Resurrection Sunday

As we come into the last few days before Easter, I always struggle on how to make such a well-known story applicable to the congregation.

The text for this message is pretty common for Easter, John 20:1-18

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

In my brain, I know that I should be putting together a message about the impact of the resurrection on humanity or the forgiveness of sins made possible by the sacrifice on the cross. But my heart is leading me in a different direction. Two weeks ago, I spoke on the humanity of Christ as shown through the story of Lazarus. We looked at how much His love for His friends brought about some of the most human emotions shown in Scriptures. As I studied for this week's message, I was reminded of the humanity of His followers. I think that I, and possibly others like me, have a tendency to look at many of the New Testament Saints in a somewhat "superhuman" way. We read about the miracles that they did and sometimes forget that they were humans...just like you and me. That's where I'd like to focus my thoughts this week.

To put into context, the week leading up to the crucifixion is one of joy and victory. Jesus has entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey's foal and hailed as King. He spends time teaching the masses as well as the twelve. His followers were at the peak of their joy, their love for Him, and their commitment.

Yet, four short days later, Jesus has been sold out by one of his Disciples, stood trial, been beaten, ridiculed, crucified, and is now lying in a grave. To those who have been following His ministry, this has to seem impossible.

In our text today, we see Mary Magdalene. According to the gospels, she was a wealthy woman who was possessed by many demons. Jesus cast these demons out of her. Once this was done, she willingly gave up all that she had to follow Him because she recognized the power of God. In the story today, we find her weeping at the grave. I can only imagine how helpless and confused that she must have felt. How is it possible that the man who showed His power over demons could be put to death? How could the one who was healing others be unable to heal Himself?

The Disciples in general are spoken of. They are now hiding in a room, for fear that the Jewish leaders will come after them next. They have spent three years following Christ. He told them to follow Him and they were simply compelled in their spirits to do so. They've seen more miracles than can be counted. They've heard words that had never been spoken before. They've listened to teaching to clear that it seemed impossible. They watched healings. They stood by as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. They recognized that Jesus was the Christ. In short, they believed. But now, Jesus was dead. Their faith is in shambles. They are fearing for their lives as they have to be wondering if they've wasted the past three years of their lives following an articulate lunatic.

Within the Disciples themselves, the reaction is more human and more like us than we see at a single glance.

Thomas has seen the signs and wonders. He's witnessed the miracles. But as they sit wondering what to do, he is filled with doubt. Even when told of the resurrection, he scoffs, saying that unless he can see the nail scars and put his hand into Jesus's riven side, he won't believe.

Judas...and my feelings about Judas are probably a little unorthodox...I don't believe that Jesus made a mistake when he chose Judas to be one of the twelve. I don't believe Jesus was lying when he called Judas his friend. I think that Judas became complacent about right and wrong. I think the devil deceived him into thinking, I've been with Him for three years. I've seen him fend off the religious zealots before. I've seen the miracles. I'll take their money because Jesus will be able to get out of this with no problem at all. I believe that Judas was probably in total shock when Jesus was found guilty, condemned, and crucified. His plan had been to be a thief, not an accessory to murder. This, I suspect, is why he chose to hang himself.

In our passage, we have Peter, who has always seemed the most human to me. He is so full of passion, but has a tendency to rush in where angels fear to tread. While the rest of the world would be mounting an army, Peter is alone, charging the gates of hell with a squirt gun. He was the first disciple to suggest that Jesus was the Messiah. He was also the one who ran away and denied Him to all who asked.

What's my point? All of these people have something in common. And we often have the same thing in common. These people have gone through the worst few days of their lives. Everything they know is gone. Everything they believed in is question. The one they trusted to be there forever is gone. They're all sharing the same problem: Friday was a nightmare. Saturday is challenging everything they believe. They have lost everything they had: their son, their friend, their brother, their teacher, their friend. They're emotionally destroyed on Saturday because they didn't know Sunday was coming! They hurt because they didn't know Sunday was coming. Their faith has been tested to its end, but Sunday is coming.

I dare say that we have all been in the exact same place in our lives.

Trials come and we don't see any way out. Sunday is coming!

Situations try our faith. Sunday is coming!

People fail us and we don't know what to do. Sunday is coming!

We lose ourselves in the pain of this world. Sunday is coming!

When we are in the darkest moments of our lives and we're alone and hurt. Sunday. Is. Coming.

I don't know where everyone is...emotionally or spiritually right now. You may be on the mountaintop of the Triumphant Entry. Or, you may be deep in the pain of Friday, feeling like you've lost everything. You may be in the loneliness and inner questioning of Saturday. My message today is one of great joy.

SUNDAY IS COMING!