The Red Egg And The Empty Tomb

Title: The Red Egg and the Empty Tomb

Rediscovering the Symbols of the Resurrection

Theme: Easter – Mary Magdalene – The Red Egg

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 22:9–14

New Testament Reading: John 20:1-18

Proposition: Rather than rejecting the symbols that have attached themselves to Resurrection Day, the Church can redeem them by using them to proclaim the truth of Christ’s Resurrection, Victory, Salvation and New Life ____________________________________________________________

Introduction:

Grace and Peace from God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us.

Let us proclaim the Truth once more time this morning:

Christ Is Risen!

Christ is Risen Indeed!

Whether the sun is shining brightly, the rain is falling or even if there is snow on the ground, this is the Day of Great Celebration and Joy!

Today we celebrate that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord of all creation—His mission, His message, His sacrifice, and His glorious resurrection.

Today we celebrate the beautiful reality that Paul shared with the Church at Colosse:

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 3:13-15)

In all this celebration it is interesting to note how many things have seemed to attach themselves to the celebration of Easter/Resurrection Sunday. These include:

*Easter baskets filled with plastic eggs and chocolate candies

*Plush little bunnies, lambs and baby chickens

*Beautiful Easter Lilies and ornate branches of the Dog Wood Tree

*Families preparing Special Meals – with Ham, Lamb, Hot Cross Buns, Cakes and all kinds of other things

Most of these are harmless and even joyful. Who doesn’t like a bit of chocolate, and the flowers smell and look wonderful and who doesn’t like a great meal. However, our Jewish friends even those who believe in Jesus may still not grab a plate of ham.

The problem only comes when all those things take center stage. When they become the focus of the Easter Season instead of the Cross, the Empty Tomb, the Angels, the Risen Christ and the First Witnesses.

If Easter becomes all about baskets, candy, food and decorations then we have lost the heart of the day.

But if Christ remains the Center – if the Resurrection and the reality of forgiveness remains before us – then these traditions can become tools to tell His Story.

Today, I would like for us to look at one of those traditions, one of the oldest symbols that has associated itself with Easter: The Humble Egg.

1. The Egg as a Symbol of Faith

You may not be aware of it, but the egg has been a long-time symbol of faith in both Judaism and Christianity.

In Jewish Tradition, eggs are usually a part of the Passover Meal. A hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water sometimes appears as a symbol of several things:

+The Possibility of New Life and Freedom – reminding the people of the Exodus from Egypt.

+The Sacrifices offered in the Temple.

+A reminder of the mourning for the destruction of both the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem.

When a Jewish family was too poor to provide a lamb for Passover, an egg could serve as a substitute. That way all families could celebrate.

So long before even the first Easter Egg Hunt – the egg was already a symbol of hope, sacrifice and new life.

That leads us to the Early Church …

2. The Egg in the Early Church

When Christianity emerged from its Jewish roots, the Early Church adopted many of its symbols to explain the Gospels.

One of those was the egg.

Early Christians saw in the egg a beautiful picture of the Resurrection.

Just as new life emerges from an egg, new life emerged from the Tomb of Jesus – Our Savior and Lord.

The egg became a way to talk about:

+The Resurrection of Jesus

+Victory over sin, death, and the grave

+The promise of new life for all who repent and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and were filled with His Holy Spirit

In fact, the egg became of one of the earliest object lessons for the Gospel.

Christians would give eggs to one another during the Easter Celebrations.

Bible teachers would use the egg to explain spiritual growth.

From the outside an egg may appear lifeless, but inside something extraordinary is happening – life is forming and growing.

In the same way, inside each person there is the possibility of New Life in Christ Jesus.

That New Life matures as one is filled, led and guided by the Holy Spirit.