04-04-21 Easter Sunday

First Congregational Church
April 4, 2021
Easter Sunday & Communion
Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20
“Why and How?”
Rev. Dinah Haag, preaching

The Rest of the Story     “Were You There, #315 vs. 3, 4

Scripture
Taking up the journey from Friday night,
they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. Now after the Sabbath, while it was still dark, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shock and became like dead men.

Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and the mother of James and Salome went to the tomb and brought spices, that they might anoint Jesus’ body. They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" For it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.

Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Mark tells us it was a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe.

The angels told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

She and the others entered into the tomb, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body. They were greatly perplexed and amazed, and becoming terrified, brought their faces down to the earth.

An angel answered the women, "Don't be afraid or amazed, for I know that you seek Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Why do you seek the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again?

Now that you have seen this place where the Lord was lying, go quickly and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He has risen from the dead, and he goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.”
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As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” When Mary had heard this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus, he who had cast out seven demons from her. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”

She, supposing him to be the gardener, 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.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!” The others came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

They departed quickly and ran from the tomb with fear and great joy; trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone on the way, for they were afraid.

Peter and the other disciple went out, toward the tomb. They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen strips lying by themselves, yet he didn’t enter in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they didn't know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes, wondering what had happened.
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Most of us may not remember the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin. During his day he was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader, he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity, hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.

An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near Bukharin. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!”

I say to you this morning: CHRIST IS RISEN! (congregational response should be: HE IS RISEN INDEED!).

There is a passage in 1 Peter 3(:15) that says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” If you take a step back from all the gospel accounts of Christ’s resurrection, they all seem so illogical or unreal. Someone - many someones - coming back to life. Angels appearing in a graveyard. Women encountering the risen Christ before men. The deceased having breakfast days later on a beach with his followers.

And yet, it’s not only the written accounts of what has come down to us all these centuries that can give us certainty, joy and hope in the resurrection. It is our own experiences, of a love deeper than we can otherwise know, of forgiveness and healing and acceptance in ways beyond this world, along with the sense of someone - the Spirit and/of Christ - always with us, never forsaking us or leaving us for any reason.

Knowledge and experience, along with the Good News, all comes together to give us the assurance that Christ is Risen. (He is Risen, Indeed!) Such love and understanding can enable us continue the work we have to do in this kingdom before we get to the next. For such comfort, help and hope, we celebrate with the “meal” that Christ gave us, to strengthen us and join us as a body and family.

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper  
As those at home take your bread of life and those here go to the bottom side of your communion set to remove the covering for the wafer, let us all be reminded that on his last night with the disciples, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks for it, broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body for you.” The bread of life for the people of God.

As those at home take your cup of love and those here go to the top side of your communion set and remove the covering for the drink, let us all be reminded that also during the meal, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks for it, poured it out and said to them, “This is my blood shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.” The cup of love for the people of God.

And so we pray as a family joined in gratitude and joy. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, what a mighty God you are! Sometimes it is mind-boggling, that you made humans to share in a life that is knowable, but beyond understanding at the same time. And to add to that gift, you sent your Son, part of your very self, to bring us greater understanding of all life, and that we can be all you have created us to be - in this world and in the next. Enable the knowledge and mystery and joy and hope to permeate our lives in the coming week, that we live not out of fear or condemnation, but out of your love and assurance. For the gift of you and your son and your Spirit and all life, all your people say, Amen.