Sermon: Easter Day - Alive for Ever and Ever

Date Preached: Sunday April 12th 2009

Bible Reference: John Chapter 20, Verses 1 - 21

It’s a curious choice that has been made to favour Mark’s somewhat truncated account of the resurrection over John’s this morning. In the reading we have before us (printed) it’s almost like the last bit of the manuscript has been torn off and Mark ends with the disciples being ‘seized with fear’. Scholars (and those who added the alternative ‘end bits’) seem to concur that this probably wouldn’t have been the way he’s have wanted to end – and especially given the preceding breathless account which began “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God…”. So after a brief reflection (you’ll be glad to hear – with 3 baptisms this morning!) I shall read John’s wonderful account from the Message

The following is taken from ‘A Lent Companion: An anthology of reflections and prayers for those in ministry’, compiled by Arthur Howells. It’s entitled The Apple of his eye, by Bridget Plass

“Today is one of the glorious muddles in the whole of the New Testament. You’d have thought that accounts of this day of all days would have tallied! All the Gospel writers have a different tale, a different emphasis. There are stones rolling back and no stone, there is one angel and two, several different woman who either do or do not pass on the good news and a whole lot of disciples who either believe or not.

Surely it would have made sense to stick to one storyline, God? But what it shows is that everyone wanted to be part of it and I’m sure everyone knew someone who had been there when – and this is the wonderful truth sherd by all of them – when Jesus came back to life. But you know, when we consider this glorious truth, we must see it in its full context. Mary Magdalene will have her special memories – and I so love Jesus for singling out one of his favourite cracked pots for special attention. Peter and John will have their own stories. Even the Roman soldiers had a tale to tell.

But we are the most fortunate because we have all the accounts. We have the hindsight memories of Peter at the time of Pentecost – and we have the amazing revelation of John that the Jesus who came back is in fact the risen Lord in all his glory.

 ¹²I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

 ¹⁷When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades

And to me this is the best truth of all. All mighty, all powerful, it is he who stands and knocks at the door of our hearts. He who wants to come into the house of our life and eat with us and we with him. The risen Lord of Glory whose face shines like the sun. The Holy One of God, our creator and our dearest friend.”

John 20:1-21 (The Message)

Resurrection!

 ^1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."

 ^3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.

 ^11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"

 ^13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.

 ¹⁵Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"

   She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."

 ¹⁶Jesus said, "Mary."

   Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"

 ¹⁷Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"

 ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.