Sermon April 19-20, 2014 Easter!

Title: Christ is risen … so you too will rise!
Text: Matt. 28:1-10

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Every year in Alaska, a 1000-mile dogsled race, a run for prize money and prestige, commemorates an original "race" run to save lives. Back in January of 1926, six-year-old Richard Stanley showed symptoms of diphtheria, signaling the possibility of an outbreak in the small town of Nome. When the boy passed away a day later, Dr. Curtis Welch began immunizing children and adults with an experimental but effective anti-dipheheria serum. But it wasn't long before Dr. Welch's supply ran out, and the nearest serum was in Nenana, Alaska--1000 miles of frozen wilderness away. Amazingly, a group of trappers and prospectors volunteered to cover the distance with their dog teams! Operating in relays from trading post to trapping station and beyond, one sled started out from Nome while another, carrying the serum, started from Nenana. Oblivious to frostbite, fatigue, and exhaustion, the teamsters mushed relentlessly until, after 144 hours in minus 50-degree winds, the serum was delivered to Nome. As a result, only one other life was lost to the potential epidemic. Their sacrifice had given an entire town the gift of life. Source Unknown.

Today we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ and His one life laid down for the many and raised up to the glory of the Father so that just as:

Christ is risen … you too will rise!

2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

God’s word here gives a very wonderful description of what happened very early on that first day of the week, Sunday morning, as an angel of the Lord rolls away the stone … not as an aid to the resurrection but as a sign to the empty tomb and that Jesus had risen. This angel rolled the stone away and used it for his own seat and such was his appearance that he appeared like lightening and as white as snow.

You can imagine the look on the guard’s faces that were placed there to make sure that the disciples didn’t come to steal the body of the Lord. At the sight of this angel they trembled and became as dead men out of fear. The evidence of who had been crucified, dead and buried and now raised from the dead was no longer in doubt and no more concern for those who were place on guard.

As for the women … those faithful who came to contend with the Lord’s body the angle says:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

For this is now a place where He, Jesus, had been laid in death and He is not there; No longer in the tomb … no longer dead … but alive!

Christ is risen … so you too will rise!

Death … a part of life that we all have had some experience with … connects us too with the death of Christ. Even as little children we know death as a sign of fallen humanity. Whether it is the seasonal change and death in nature or family pets the reality is there even if not realized with the loss of beloved relatives, siblings or parents and that reality becomes clearer as we get older.

Our own families become the evidence of this as we see those who sustained us through life, leave us, showing the reality of sin in their life and ours as they fall victim to the wages of sin. And these wages bring death, a death that is assured just as our crucified Lord who breathed His last was dead as He gave up the Spirit, commending his Spirit into the Father’s hands.

I have seen this reality with fellow believers and members of Christ’s body the church this Lenten season as well as they too breathed their last and gave up their spirit in this life. Four beloved souls, all called away from the joys of this life and the ones that they loved.

How quickly it is that even one day can change our whole lives.

Those first disciples, those first followers of Jesus too felt loss. The one in whom they had placed their hope as the Messiah had been taken from them … and this loss brought confusion. Was he too just a man? Did he deceive all those who had placed their trust in him? Did their hope too … die with him? And what about our own hope?

As I got to preach at a few funerals it is always a joy to remind those who are grieving and suffering loss that in Christ, death is not the end for we who cling to the blessed hope of Christ’s resurrection. But, it is only a time of parting … for a while.

St Paul gives us the joyful hope in his epistle to the Romans in chapter 8 where he says:

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)

Christ is risen … so you too will rise!

7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Ill.

Last Sunday evening I had the pleasure or preaching at Lakeland place senior housing for their weekly church service. I’m now on the regular rotation of every other month. Monica and I had a wonderful time celebrating Palm Sunday with these residents, many of whom can’t get out or attend church on their own, so I brought some Portals of prayer, bulletin from of service and palms. The joy that these people had seeing the palms and holding a palm of their own connected them to the joy of Christ’s triumphal entry but also to what Jesus faced as he faced his trial, crucifixion, death and burial. Like many elderly they too face sickness, health issues, guidance and one lady I prayed for is going into rehab for the addictions she wrestles with.
Last Sunday night I had the great blessing of bringing God’s comfort and peace to those that hurt just I too am blessed to serve here with that same Gospel comfort.

Earlier I said, “How quickly it is that even one day can change our whole lives.”

St Luke tells us in a parallel account:

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24: 1-3)

… one day can change our whole lives …

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen!” (Luke 24:5b)

Those blessed loved ones who just a few short weeks ago were here and struggling with their illnesses and consequences of sin are now celebrating Easter with their blessed savior Jesus and all the Saints.

Heaven is now their home and Jesus has prepared a place for them.

You too, who trust in Christ, have this home waiting for you. The blessed Good News that Jesus died for your sins - is the wonderful Gospel message you can trust. He has forgiven your sin and has called you to faith by the Gospel and through the power of the Holy Spirit, and has given you faith to believe in Christ’s saving work.

9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Because:

CHRIST CONQUERED SIN AND DEATH, SO THAT THROUGH HIM YOU ARE FORGIVEN AND WILL TOO RISE AND LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER!

May our Lord comfort you at this time of loss with this precious Good News that in Christ we are …loved by God, forgiven in Christ and together will live with Him forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen