Sermon: Resurrection = Freedom (Easter sunrise 2018)

This morning I had the opportunity to preach at the Easter Sunrise service at my mom's church. I left her house at 6:30am when the sky was still dark and the full moon was still high in the clear night sky. As I drove, the sky began to lighten, and when I pulled into the cemetery by the church, it was still too dark to see the notes I had written out to follow. Gradually cars and people began to gather at the mausoleum. As we started at 7:00 am, more than 50 people had gathered, and there was enough light for us to read our bulletins (we are United Methodists, after all) and see each others' faces.  

Easter Sunrise – April 1, 2018                                                  St Paul UMC, Spartanburg, SC

One of my favorite Easter quotes is this one from Barbara Brown Taylor… “Whether it’s a baby in the womb or Jesus in the tomb, new life starts in the dark.”

We last worshiped together on Thursday night, as we celebrated Jesus’ last meal and then followed on his journey to the cross and his death. And then we waited. We waited because we know that there was something more to come.

But the followers of Jesus didn’t know. They waited through the Sabbath, all night Friday, and all of Saturday. Some of them waited because they didn’t know what else to do. Others waited because they knew what Sunday morning required of them. The women were ready to prepare the body of Jesus for his final burial, delayed by the lateness of his death.

What unfolds is totally unexpected… I’m sure Mary’s mind must have been racing, like arriving home to find your front door open when you are pretty sure that you locked it as you left. I can feel the surge of adrenalin, the fear that must have engulfed her in that garden, finding that empty tomb. 

In every gospel account, Mary and the women preached the first sermon – “He is risen” – and in every account, the men went to the tomb to verify their story. He was not there, on that they agreed, but it was not until Jesus appeared among the assembled disciples that they, too, were able to say, “He is risen, he is risen, indeed!”

As we gather in this place of where people come to grieve and to honor their dead, we are reminded that Jesus’ resurrection changed everything. Last Sunday, John reminded us that for those who follow Jesus, death is not the end of our story. And while we cannot see Jesus in person, alive for ourselves, we must recognize the responsibilities that come with being disciples of the Living Christ.

On this Easter day, we must remember that we are the mirrors of Christ’s love in the world. We are his hands and feet and voice to those who fear both life and death. It should not just be our responsibility, but our joy to share the message of Easter:

*That violence does not win…*That everyone is equal and affirmed in the eyes of God…*That Jesus included everyone in his kingdom…*That grace alone is the Gospel message.

I think about all the people that Jesus welcomed to his table and into his sphere … women, Gentiles, common folks, the sick, the lame, all those that the Law insisted must be left out. But Jesus said, “No, let them all come to me.”

I think about the violence that was perpetrated against Jesus. He could have just decided to abandon his followers as they fell asleep in the garden, not going through the trial and the pain and torture of death. Or after his death, he could have gone up into heaven and never come back to reassure them. But Jesus said, “I am here, and I have work for you.”

I think about how the Jews thought the Messiah would come to establish their former glory… a King riding on a white horse and wielding a sword. They wanted their world to be small, retaking power for themselves. But Jesus came to redefine what the Kingdom is all about, so he said, “Go into the world and make disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

I think about how we still believe that entry into the Kingdom should be hard… that there are rules and beliefs and tests that must be passed. But Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient… love God and neighbor in all you do.”

Jesus’ resurrection messages are incredibly freeing and insanely hard, all at the same time. Easter reminds us what Christ repeatedly taught and proclaimed: 

*We are beloved children of God. *We are created in the image of God with life breathed into us at creation. *Our life in Christ is about recognizing our sacred worth, which inspires us to grow closer to him, reassured by the promises of his grace.

Salkehatchie Summer Service is celebrating 40 years this summer. It has been life-changing for thousands of youth, adult counselors and recipient families, including me. I grew up in the church and can’t remember ever not believing in Jesus. But working with Salkehatchie as an adult volunteer was the thing that made the Easter story real to me.

We set out each year to repair and rebuild houses, but by the end of the week, lives had been reborn, often more for the workers than for the families we worked with. Think about it – how much faith in God do you have to have to let a bunch of teenagers and part-time carpenters come into and work on your house for a week?

Missions are one piece of the puzzle, but I was reminded of this story from Tony Campolo, which digs a little deeper into what it means to be an Easter people. On a trip to Hawaii, he found himself wide awake at 3am, so he went to the coffee shop near the hotel for coffee and a donut. At a table nearby, a small group of ladies of the evening was wrapping up their night, and he overheard one of the women say that the next day was her birthday and that she had never felt that was a day to celebrate. When they left, Tony asked the owner if it would be OK to throw Agnes a party the next night. A little crazy, perhaps, but the owner agreed. so Tony got the cake, the balloons, and streamers and decorated the place upright. 

At 3:30am, when the ladies streamed in, everyone in the place yelled, "Surprise" and "Happy Birthday, Agnes!" at the top of their lungs. Agnes was shocked and blew out the candles on her cake, tears streaming down her face. "No one's ever thrown a party for me before," she said, "I'm going to take this cake to show my kids." And she picked up the cake and ran out the door.

Shocked, the guests, looked around to see what would happen next. Tony said, "Let's have a prayer." And he prayed for Agnes and her kids and for her salvation.  Afterward, the owner's wife passed out pie, and the owner came over to Tony and said, "You never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you go to?" Without missing a beat, Tony responded, "I belong to a church that throws parties for prostitutes in the middle of the night." The cafe owner came right back. "No, you don't. Because if that church existed, I'd be a member of it."

The resurrection requires us to be those kinds of people... who love people in ways the world thinks are crazy. This is the work of Easter. It's hard work, but necessary for people on both side of the ministry. So I send you forth with this reminder. We are called to believe and this message: “God loves you. Period. No ifs, and or buts.” 

And consider this parting thought: The resurrection God’s ultimate April Fool’s joke: Death has no power over us anymore.

Peace, Deb

The sun peeked through the trees just as we were finishing the service. A new day had begun...