The Grand Opening - of An Empty Tomb

The Grand Opening - of An Empty Tomb    

7:00 am Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 

Matthew 28:1-10   

The resurrection story in the gospel of Matthew is short and sweet. Here, there are two women who arrive at the tomb, and experience an earthquake and witness the angel rolling the stone away. Then the angel says the classic words of angel introduction - “Do not be afraid.” Angels nearly always say that. It is on Page One of the angel handbook. 

Then the angel tells them that Jesus has been raised from the dead. So we have a report of what happened, but no eye witnesses. But before the women can leave the garden, they have a direct encounter with the Risen Christ. 

You are here in this early hour of the morning. You came with certain expectations. You came to join in the company of these faithful people. You came expecting to hear this classic story. You came to renew your memory of Easter Sundays that came before. 

Maybe, if you would permit yourself a quiet moment, you too can feel the presence of the Christ. Perhaps we cannot see the Christ, but maybe you can sense the presence of the Spirit of the living Christ. 

Jesus appeared to the women, but promised to meet with them again in Galilee. Jesus promises us this morning, to be present with us in Spirit everyday, and meet us in the resurrected form at the end of the age. 

On Maundy Thursday, we paused at the communion table to make ourselves aware of the way the presence of the Spirit of Christ is essentially a way of being in the Kingdom of God, right now, right here. We have the living God. We have the community of the faithful. We have a clear reason to rejoice in the Lord, I say it again, Rejoice! 

This is more than a promise for tomorrow, it is a present reality. We can carry this reality as far as we are able to live in the presence of God. Certainly, the Kingdom of God extends to the Fellowship Hall. We can easily stretch it to the Parking Lot, or the spaces along Washington Street. 

With intention, we can carry the Kingdom of God all the way into Easter Dinner with the family. Maybe you will call members of the extended family later today, call the folks who cannot make it home. You can try out that presence of the Kingdom through the technology of the phone or remote video. 

The resurrection is not a one time event restricted to the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The point of the resurrection is the defeat of the entire expectation that this life is all there is. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance that a life lived with love, is a life that does not end. The key to that life is the love of God. And the love of God is love for you, and the love in you, and most importantly, the love you share. 

The threat of death and the powers of this world have been revealed - in the empty tomb. There is no true death in the cave. There is no defeat in the cave. The real power is in the love of God. That is love is vital - and real - and it belongs to each of us. And better yet, it grows whenever we share that love. 

And so we celebrate, celebrate Jesus, and the new reality that Jesus has shared. We move forward, not made perfect, but made whole and empowered to live without fear. No matter how disturbing the powers of this world may be, the truth of God and God’s love lives on. 

As we live, aware of the presence of the Spirit, as we live, empowered by what we know of the truth, we can live with greater freedom and joy.