Christ is risen alleluia! By death he has conquered death, and brought life to all who are in the tomb.
On a hill, on Friday afternoon, in full view, Jesus of Nazareth breathed his last, declared “It is finished” bowed his head, and gave his spirit into the hands of the Father.
He was placed in a borrowed tomb, it was sealed, and, to all logical appearances, it was over.
Good common sense would suggest that once again, God had failed, once again, like in the Garden of Eden with the forbidden fruit, God was rejected.
Death’s victory over God only lasted three days, and in the predawn silence of Easter morning, God caused an explosion that literally blew the stone away and the risen Christ walked out of the tomb.
As Henri Nouwen tells us: “The resurrection of Jesus was a hidden event.
Jesus didn’t rise from the grave to baffle his opponents, to make a victory statement, or to prove to those who crucified him that he was right after all.
Jesus rose as a sign to those who loved him and followed him that God’s divine love is stronger than death.” (Nouwen, Henri: Eternal Seasons, pg.123)
Dear hearts, it was a cosmic event, transcending all time and space, it was the first day of the new creation, a creation as incredible as when God first said let there be light.
For, at that moment, death was conquered forever, at that moment, the life of God was placed into the heart of humanity, and this resurrection was only the first among many.
On that Easter morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, found it empty, and all she could do is stand and weep, overcome with sorrow.
The risen Lord sees her weeping and, when he calls her by name, she is resurrected from the tomb of tears.
His brave disciples, the one who deserted him, were hidden away in fear for their lives.
They were wracked with quilt and began to have doubts about the Christ with whom they had spent three years.
The risen Christ found them, stood among them, and said “Peace be with you. Why are you troubled and why do questions arise in your hearts?”
In an instant, they experienced resurrection from the tomb of fear, and resurrection from the tomb of doubt.
Thomas, who missed the encounter with the risen Christ, declared that he would not believe until he saw for himself and had visible proof of the risen Lord.
The risen Lord came to Thomas, and Thomas experienced resurrection from the tomb of disbelief, and experienced a resurrection of faith.
So, dear hearts, the resurrection of that first Easter was only the first among many.
My beloved preaching mentor, Father John Andrew once said: “When things are dark, God acts.
When life is dead, when human possibilities are finished and powers are exhausted, God acts.
When hope is killed, God acts.
When upon the failure of human achievement a crushing weight of stone now rests, sealed and secured for the rest of human time, God acts.
That stone, that imprisoning stone, is moved, and resurrection light floods the darkness of the tomb, and from the tomb into the world.
The world is made new because of it.
Beyond hope, beyond calculation, beyond the wildest of our imagination, there is the power of God. (Andrew, John. My Heart is Ready, page 126.)
Dear hearts, today is the day of resurrection.
But then again, every day is the day of resurrection because every moment in our lives, God acts.
On this day of resurrection what in our lives need to come out of the tomb in which we find ourselves.
Perhaps like the disciples, we are in a tomb of fear…..fear for ourselves, fear of the way things are…..perhaps as a congregation we are locked away in a financial tomb of fear.
There is resurrection.
In this complicated world, in which there is so much violent evidence contrary to the love of God, we find ourselves like Thomas, in a tomb of doubt.
There is resurrection.
Perhaps like Mary Magdalene, our lives are filled with weeping and sorrow.
There is resurrection.
No matter what we face, as individuals, or as a congregation, whether it is a doctors dreaded diagnosis, whether it is life’s unmanageability, whether is it economic uncertainty about the days ahead, there is resurrection.
St. Paul tell us: “God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Resurrection is here.
Resurrection is here for each of our lives.
And, today, is the day of Immanuel Resurrection.
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy victory?
O death, where is thy sting.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church | 1710 Moorpark Avenue | San Jose, CA 95128 | (408)297-0993 | immanuellutheransj@yahoo.com
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