Written In Red

Sermon: Written in Red Luke 24:1-9 March 31, 2002 - Easter

I. Introduction

A. Learning about words can be fascinating, educational, and useful in everyday life. I mean

1. “May God bathe you in blood”* (from Liberty Island Newsletter - Wilfred Funk, Word Origins New York: Bell Publishing 1950.)

a) that’s what God bless you really means

b) The word bless is from the Old English bledsian meaning consecrated with blood, redden with blood. A gracious word with a grisly history.

c) So - May God bathe you in blood - Doesn’t kind of make your flesh crawl alittle.

d) The imaginery of it - in fact in ancient times when the church first began meeting Christians were thought of as cannibal for eating flesh and drinking blood

e) Gross huh!

B. Well this morning, this Resurrection morning, may we come to realize to understand the real blessing of being bathed in God’s blood.

II. READ Luke 24:1-9

A. The Women

1. Had been there at the cross

2. Had followed Joseph of Arimethea

a) saw the tomb

b) and how his body was laid

3. Prepared spices and perfumes for burial

a) had to wait until first day of week

(1) stone couldn’t be moved on Sabbath as it would be work

(2) would be considered unclean after touching a dead body

(3) and perhaps they too were a little afraid

(a) john tells us they went to the tomb in the dark - before the dawn

(i) perhaps to miss the authorities

(ii) for their protection

(iii) out of loving devotion

B. Journey to the tomb

1. An unpleasant task - an unpleasant walk

a) the smell of the spices filled their nostrils with the poignance of death and the

b) weight of each grief stricken step brought back a flood of memories -They had been there

(1) Been there at Gethsmane when a kiss betrayed Jesus

(2) been in the courtyards as close as possible during the trial by the liars and deceivers

(3) They had heard the cry of the people as it echoed even now in their heads - crucify him, crucify him

(4) They had heard the crack of the whip, seen the flinch of Jesus’ body as the shards of bone and glass ripped through his body

(5) heard the sound of flesh striking flesh as they watched in horror as Jesus head snapped back at the force of the blow

(6) They had seen the sweat and blood dripping from his brow as the weight of his stumbling steps drove him to the ground under the burden of the cross

(7) They had heard the violent thunderous pound of the hammer as the nails were driven into the gentle hands and feet of their lord

(8) They had experienced the agony on his face as he was lifted up on the cross

(9) The sounds of laughter and mockery reverberated in their minds

(10) AND that cry, no scream as Jesus cried out - My God, My God…

(11) and the hushed resolve of his voice as he murmured “it is finished” - was that love they heard in his voice?

(12) the spear tearing at human flesh

(13) the force of the earth as it quaked in sorrow

(14) the darkness - and the silence……………

2. They had loved Jesus had been devoted to him - caring for his every need and now he was dead

a) the pain of that love kept them at the cross watching that day as the guards roughly lowered Jesus’ limp body from the cross practically tossing his body to Joseph of Arimathea for burial

b) And Joseph’s tender hands as he cradled the lifeless crumble of human flesh

c) they followed Joseph

(1) to the tomb

(2) they had wanted Him to have a proper burial

(3) but they would have to waited for the right moment

3. They trudged heavily on to the tomb wondering how they would ever move the rock. Wondering with fear and doubt whether the guards would even let them near the tomb.

a) The guards had been placed there….but where were the guards????

b) The stone, it was rolled away - what had happened here - Jesus, where was Jesus they women ran to the tomb - their steps quicken by fear and dread of what might have been

c) VERSE 3 -

(1) verb structure “They did not find”

(a) suggest not a casual glance but an active diligent search

(b) they were perplexed,alarmed, dismayed

(c) terrible dread waxed and waned over them

(2) when suddenly two men appeared

d) VERSE 4 and 5

e) then this roller coaster they had been on since Thursday pushed them to a new place - a height that they never could have imagined.