Today, Christians around the world celebrate the greatest event of the Christian faith and we believe the history of the human race; the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, this isn’t just about the resurrection of one man from the grave. What this event means is what is profound and earth-shaking. Because what it means is that if Christ has been raised from the dead, then sin, evil, hate, hurt, wounds, suffering, tragedy, and even death will not have the final word in our lives on this planet. This is a truly astounding message filled with hope and triumph; if it’s true.
Believe it or not, that’s a pretty common question, even among people of faith; is the resurrection story really true? As a matter of fact, just last year, I was having a conversation with some colleagues right before Easter about the different resurrection accounts in each of the gospels. They’re all just a bit different, and as we discussed their differences, it was enough to raise questions among the group about what, if anything, was really true.
I think this is something we all wrestle with at some point. You know, early on in our faith journeys, we begin reading the Bible, and often we start with the gospels. And we read through Matthew and learn about Jesus’ birth, his ministry, his teachings and healings. Then we get to the part where Jesus is arrested, and put on trial, and then brutally beaten and hung on a cross to die. As we soak in that very horrendous account, we think to ourselves, “That’s it? This is terrible. This just can’t be right. Surely this isn’t the end of the story.” Then we turn the page and there are the women arriving at Jesus’ tomb only to discover that it’s empty, and an angel appears to tell the Marys that Jesus has been raised from the dead. We may not believe in the resurrection at that point, but that’s a good ending to the story. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like when the Prince and Princess ride off into the sunset and “live happily ever after.” It may not be true, but it’s a great way to end the story. So then we read Mark, and we get to the end, and again we come to this part about empty tomb, and we think again, “Yes, that’s how the story is supposed to end.” We continue on into Luke, and maybe even John, and eventually it hits us. Something inside us is touched and suddenly it’s not just a good ending to the story because we begin to think to ourselves, “this is true. I choose to believe this is true.”
You know when the women who first discovered the empty tomb ran to tell the disciples that Jesus had been raised, they didn’t believe the women. Jesus’ own disciples didn’t believe that he had been raised from the dead. It’s no wonder we ourselves have doubts, this is a hard thing to believe. Yet this is all we have to go on, this what we have; we have the testimony, these witnesses who saw the resurrection of Jesus 2,000 years ago. And even though that was so long ago, there is something in us that wants this story to be true. Who wants evil and suffering and death to be the end of the story? We want hope, and love, and grace, and triumph, and life to be the final words. Even in the midst of doubt, we want this story to be true because we know what it could mean for our lives.
Even though we have not seen or touched the resurrected Jesus, there were people who did. There are six accounts in the gospels of people interacting with Jesus after he was raised from the dead; either we can choose to believe these witnesses, or not. I, myself, cannot prove to you that Jesus was raised from the grave, but I will tell you today that I do believe Jesus’ resurrection story is true; it’s why I celebrate most especially today, but everyday. Because this is the light that gives life.
So as we ponder this morning the magnitude and meaning of Jesus’ resurrection, we are going to look specifically at one of those encounters that a couple of disciples had with Jesus on the day of his resurrection. Luke tells us that on that same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus, which was about a seven-mile journey. These men had followed Jesus to Jerusalem a week before. Then they had watched as he was put on trial, beaten, and hanged on a cross. They must have seen the skies darken on that Friday afternoon and heard Jesus as he cried out to God one last time before dying. They were probably there when Jesus was laid in the tomb. It may have taken some time for the reality to sink in, but there was no avoiding the truth, and they knew it; Jesus, their teacher, was gone. So, not knowing what else to do, they leave Jerusalem. There is no reason for them to stay there now that Jesus is dead, and so on the third day after Jesus’ death, they climb out of bed early in the morning, pack up their belongings and begin walking to Emmaus.
Now, Jesus makes an appearance to these two men as they walk along. This is the second appearance of Jesus after his resurrection; the first was near the tomb, where he appeared as a gardener to Mary. As Jesus approaches these two men, he notices their sadness, their downcast faces. One translation says that the disciples’ faces were “twisted with grief.” The way they looked was most certainly a solid reflection of what they felt as they walked the road to Emmaus. They were disillusioned, despairing, questioning. As they were walking and talking about all that had happened, they were most certainly wondering why Jesus was gone, and how God could let something like this happen. They may have even been wondering if there WAS a God at this point. And here’s the truth of this passage; each of us will one day walk our own road to Emmaus—some journey of grief, disappointment, and pain. It may be in dealing with the loss of a child, or eighteen months of unemployment, or facing a terminal illness. Whatever the situation, it leaves us with feelings of discouragement and disappointment. This is the road to Emmaus. You’ve surely walked this way yourself at some point.
So to these two disciples, their faces twisted in grief, Jesus came. What’s interesting, though, is that he did not immediately reveal himself to them. He came as a fellow traveler, and a stranger they did not recognize. Luke tells us that Jesus walked along with them and talked about all that had happened. He asked them questions and then showed them from the scriptures how the Messiah had to suffer and die. Little by little, this stranger is changing their perspective; as they talk, he’s helping them see that somehow, maybe God is at work through this terrible situation, maybe there is yet something good in store; maybe there is still a reason to hope!
But Jesus had to lead these men to this point; he didn’t just come right out and say, “Hey, it’s me! I’m here! It’s Jesus! I’m alive!” This is how Jesus works in our lives. He doesn’t just instantly come right out and fix everything; instead, he gradually changes our perspectives. What could happen now? How might God work through this? What could God do in the midst of this tragedy? That’s what happens with these disciples as the stranger talks with them, their hearts begin to lift and they start to see that maybe God is at work on something grand; maybe there is yet a reason to hope. And when the men arrived in Emmaus, the stranger was going to go on his way, but the disciples invited him in to share a meal with them. Now, Jesus still hasn’t revealed to them his identity, but when he blessed the bread that was before them and broke it, their eyes were opened and they saw that this man with them was the risen Christ.
Here’s what’s so amazing and wonderful about this story. The resurrection of Jesus didn’t change the circumstances of those first disciples; it changed their perspective on their circumstances. It took those defeated, disillusioned, grief-stricken disciples and gave them hope and joy and peace. And that’s what Easter still does for us today; this is why we have gathered to celebrate this wonderful, amazing day! Jesus’ resurrection does not remove us from our present circumstances, but it does change how we see them. This is how Christ works in our lives. He comes along side us and he walks with us, and we may not see him, or recognize him, but he is changing our perspective every step of the way. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we can face adversity, illness, and tragedy knowing that with God they will never have the final word. We believe that death has been defeated through Jesus’ very resurrection. This is what Paul captures in 1 Corinthians when he writes, “Death has been swallowed up in victory!”
Despair, sadness, defeat, suffering, worry—these things are not the end of the story. Death is not the final word. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, o death, is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting?” Christ’s resurrection from the grave changes things. And so on this Easter, as is true each day, we have a choice. Even if you don’t understand the resurrection, you can still choose to believe those earliest witnesses. You can make a choice to believe that what they saw was true. And you, too, can look for the risen Christ and encounter him even when you’re life is twisted with grief. And should you choose to believe it, the promise of the resurrection is this: not that all your problems will be solved, but that Christ will walk with you on your road to Emmaus, and he will change your perspective. He will help you see that because of the resurrection; in the end, goodness will always triumph over evil. In the end, grace will prevail over sin. In the end, hope will overcome despair. And in the end, life will have victory over death. And that gives us peace. That is the joyous, hope-filled message of Easter morning.
People say, “Do you really believe this stuff?” Here’s my response, “I not only believe in it, but I’m counting on it, and you can too!”
