Today’s Scripture

Psalm 16         Colossians 3:1-4         Mark 16:1-14

 

Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!

He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

 

            Isn’t it just great to say those words? 

Alleluia!  Christ is risen! 

He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

 

            Folks, those are the words of our faith.  Today we celebrate the most exciting event in world history.  It surpasses all of creation and confirms God’s work in creation.  Today we celebrate this event that is not confined to this world’s time, but is for eternity.  Jesus, the Christ, rose from the grave on a Sunday morning.  God completed the work of creation on a Friday, the sixth day, and rested on Saturday, the Sabbath.  Jesus completed the work of redemption on a Friday and rested in the grave on the Sabbath.  The first day of the week is now the first day of a new creation in life eternal.  The price of all of your sins is paid for on the cross.  As Jesus sanctified the tomb by his rest there, he has sanctified the tombs of all believers who now rest from their labors, and all who will.  Now Jesus is raised from the dead telling us that God has accepted his sacrifice.  This resurrection tells us that as his prophecies concerning his death and resurrection have come true, all of his word is truth.  This resurrection tells us that yes, Jesus is the Son of Man, Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus is one God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  This resurrection tells us that in our baptism into his death we receive the forgiveness of all sins that death gained for us.  This resurrection tells us we are also baptized into this resurrection that we too will be raised immortal on the last day.

 

            These women are no different than any one of us today as we go to the resting place of a loved one.  They were mourning the earthly death of a loved one.  They were going to anoint the body the same as we would carry flowers or some other item to show our love.  They were no doubt talking about the events surrounding Jesus’ death as well as their memories with Jesus.  They were lamenting what they and others close to him would do now that he is no longer alive.  They were expecting the find the tomb as they had left it Friday just before sunset. 

 

            Through all of this, God was testing their faith just as when we place a loved one to his/her resting place.  That morning God sent an angel, his own messenger to tell them the news that would put their faith squarely where God wants it to be, that Christ has just conquered death and the grave for them and all believers.  God did all of this so that you and I today would, each time we hear and read and remember this miraculous event, grow in our faith in God who forgives all of our sins and who will bring us at the end of earthly life to everlasting life with him.  God did all of this so that you and I will not fear the moment of death.  God did this all so that when you and I see the nastiness of physical death as with Jesus on the cross, all of that is overcome in the resurrection, that in faith we have crossed over from death to life, to eternal life.

 

            Faith fulfilled.  Remember the man who came for Jesus to heal his son.  He had heard of other miracles.  He believed that Jesus could and would heal his son.  But he was a sinner like the ladies at the tomb and like you and I.  In his belief, Satan still tugged at him causing him to wonder.  He answered Jesus saying, “Lord, I believe.  Help me overcome my unbelief.”  And Jesus did.  These ladies this morning, and all of the other disciples and followers, believed that Jesus would overcome death.  God let Satan tug at that belief, only to overcome it with this resurrection this morning.  When word came back that Jesus was alive, there was wonderment and hope that this is true.  When Jesus entered their presence and they could see, hear and touch him, faith was fulfilled.  Their faith never wavered after that day.  And Jesus gave us that hope when he said, “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed,” [John 20:29]. 

 

            That is why we gather here today, the most glorious of all of our festival days.  If Jesus had not risen from the grave, all of the other things we celebrate would be nice but without fulfillment.  Christmas is not fulfilled until the resurrection.  Jesus’ baptism and temptation would be nice but left unfulfilled without the resurrection.  The Sermon on the Mount, the Parables, the miracles would all be nice but left unfulfilled without the resurrection.  Creation, the flood with its promise, Abraham to Moses and the Exodus, the prophets with their prophecies, all would be nice but unfulfilled without the resurrection.  Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross make a great story of sacrifice, but is unfulfilled without the resurrection.  Without the resurrection Jesus would not later ascend to all heavenly glory with the angels’ words, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven,” [Acts 1:11]. 

 

            That is Jesus’ promise.  That is our hope.  That is our faith.   We know that Jesus who rose from the dead will come again to raise our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subdue all things to himself.  We know and believe this only because:

 

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

 

He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!