God Came Back!
Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee . There you will see him, just as he told you.'" 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
After church, Johnny was told to go clean his room. After working for about 10 minutes, he came rushing down the stairs. He excitedly told his parents he had to go talk to the pastor right away. They looked at each other, bewildered, but they let him go. Johnny ran down the street to the pastor’s home and knocked on the door. The pastor answered the door, but before he could say anything, Johnny started talking. “Pastor,” Johnny said, “I heard you say today that our bodies came from the dust and when we die our bodies go back to dust.” “Yes, that’s right. I’m glad you were listening,” the pastor said. “Why do you ask?” Johnny replied, “Well, you’d better come over to our house right away and look under my bed, ‘cause there’s someone either comin’ or goin’!”
The women going to the tomb on Easter Sunday didn’t understand, either. They had good intentions in preparing Jesus’ body for burial, but in their excitement and confusion, they weren’t thinking clearly. “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.” But it suddenly dawned on them ... after their arms started to get tired from carrying all those spices, and after they were already halfway to the tomb ... “Hey, Mary! By the way, whose gonna let us in? Whose gonna roll away the stone and let us in?” But that’s what death does to us, doesn’t it? We don’t think straight.
Then after they got to the tomb, heard the message of the angel, and saw that there was no body to anoint, what did they do? “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Well, that’s not very “Easter-y!” They’re supposed to be happy, not bewildered and afraid! But that’s what death does to us, doesn’t it? That’s why we don’t like going to funerals – we don’t know what to say. We don’t know how to act.
But they were there! They were there when Jesus was hanging on that cross. The other disciples – the big, tough, male disciples – they ran away! They were hiding in a locked room. But they women were there, and they could tell you, “He’s dead! We saw it with our own eyes. We followed them to the cemetery.” And that was that. They accepted it. They made plans to go on with their lives. Sounds just like you and me, doesn’t it?
You see, we’re just as confused as those women at the tomb!
But there was no confusion for God. And so while Satan has managed to pull one over on us, and get us to accept abortion, mercy killing and “death as a part of life,” plus gang members and terrorists who see dying as a badge of honor – God wasn’t confused! Not in the least! That’s why the Bible calls death “the enemy” (1 Corinthians15:26 ). Not a friend, but a foe! Not something to be accepted, but something to be defeated! Something to be put under Jesus’ foot, and squashed like a bug!
And so God did! And that’s what we are celebrating today. “Jesus Christ is risen today!” (CW: 157) “I know that my Redeemer lives!” (CW: 152) “HisBattle
The empty tomb has shaken the world!
Hell is vanquished!
The demons have fallen!
But, you know, that wasn’t the first time! God had been coming back and giving life to His people all along. Easter shouldn’t have been the surprise that it was! It’s the way God had been working all along. Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and brought death into the world. “As in Adam all die,” right? But God didn’t leave them dead. God came back. He gave them the promise of the Savior – “so in Christ all will be made alive.”
God’s people were slaves inEgypt
Time after time, when God’s people turned their backs on Him, He allowed them to be defeated by their enemies. Conquered and overrun. Hauled off into exile. Slavery. But God never left them there. God always came back.
The lepers living in colonies out in the wilderness found out. The lame, the blind, the deaf and demon-possessed found out. The prostitutes, sinners, Samaritans and outcasts found out. God came back for them!
And even though they didn’t get it at first, those confused women at the tomb found out. Those disciples who had run away in fear found out. And the guards who thought they were guarding the tomb found out. God came back!
Today we are celebrating Easter not just because God came back to the grave and rose from the dead, but because He keeps coming back! He keeps coming back for you. To give you His life. To carry your burdens. To lead and guide you. To forgive your sins. To wipe away your tears. To hear your prayers. To listen to your cries of anguish and frustration. To comfort you when you mourn. To wash you and make you His own in His baptismal waters. To feed you with His very own body and blood. To protect you. To give you what you need. To be there with you when you die, so He can lead you through the dark valley of death into the Promised Land of heaven. God comes back.
