look for Jesus among the dead, among the collection of things past and long gone? Jesus has risen! Jesus has risen and brought us the gift of new life! And do you know what that means? It means that we need to stop longing for the things in the tomb, those ways of living that did not bring new life. It means going out and looking for Jesus in parts of our communities that Jesus would serve, that Jesus would love, and that Jesus would die for so that new things might take root! 

God's ways are not our ways, and we are taught that lesson again this Easter season as we are asked where we can go to find Jesus; Jesus who is in the tears of the oppressed and persecuted, the sighs of those who mourn, the cries of those who long for justice, and the weary earth beneath our feet that yearns for people to care for it. That is the Easter ministry we've started to cultivate here, and I pray you to allow it to continue to grow in this place. 

Conclusion

We're invited to participate in the silence-shattering proclamation that the promise of Jesus' resurrection was not a one-time promise of reconciliation and healing but an ever-evolving promise. Though our first instinct is to flee, Jesus reassures us and points us to the empty tomb and the life-affirming and life-giving ministry of healing people. It's easy to think you don't have the power to do miraculous acts such as the ones Jesus did. However, isn't life in and of itself a miracle (each breath we take)? And if life is a miracle, who are we to say that Christ, our living Lord, is not working through our daily living?

We are Easter people, a resurrection people. And our discipleship will always involve an element of Easter ministry. That is the type of good trouble, silence-shattering, that Jesus wants us to carry on. This is all made possible by the sustaining and empowering presence of Jesus. It's a presence that draws our attention to places in our soul that require the silence-shattering proclamation of Easter so that we might bring that proclamation and share its blessing with others. Never forget that God is calling you to continue the work of resurrection. Friends as Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” May Easter hope, resurrection, and grace be with you always.