"easter In Isolation"

“Easter in Isolation”

John 20:1-20

As we celebrate Easter this morning, many of us might feel a bit anxious and isolated due to the restrictions put in place to try and stop the spread of the Corona Virus.

Across the nation, nonessential businesses have been shut, schools have been closed, and public gatherings are banned.

It’s like living in a Sci-Fi novel.

There can be no doubt about it, Easter in the year 2020 is not Easter as usual.

So, how can we, celebrate and rejoice together on this Easter morning?

Is it a little bit of a bummer?

For me, my favorite worship service of the year has always been the Easter Sunrise Service.

There is always a sparse crowd of the really faithful.

We huddle together, with the dew still wet on the grass, shivering as we begin singing: “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” and then things start to warm up.

And the sun begins to rise.

And we celebrate—we really, really celebrate together in a, simple, loving intimate—almost ecstatic way.

And once the Service is over—we are all wide awake and raring to go.

And I think that is because, when we encounter the Living Jesus, everything changes.

In our Gospel Lesson for this morning, we are confronted with a roller-coaster of emotions, perhaps, kind of like what many of us are facing today.

Our story begins in darkness.

And in a very real way, Mary herself was feeling socially isolated.

After-all, here she was, coming to a tomb, by herself in the darkness.

The pain she was experiencing was beyond description.

What she had experienced on Friday was blazing through her.

She had watched as Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior—her best friend, was beaten, nailed to a Cross and left to bleed and suffocate alone and eventually die.

His body had been taken down and instead of leaving it for the birds to peck and the dogs to eat, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had gone to Pilate and asked for it.

They wrapped it in spices with strips of linen and laid it in a tomb—where it would stay—all by itself.

Then a large stone was rolled over the entrance—sealing it.

Saturday was the Sabbath.

The day no one could work.

And what an awful day that must have been for the followers of Jesus.

What a feeling of loneliness and despair must have come upon them and threatened to swallow them up.

They must have felt so helpless…

…so confused…

…in shock, really.

They had heard Jesus tell them that He would be arrested and killed—but they had never really believed it would actually happen.

It seemed to awful to be true.

After-all, they had dropped everything in order to follow Jesus—their jobs, their dreams, all their plans.

They had been with Him for 3 amazing years.

They had heard Him talk about God and watched Him love in ways no one had loved before.

He had fed 5,000 people with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread.

He had healed the sick.

He had raised the dead.

He had made the insane sane.

He had become their hope in the midst of the despair of this life.

He was the missing piece of the puzzle.

And now He was dead and gone—forever.

How could they go on?

Was life even worth living anymore?

Can you imagine the darkness?

Can you imagine the pain?

Can you imagine the feelings of hopelessness and despair?

Perhaps some of you can.

Perhaps some of you are feeling that way this morning.

Every Wednesday, at 1215 p.m. during this Pandemic, we are having a Red Bank Community Prayer Gathering on the Red Bank, Tennessee Friends and Neighbors Facebook Page.

It’s been very meaningful to me and I pray it has for those who participate as well.

This past Wednesday, Rev. Gregg Hauss of Red Bank Baptist Church shared a request.

A former member of his church died Tuesday night from the Corona Virus.

Boy, doesn’t that bring it close to home?

All of us are living in a whole new reality right now.

It’s like nothing we have ever seen nor experienced.

T-V anchors are broadcasting from their homes.

People are walking the streets with face-masks on.

We aren’t supposed to have parties.

Kids can’t have friends over.

The entire world is in “sheltered in place.”

And for those who live alone, the feelings are even more stark.

Many of us experience most of our social interactions with family, co-workers, friends and church.

Most of these things are not available right now, and we don’t know when they will return.

So, how are we to celebrate the Resurrection while many of us are isolated and anxious?

On that first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene stood outside Jesus’ tomb crying.