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SERMONS

Easter Vigil/Easter Day
March 30-31, 2002

By David Christian

Here is the story. It has been handed down now through the centuries. It is important that you hear it and that you understand it. You will have to make a decision, and you need to know the facts.

The Roman troops were competent and well trained. Following their orders they placed the prisoners on the crosses with an ease achieved through long practice. The men hung there through the day. About three o'clock in the afternoon the middle one died. Soon after, the other two followed. By late afternoon it was all over.

Shortly before dark a man named Joseph, from Arimethea, came to the governor and asked for the body of one of the men. After checking to be sure they were all dead, Pilate, the governor was happy to give this body up. The man had caused him nothing but trouble. It would be a relief to be rid of it. Joseph placed the body in a rock tomb and rolled a stone over the entrance to seal it.

But even dead, this man was troublesome. The authorities were still worried about him, and worried about what his followers might do. So they had a guard placed on the tomb.

In the early morning of the next day, the first day of the week, two of his followers, both women, went to see the tomb. They and the guards stationed there were the only witnesses to an amazing event. Suddenly the earth shook as a dazzling figure, clothed in brilliant white, descended from the sky and rolled back the stone.

The figure spoke to the women: "Do not be afraid. I know that you are here looking for the one who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised. Go quickly and tell his other followers that he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him."

That is the story as it has been handed down. It is troubling. It is exciting. It raises questions.

It is important that you hear it because, as I said, you will have to make a decision. You will have to make a choice. How will you respond? For how you respond will have profound implications for how you live your life. It will make a big difference.

The guards responded one way. As the event unfolded they trembled with fear and, the story tells us, became like dead men. Then they hurried back to their bosses-to the authorities-and told them all that had happened. The tale was too disturbing. It would be too disrupting-too destabilizing-if it got out. There was no way to predict what damage might occur.

So they worked to suppress it. This was nothing that enough money and a good lie couldn't fix. The guards must say that the body had been stolen while they were asleep; no mention would be made of earthquakes or creatures from the sky. The excitement would die down soon and life could go on.

The women responded another way. They were also filled with fear, but fear mixed with great joy. In this confusion of fear and joy they hurried to do as they were told. And as they obeyed, suddenly there he was. Their master. The same one who had been crucified. The one who had been placed in the tomb. There he was. Alive and speaking to them, reassuring them, telling them not to be afraid but to hurry on and spread the news.

Now as I warned you, you must make a choice. You have heard the story. If this story means anything, it means everything. And it calls us to decision. For the one who was crucified, the one who died and was buried in the stone tomb, the one who the heavenly figure declared had been raised from the dead, the one who went ahead of the women and met them on the road; that one is Jesus.

Jesus, who taught that the essence of God is love… Jesus, who taught that the kingdom of God is near to us even now... Jesus, who taught that the way to the kingdom is through giving up everything else... Jesus, who taught that it is in giving that we receive, in loving that we are loved, in losing that we gain, in being last that we become first, in dying that we gain true life… That Jesus is the one whom death could not hold.

That Jesus is the one whom the grave could not contain. That Jesus is the one whose resurrection the angel proclaimed. That Jesus is the one whose resurrection changes everything.

You have two choices. I have two choices. We-each of us-have two choices. We can do as the guards and the authorities did. We can decide that it is all too troubling, it is all too disturbing, it is all too dangerous. We can turn our backs on it. We can seek refuge in the old ways, the tried ways. It is safe. It is comfortable. It doesn't call for more than we can give.

Or we can do as the women did. We can obey that voice. We can heed his command. With Mary and the other Mary we can proclaim with great joy that the Lord of life is indeed risen from the tomb. We can follow where he leads.

Be aware that following him will lead us away from old certainties. It will place us in opposition to the comfortable, safe, familiar ways of the world. Following him will lead us into new and unknown lands. We will find ourselves with surprising companions, companions not of our own choosing, fellow journeyers along the way. Things will necessarily change; and we will change.

Following him is risky. It is an adventure. But with him as our companion, it is an adventure filled with great joy. And it is a road that leads to true life in the kingdom of God.

Christ is risen … and Death has been overthrown!

Christ is risen … and Hell has been restrained!

Christ is risen … and the demons have fallen! Christ is risen … and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen … and Life rules!

Christ is risen … and not one of the dead remains in the grave!

Christ is risen … and that changes everything.

David Christian
The Chapel of the Cross
Madison, Mississippi

Matthew 28:1-10