REAL Resurrection
A. BACKGROUND... We are using “resurrection” as a motto for our church life in the months and year ahead. We have been through a time of fear, devastation, death, shutdown, and uncertainty across America and all aspects of life. But our most important message is the promise and hope of LIFE. “Abundant life”, Jesus offered. Despite that, last week we looked at how awful Jesus’ friends and family felt in the days between his good Friday crucifixion and Easter resurrection. Hopeless and guilt ridden, they awoke Easter morning not believing there would be an Easter. In fact, the women went to the tomb only to properly cleanse and purify Jesus’ corpse for final burial.
B. TODAY...real resurrection, Luke 24:1-12 (yes, same as last week!!)
C. SUMMARY. The four Gospels together provide the Easter story. A group of women go to the tomb hoping to clean Jesus’ dead body. An earthquake had shaken loose the huge stone blocking the tomb entrance and frightened away the Roman soldiers. The women find the tomb empty and are distraught, assuming the body was stolen. Two angels tell them Jesus was alive, and they rush back to Jerusalem to tell the male disciples. Mary Magdalene lags behind and meets the resurrected Jesus. The men think it’s all nonsense, but Peter and John rush to the tomb and also find it empty. Meanwhile, Jesus finds two heartbroken followers of his, they had heard about the resurrection and don’t believe it. While incognito, he explains God’s workings to them, and then is revealed to them. They rush back to Jerusalem to tell Jesus’ followers. Easter night Jesus visits the Disciples, convincing them. Thomas is absent, so Jesus returns a week later to convince Thomas.
D. KEY POINTS
1. FAITH/DOUBT. People of faith sometimes fear doubt, mock it, or don’t understand it. But doubt is often the first step to faith. To state one’s doubts, to clarify them, makes room for faith. My conversion experience (told in Church: One Pilgrim’s Progress) included the beginning of this prayer: “Dear God, if you exist, and I don’t think you do...” Right there I was on the faith/doubt continuum. The conversion epiphany of my life had me talking to God AND declaring my unbelief – in the same sentence! The whole Easter story has a foundation of doubt. The women who went to the tomb had no expectations. The male disciples laughed at the women’s tale of resurrection. The men on the road to Emmaus had left Jerusalem, allowing their doubts to overrule any faith. And when Thomas heard his 10 disciple friends tell him that Jesus was alive, he would not believe. BUT each remained open to the possibility of faith. They expressed their doubts and kept their hearts and minds open.
2. STEPS TO FAITH. In the Easter story, and in my pastoral experience, the biggest step to faith is to put yourself in a position to believe. The women went to the tomb. The disciples followed up. The men going to Emmaus engaged with the stranger (Jesus) and invited him to dinner. And Thomas, with his doubts, hung in there with the disciples. They all hung in there, open, and willing to be confronted by faith and what St. Luke called “convincing proofs.” None of us can do anything from someone who quits, shuts the door, walks away. You know I love baseball. Nothing infuriates me more than a batter looking at a called third strike, and not swinging. If you swing, there is at least the possibility of something good happening. Coaches will yell “keep your head in the game.” It is true of faith, also. Stay in the game. Take a swing. Be like Jesus’ followers – at least put yourself in a position to be confronted by the reality of faith. Doubts are welcome.
3. EVANGELISM. This word and all it’s variations (evangelical, evangelist) come from the root word for “GOOD NEWS.” An evangelical is one who believes the good news of God’s love evidenced in Jesus’ life and teachings. An evangelist is one who tells the good news. Evangelism is the act of telling the good news. The Resurrection Story starts with the struggle between faith and doubt. It ends with evangelism. The women run from the tomb to tell the Disciples. The men from Emmaus run back to Jerusalem to tell the good news. The disciples told their good news to Thomas. And all these years later, the good news that they proclaimed is now our news to share, too.