The Easter service had started in anEast Texas church. The choir started its processional singing, “Up from the Grave He Arose” as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. The last lady was wearing shoes with very slender heels. Without a thought for her fancy heels, she marched toward the grating that covered that hot air register in the middle of the aisle. Suddenly the heel of one shoe sank into the hole in the register grate. In a flash she realized her predicament. Not wishing to hold up the whole processional, and without missing a step, she slipped her foot out of her shoe and continued marching down the aisle.
The service took on a special meaning that Sunday, for just as the choir ended with “Alleluia! Christ arose!” a voice was heard under the church shouting: “I hope all of you are out of the way ’cause I’m coming out now!” The little girl closest to the aisle shouted, “Come on, Jesus! We’ll stay out of the way.”
Get used to it. Don’t get used to dying, but get used to living. Because today, the tomb is open! Because today, as the angel said, “He is not here. He has risen!” Because today, God came back, and Jesus, our Savior, is alive! Look out. Stay out of the way. God is coming back. Amen.
Easter at Epiphany onApril 24, 2012
After church, Johnny was told to go clean his room. After working for about 10 minutes, he came rushing down the stairs. He excitedly told his parents he had to go talk to the pastor right away. They looked at each other, bewildered, but they let him go. Johnny ran down the street to the pastor’s home and knocked on the door. The pastor answered the door, but before he could say anything, Johnny started talking. “Pastor,” Johnny said, “I heard you say today that our bodies came from the dust and when we die our bodies go back to dust.” “Yes, that’s right. I’m glad you were listening,” the pastor said. “Why do you ask?” Johnny replied, “Well, you’d better come over to our house right away and look under my bed, ‘cause there’s someone either comin’ or goin’!”
Johnny didn’t understand. He had good intentions, but in his excitement he just didn’t get it.
The women going to the tomb on Easter Sunday didn’t understand, either. They had good intentions in preparing Jesus’ body for burial, but in their excitement and confusion, they weren’t thinking clearly. “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.” But it suddenly dawned on them ... after their arms started to get tired from carrying all those spices, and after they were already halfway to the tomb ... “Hey, Mary! By the way, whose gonna let us in? Whose gonna roll away the stone and let us in?” But that’s what death does to us, doesn’t it? We don’t think straight.
Then after they got to the tomb, heard the message of the angel, and saw that there was no body to anoint, what did they do? “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Well, that’s not very “Easter-y!” They’re supposed to be happy, not bewildered and afraid! But that’s what death does to us, doesn’t it? That’s why we don’t like going to funerals – we don’t know what to say. We don’t know how to act.
And what about that message of the angel to the women? “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” You know what? That was bad news to them! The women had gone there looking for a dead Jesus, and He wasn’t there. The women had gone to the tomb looking for death, and when death was not there, they were disappointed.
Those silly women ... they did exactly what you and I would have done! You see, they had already accepted death. Of course, they couldn’t think straight. Of course, they were confused. Of course, they didn’t know what to do or say. Neither do we!
But they were there! They were there when Jesus was hanging on that cross. The other disciples – the big, tough, male disciples – they ran away! They were hiding in a locked room. But they women were there, and they could tell you, “He’s dead! We saw it with our own eyes. We followed them to the cemetery.” And that was that. They accepted it. They made plans to go on with their lives. Sounds just like you and me, doesn’t it?
You want to know how confused we are about death? Our world tells us that we’re supposed to accept death. I’m sure you’ve heard many people say that “death is just a part of life.” It is the end of suffering. The end of pain. The peaceful conclusion to a long life. The solution to our problems. Many people now see death as an escape, as a “friend.” And some doctors have signed onto that theory as well, willing now to help you kill yourself.
But if all of that’s true, then why are some of the largest and most expensive buildings in every town across America
You see, we’re just as confused as those women at the tomb!
