(Luke 24: 1-12)
One of my early memories growing up as a child was going to a Ukrainian cemetery one Easter as my grandmother laid flowers on the graves of her mother and father who came to this country from eastern Europe with their four young daughters just after the turn of the century as tensions mounted and the winds of war grew stronger in their beloved homeland. My mother told me that, as a young girl, going to the cemetery on Easter was a family tradition. We were Methodists so we went to church in the small town where I grew up as was our custom, but my grandmother, a very devout Catholic, attended a Catholic church in Syracuse as was her custom. And now, as a married couple, when we are in Texas, we sometimes visit the graves of Teresa’s grandparents in the cemetery in Old Waverly with her mother. And once, when visiting family in New York I drove down to Erin and visited the graves of my grandparents on the Rosekrans side at the Old Scotchtown Cemetery. It’s very cathartic visiting the graves of loved ones who have passed on, cherishing those memories of time spent in their company, but you cannot find the living among the dead as Luke tells us in our gospel reading for this morning.
Last week, when we observed Palm Sunday, we looked at the Apostle Luke’s account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate and his crucifixion on Calvary between two convicted thieves. After Jesus had passed away and the crowds returned home to process what had just taken place, a man named Joseph from nearby Arimathea, approached Pilate and asked permission to retrieve Jesus’ body. Joseph, Luke tells us, was a member of the Jewish Council who did not agree with the actions taken against Christ and was a secret disciple of Jesus. After getting permission he returned to Calvary taking Jesus’ body down from the cross. He then wrapped Jesus’ body in linen and placed it in a tomb that had never been used. The women who had come with Jesus and witnessed the crucifixion followed Joseph and watched him lay Jesus in the tomb and sealing the entrance with a huge stone. They then went home and prepared spices and perfume for the burial but first observed the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday as was their custom.
We pick up this morning with Luke telling us that very early in the morning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and some other women returned to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices they had prepared. When they arrived, they found that the heavy stone that they had seen sealing the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away. When they went in to prepare the body of Jesus for burial, they saw that the tomb was empty. They didn’t know what to make of this and suddenly two men were standing beside them in gleaming bright clothing. The women were understandably frightened and bowed their faces toward the ground, and the men said to them: Why do you look for the living among the dead? He isn’t here but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee, that the Human One must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again. As these women had been following and serving Jesus during his three-year ministry this had to have resonated with them as they suddenly remembered what Jesus had cryptically told them previously which, at the time didn’t make much sense. It was after Jesus’ transfiguration when they all came together again in Galilee and Jesus told them that the Human One was about to be delivered over into human hands where he would be killed and that he would be raised on the third day. At the time they didn’t understand this statement and its meaning was hidden from them so they couldn’t grasp it and they were too afraid to ask him about it at the time. Luke tells us that they then remembered Jesus’ words and when they returned from the tomb, they reported what had happened to the eleven disciples and all the others who were present. The disciples took what the women told them as nonsense and didn’t believe them, but Peter thought there was something to what they were saying so he took off running as fast as he could to the tomb to see for himself. When he got there, he looked in and saw only the linen cloth. He then returned home, wondering what had happened.
And you know what? It’s okay to wonder what happened. I mean people who are non-believers in Christianity and those who don’t even believe in a god or a higher power wonder how we can believe in some guy who was born in a stable to a teenage girl, who roamed the countryside teaching and preaching a message of love and forgiveness, and who claimed to be the son of God is the head of our faith, especially when he allowed himself to be unceremoniously crucified. Doesn’t much sound like someone I would follow if you ask me. I mean this guy sounds like some sort of a pacifist with all this love your neighbor, do unto others, and turn the other cheek talk. And on top of all that, he advocates feeding hungry people, giving clothes to the needy, welcoming strangers, taking care of sick people, and visiting people in jail. That’s a little out there. Give me that Old Testament vengeful God any day. Now there’s a god you can get behind. Believe in me or else!
And that’s the crux of our religious beliefs. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of our Christian history. On it the church is built; without it, there would be no Christian church today. It’s because Jesus’ resurrection is unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems, concepts about paradise and an afterlife, and various holy scriptures. But only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for his people, and was raised again in power and glory to rule his church forever.
Many people, like the Apostle Peter, who hear about the resurrection for the first time may need time before they can comprehend this amazing story. Like the disciples who were huddled up behind closed doors wondering what was going to happen next, they may pass through four stages of belief. At first, they may think it’s a fairy tale, impossible to believe. And like Peter, they may check out the facts but still be puzzled about what happened. It’s only when they encounter Jesus personally that they will be able to accept the fact of his resurrection. And then, as they commit themselves to Jesus and devote their lives to serving him, will they begin to fully understand the reality of his daily presence with them.
So how do we help these skeptical non-believers see what we see and believe what we believe? First, we tell them that it is not a fairy tale, impossible to believe as we believe it with all our hearts, souls, and minds. We show them how to check out the facts like Peter did and point them to the four gospels which are full of eyewitness accounts from scores of people backed up by independently recorded current events. And we tell them to look for Jesus among the living and see him as we see him. And hopefully, when they look at us and other believers, they will see us doing his work and his will as we unselfishly serve the last, the least, and the lost. Hopefully they will see us feeding the hungry, giving clothes to the needy, welcoming the stranger, tending to the sick, and visiting those in prison or helping them with their transition. Hopefully they will see how we freely live our lives in peace and humility with Christ reigning in our hearts and as the head of our church. And hopefully they will see the signs of his power which are all around us as we work as a people to establish his kingdom here on earth bringing light into the darkness so that all may see what we know to be true.
So, as you go from this place, take time this week to look for Jesus among the living, look for Jesus actively at work in a broken world, because he is risen. He is risen indeed!
Let us pray.
Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph over his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. Gracious and loving Father, how grateful we are for the unmerited love you showed us through the supreme sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ who bore our sins on the cross of Calvary only to rise from the dead on the third day to live amongst us once again, this time as our Savior through whom we have a personal relationship with you, a God not so distant that can’t hear our prayers and comfort us in our times of need and distress. Move us this week as we go from this place to look for you among the living because He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! Amen.