Reading, Sermon and Prayers for Easter Day

READING: John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white,seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”(which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

SERMON: Joy comes in the morning!

Before I begin this morning, there’s a little tradition that goes with Easter Sunday called the Easter Acclamation, or the Paschal greeting. Basically one person says ‘Christ is Risen,’ and then the response is, ‘He is Risen indeed!’

Given that some of us might be a bit tired, especially due to the amount of services that we have had this Holy week or if you’ve already spent the weekend indulging in Easter eggs or hot cross buns,I thought we’d make today a bit interactive.

So throughout the sermon, at various points I’m going to say ‘Christ is Risen’ and when I do I want you to interact with the response, ‘He is risen indeed!’

The bad guys had won! They had used lies, deceit and they even allied themselves with the enemy! The oppressors, the hated Roman empire to murder Jesus in the most cruel, painful and public way possible. The man they called friend, leader, Messiah was dead. And now in the midst of all this pain and sorrow, they were scared and as far as they know, they were being hunted. The new world of their dreams was shattered.

Jesus was dead. That was a fact! And His body was thrown into a borrowed tomb with no dignity at all. And that tomb was guarded by Roman Soldiers just waiting to arrest anyone who approaches.

So, it is no wonder that only Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. The men were fugitives. And the same logic that caused Peter to warn Jesus Not to go to Jerusalem in the first place, was telling them the same about going to the cemetery. It was only when Mary ran back to the disciples and told them that Jesus’ body was gone did they have the courage to run to the grave. ‘Christ is Risen’ ‘He is risen indeed!’

Their faith was dead as the body in the tomb. Yes, they had seen Jesus do miracles but Jesus was dead! They saw it, they experienced it and there was nothing they could do to keep it from happening. Everything they had hoped for was as dead as that body lying in that tomb. Hope and faith were dead. And all they had left was the ashes of the dreams they had for the future.

We can relate to this when we also have those times when those whom we love are taken in death. How it breaks our hearts. Our lives are never the same. But the loss of a job, home or our health can cause those same feelings of loss, fear and hopelessness. Our faith is tested and it seems that God has abandoned us.

And all we have left seems like an empty shell filled only with pain and sorrow. We function only in automatic mode. The world goes on and we are in such pain we don’t notice.

This was the state of mind of both Marys’ as they approached the tomb. And instead of remembering what Jesus said, they make the very human conclusion, Jesus body had been stolen.

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Things had gone from bad to far worse. Mary Magdalene was so stricken with horror and grief she did not see what was going on around her.

When our world comes crashing down around us, God can seem to be very far away. And when someone mentions that God has a plan, we might politely smile, but in our hearts, we want to scream, “If this is God’s plan I want nothing to do it!”

In times as dark as these, many people lose faith all together. And even the most faithful have their faith shaken. But in the end no matter what the current situation is, remaining faithful is always the right thing to do.

As Mary Magdalene soon found out, Jesus was standing there but she did not realise that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

It’s hard to imagine all the feeling Mary is experiencing at that moment. The others have left and she alone is with Jesus. And she can’t believe her eyes. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabbooni!” and she leaps up to try and hug Him!

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary is then told to spread the Good News that Jesus is alive!
‘Christ is Risen’ ‘He is risen indeed!’

So what do we take home with us this Easter Sunday? Simply three words but what powerful three words…….., Jesus is Alive!

In the midst of all the pain this world can throw at us…. Jesus is Alive!

No matter how difficult and painful life can get…. Jesus is Alive!

The evil of the world could not defeat him! …. Jesus is alive!

The grave could not hold Him! … Jesus is alive!

And as long as we believe in Him, the world will not defeat us either!…. Jesus is Alive!

‘Christ is Risen’ ‘He is risen indeed!’ Amen

PRAYERS

Risen Lord Jesus, you were an early riser that first Easter morning; you needed no alarm to raise you from your three-day slumber. The engines of creation went into reverse and you rose, scattering to the winds the remnants of death. Raise us, we pray, from the slumber of our too-easy faith and put us to work in the garden of your new creation.