But there was no confusion for God. And so while Satan has managed to pull one over on us, and get us to accept abortion, mercy killing and “death as a part of life,” plus gang members and terrorists who see dying as a badge of honor – God wasn’t confused! Not in the least! That’s why the Bible calls death “the enemy” (1 Corinthians
And so God did! And that’s what we are celebrating today. “Jesus Christ is risen today!” (CW: 157) “I know that my Redeemer lives!” (CW: 152) “His
The empty tomb has shaken the world!
Hell is vanquished!
The demons have fallen!
Death is dead!
The devil is defeated!
The angels rejoice!
The saints sing!
The grave is open!
And now there is an empty tomb for rent.
But you know what? We have to stop only singing about it and start doing it! We have to stop trying to get so used to death and start getting used to life! Because that’s what you and I will be doing for eternity – living! “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive!” (1 Corinthians 15:22)
And so the message for us today is, “Get used to it!” Stop trying so hard to accept death, and start getting used to life. Both your life here and your life eternally! Because in this world of death, God is in the life-giving business. Because in this dark valley of death, God shines His bright light of life eternal. Because on that first Easter morning, Jesus wasn’t in the tomb. God came back.
God’s people were slaves in
Time after time, when God’s people turned their backs on Him, He allowed them to be defeated by their enemies. Conquered and overrun. Hauled off into exile. Slavery. But God never left them there. God always came back.
While His people were under Roman rule, God came back. A man named Joseph found out that his fiancé was pregnant! But you know what he really found out? God was coming back!
The lepers living in colonies out in the wilderness found out. The lame, the blind, the deaf and demon-possessed found out. The prostitutes, sinners, Samaritans and outcasts found out. God came back for them!
And even though they didn’t get it at first, those confused women at the tomb found out. Those disciples who had run away in fear found out. And the guards who thought they were guarding the tomb found out. God came back!
So when are we going to learn? “For as in Adam all die” – yes! But “in Christ all will be made alive!” – an even louder yes! Today is the day we stop getting used to death and start getting used to life. Knowing that God always comes back!
So what are you facing in your life right now? What problem, what difficulty, what struggle, what fear and doubt, what debt, what crisis, what confusion, what “empty tomb” are you staring into? God came back. What enemy are you facing that could possibly be more powerful than death? What problem are you confronting that is harder to overcome then death? God came back – He defeated death. God came back to give life. God came back for you! So why are we so confused? Why are we so afraid?
Today we are celebrating Easter not just because God came back to the grave and rose from the dead, but because He keeps coming back! He keeps coming back for you. To give you His life. To carry your burdens. To lead and guide you. To forgive your sins. To wipe away your tears. To hear your prayers. To listen to your cries of anguish and frustration. To comfort you when you mourn. To wash you and make you His own in His baptismal waters. To feed you with His very own body and blood. To protect you. To give you what you need. To be there with you when you die, so He can lead you through the dark valley of death into the Promised Land of heaven. God comes back.
The Easter service had started in an
There wasn’t a hitch. The processional moved with clock-like precision. The first man after her spotted the situation and without losing a step, reached down and pulled up her shoe, but the entire grate came with it! Surprised, but still singing, the man kept on going down the aisle, holding in his hand the grate with the shoe attached. Everything still moved like clockwork. Still in tune and still in step, the next man in line stepped into the open register and disappeared from sight.
The service took on a special meaning that Sunday, for just as the choir ended with “Alleluia! Christ arose!” a voice was heard under the church shouting: “I hope all of you are out of the way ’cause I’m coming out now!” The little girl closest to the aisle shouted, “Come on, Jesus! We’ll stay out of the way.”
Get used to it. Don’t get used to dying, but get used to living. Because today, the tomb is open! Because today, as the angel said, “He is not here. He has risen!” Because today, God came back, and Jesus, our Savior, is alive! Look out. Stay out of the way. God is coming back. Amen.
Easter at Epiphany on
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