All over the world Church attendance is high on Easter; people who are not normally seen in Church come to celebrate the Christian joy and the hope of resurrection. This is a good thing, and I am glad that all of you are here this morning, but there cannot be an Easter without a Good Friday. Many of us like to celebrate the Easter joy without walking the way of the cross, and so this morning, allow me if you will, to take you first to the cross and then to the empty tomb.
Just outside the “Sheep gate” on the Northern side of the walled city of Jerusalem, is the place believed to be Calvary. Criminals were crucified there by the Roman Government. But on a Friday afternoon in the Spring of AD 29, an innocent man was crucified. Pontius Pilate knew that very well when he sentenced Jesus. Jesus hung on the cross and was bleeding to death. Yet even at that moment of anguish, he prayed for those who crucified him saying “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” How can you explain that kind of love? How can you explain why he chose to die for sinners like us? How can you explain why he wants us to spend eternity with him? How can you explain why he calls us heirs to his throne?
Prior to his crucifixion he was flogged and beaten repeatedly. A crown of thorns ripped through the skin on his head and great drops of blood rolled down his body. He was humiliated by being stripped of his clothing and counted along with the thieves. Those that passed by cried out “He saved others, now let him save himself if he is God.” Others laughed and spit at him. What they did not know is that he chose not to save himself so that he can save all of us from death and eternal damnation. He died so that we might live forever more. Somebody say “hallelujah – thank you Jesus.” His death was a sacrifice – he gave his life to save ours.
Death on the cross was slow but sure. It is believed that some strong men hung for a couple of days before they died. History tells us that the Romans were so wicked that when daylight faded, the bodies were burned alive to serve as lamps by night for those who used the busy road in front of them. Our Savior was beaten so badly that he did not last more than 3 hours. During that time there was darkness over the land. At 3 in the evening he cried out with a loud voice to his father and said “it is finished.” His head dropped to a side as he gave up his spirit. Oh, I hope you can feel that moment! It must have been very difficult for the Father to allow his son to be murdered. I can’t imagine the pain and yet all of heaven would have been rejoicing because the battle was over and the victory was won – won for you and me. Notice Jesus never said “I am finished” but rather “it is finished” referring to his redeeming work of the cross. Through Him we are washed in his blood and cleansed by his Spirit forever. Hallelujah! Let us never forget to thank our Lord daily for his sacrifice on the cross!
Jesus’ dead body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. Our reading for today tells us that
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.” Yes, while it was still dark and long before the city began to awake Mary Magdalene was hastily making her way to the tomb. She probably never slept at all or at the very least had a restless night. Losing someone you love should break your heart and cause grief and pain. I don't know about you but I often shed a tear or two when I think about how much our God has done for us. If you read the gospels of Mark and Luke you will see that Mary was going there early to anoint the body of Jesus. The scriptures do not say nor can it cover every detail but I believe besides the anointing, Mary was probably going there to wipe off the dry blood from the body of Jesus. His wounded side needed to be cleaned up and his hair now matted with clots of blood from the wounds of the crown of thorns had to be combed out. Only a woman knows these details. Some say a woman should not be in the pulpit but thank the Lord for the silent ministry of millions of women around the world.
As a woman I assume she also had with her a clean set of clothes and some perfume for his body. But, as she approached the tomb, she was in shock. The Roman seals on the tomb were broken and the stone was rolled away. Mary Magdalene assumed the body was stolen because she said “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.” Peter and John who showed up a little later were also disappointed when they saw no body. Since then, millions and millions of people have gone to Jerusalem
only to see an empty tomb.
Several years ago, I went there too. Inside the tomb, a section is fenced off with iron bars and across from it is a raised piece of ground which resembles a bench carved out of the dirt. It is believed that Jesus was laid there. Many of us took pictures. Our group leader was Pastor Alice Gibbs from Florida and she used a video camera because she wanted to give her congregation a virtual tour of the Holy land when she got back. Couple of days after our return, Alice called me from Florida to share a moment of mystery and resurrection truth.
On the first Sunday after Pastor Alice got back to her Church, instead of a Sermon, she played the video she had taken on her trip to Jerusalem. The mystery occurred when the camera entered the tomb. As the Camera was capturing the inside of the tomb, in the background one could hear a very frustrated and upset visitor saying “move aside, I cannot see; I cannot see…” Just then, there appeared on the screen of Pastor Alice’s video a bright white blinding light; and a strange voice that said “Are you looking for Jesus? He is not here - don’t you know he is risen.” The Church was in total silence because the voice was unlike that of a human. Pastor Gibbs, could not believe her eyes. She stopped the tape and rewound it but the 2nd time a round; there was no bright light or strange voice.
Jesus is risen my friends and he is alive forever more. You too can travel to Jerusalem or any corner of this earth to look for Jesus but you will not find his body because he is truly risen from the dead. The truth came to Mary as she “stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Just then, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
It was that unmistakable voice she was so accustomed to hear. The same voice that called her brother Lazarus to life again. The same person whose feet she washed with her tears and wiped with her hair. There was no mistake at all. Turning to Jesus she said in Hebrew, “Raboni!” (which means Teacher). We are not told but I imagine she grabbed Jesus into her arms because Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene couldn’t resume the old relationship she had with her Lord. She could not anoint his feet anymore and wipe them dry with her hair but He gave her and he gave you and me the greatest opportunity of all. He gave us the opportunity that at the end of this life, we could be with him forever and heirs to his Kingdom! But, the key is we must believe. Do I have any believers here this morning?
It wasn’t just Thomas the disciple who doubted but throughout history, there has been a lot of speculation about the resurrection. Even after 2000 years, doubts linger on. The Jews are still waiting for the messiah to come! Friends, the Resurrection means nothing if he be risen alone. Jesus arose, so that we could also rise with him. Jesus said “I am the resurrection and life - he or she who believes in me, though they die, shall live forever more.” We are called to live and die in the hope of the resurrection. Just as Jesus came to Mary, he comes to you and me. We have no need to go to the empty tomb nor do we need any proof that he arose from the dead because he lives in us. Our bodies are the temple of His Holy Spirit. He is present with us right now in this place and in a little while we will celebrate what he has done for us in the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup. Come with gratitude my friends and celebrate the victory as you feed on him. Have no doubts and have no fear – the battle is over and the victory is already won.
Mary was the first to meet the resurrected Jesus, but she wasn’t the last. The disciples saw him too and had breakfast with him. Just before his ascension from the Mt of Olives (Act ch 1) says more than five hundred witnesses gathered as they watched Jesus go up into heaven. But that is not all - Our risen Lord is coming back as both King of Kings and Lord of Lords. At that time the sheep will be separated from the goats and there will be a day of judgment. Every eye will see him even those who pierced his side and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. If there is anyone here this morning who is not right with the Lord, today maybe a good time to surrender to him. Jesus has already done his part to save us; it is now our choice to receive him.
Easter has given us joy and hope. So keep believing. Keep watching and keep praying because soon and very soon He is coming back to take us to our forever home. I hope you are waiting for that day. Amen.
