Easter Sermon (Luke 24.1-12)

 “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

To be sure, this is a challenging question at the best of times. And these women are not experiencing the best of times. The women are at a tomb – and not just any tomb, the tomb of the man they loved. The man they trusted in. The man they expected to offer them freedom from the oppressive regime that was painfully restrictive. The man who promised them a new life, one worth living, one worth celebrating.

They were at his tomb. He was dead – as were their hopes.

The women were there to undertake the difficult task of preparing the body; of seeing, touching, cleaning, anointing. This act would make very real and inescapable the undeniable truth that he had died, violently, publicly, horribly.

They were at his tomb. He was dead. This had been verified.

The women were there at first light – they likely had not slept well, if at all. They were likely there before breakfast, needing to complete their task as quickly and quietly as possible so as not to draw the attention of the Roman guards. They were hoping that their work would not be interrupted, or undone, or forbidden by the authorities that had caused his death. They were hoping that they would be able to complete their task without facing their own punishment.

They were at his tomb. He was dead – but his memory deserved the respect and the tradition.

And so they were at his tomb. But He was not.

The Gospel tells us that the women were perplexed at this. I think this is an understatement – they would have been going through a number of scenarios and emotions as they considered where the body had been taken, and what they should do next.

Is it any wonder, then, that when they encounter God’s messengers, that they cannot recognise them for who they are, but rather see them as regular men, whose clothes happen to be dazzling? Any one of us, I’d wager, would be overwhelmed by all this, especially when it happened so quickly. Any one of us would bow our faces to the ground. Any one of us would struggle to comprehend what was happening around us. Any one of us would be challenged and confused by the simple yet serious question: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

 The interaction takes the women back into their history, into their experiences. It takes them into a new reality whereby the promises of Jesus are no longer just words offered once, but assurances of eternity available to all who believe. They bring back to mind those affirmations that the earthly death is not a permanent status, but just the beginning of a new reality, a new life with God. They remember his words, and they believe – they know that Jesus is alive, that He has Risen! They know that the world has changed forever in an amazing way: it wasn’t seen, or heard, but the proof is there. The women now see the world in a new way that celebrates that promise of new life, and they cannot help but be changed – empowered – inspired by it. It’s no wonder they return from the tomb quoting Jesus’ words and telling everyone they can find. This is good news – this is great news – this is life.

This is what we gather to celebrate today – this Easter Sunday, this Easter season. The promise fulfilled of new and eternal life – with God, in the Kingdom. Halleluia!

But before we get there, we are called to live the promise of this new life, in the here and the now. In this world, at this time. We of faith trust that this life is ours, that we catch glimpses of it as it breaks through into this world. And from time to time, we go looking for that life. Yet sometimes, we look in exactly the opposite direction. And so I ask you to consider: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

We, all of us, from time to time are caught spending time among the dead. There are things in our lives that are dead, yet we return to them over and over again.

We have relationships that are stagnant, that are unhealthy, that inflict pain.

We take part in activities that hinder growth, that deny joy, that prevent nurturing.

We have habits that restrict us, that are unsustainable, that restrain our spirit.

These are the things in our lives which are dead, yet to which we return time and again. These are the things in our lives that we do because we always have done, or we have idly perceived as acceptable, or those that we are too afraid to confront. These are the dead, and we know that we will not find the living among them. These are the dead where we will not find the living – where we will not find the risen Christ.

 

And so I invite us this Easter to stop spending time amongst the dead. I invite us to embrace our faith and use that to change our perspectives. Let’s adjust our mindsets in such a way that we focus on the living – on the very real presence of Christ in our lives. Let’s take time to be amazed and surprised and overwhelmed by the power of Christ to overcome the dead things in our lives. Let’s take the risk and engage in the difficult tasks of breaking free from old patterns.

May we reinvigorate relationships to be life-giving, grace-filled, and healing.

May we put our energy into activities that nourish us, bring us true and deep-rooted joy, and inspire development.

May we be willing to change our habits so that they empower us, support us, and free us.

May we truly recognise that the Risen Christ is a reality right now for all of us – that He is offering us – US! – new joys, new possibilities, new strength to meet the challenges ahead. May we celebrate that new life is being promised NOW. The NOW is all the same to God, from the creation of the first human to the end of earthly time: as Meister Eckhart assures us “all are the same in God, and there is only one NOW.” We are being promised new life of the risen Christ now.

So let’s remember the words of Jesus, like the women at the tomb.

Let’s leave the tomb behind and tell everyone we can find about the power of the risen Christ in our own lives.

Let’s not be discouraged by those who think our faith to be an idle tale.

Let’s be like Peter – willing to run to the tomb and see it empty, and to know what that means, and to be amazed by it.

Let’s live in the timeless promises of the now, in the greatness of the grace being promised to each and every one of us. Let’s live in the truth that he is not here – he is risen. Alleluia!