The Abundant Gift of Life

March 23, 2008
Matthew 28:1-10, Jeremiah 31:1-6
Sermon by Torin Eikler
Easter Morning Service

What a wonderful day! The sun is out … well most of the time. Spring is here – officially if not in the feel of the air. Flowers are blooming with more on the way. Trees are budding – though I hope I can still trim back some of our bushes before it’s too late to have leaves this year. We have seedlings all over our house and a few peas even starting to peak their timid heads out of the garden soil. And on top of all of that, it’s Easter. The long stretch of Lent and the darkness of Good Friday have passed away before the light coming from the tomb just as the morning sun has begun to shine into the winter darkness of our waking. What time could be more full of joy?!

And yet, it is not all smiles and happiness for everyone. Millions of people around the world are still trapped in the darkness of violence. Our neighbors in the Midwest continue to struggle with rivers overflowing their banks and home ruined by rushing waters – particularly hard to deal with in this time of uneasy credit. Here in our own community, many people are finding it hard to pay their bills as the cost of everyday life rises on the back of gas prices. And into this struggle the good news of Easter speaks.

The disciples, I think, found themselves in a similar place all those years ago. The man they had called master and teacher was gone – forever swallowed up by death and resting in a tomb. It’s hard for us to imagine since we know the end of the story, but try to put yourselves in their shoes. We have heard how they followed Jesus back to Jerusalem against their better judgment, knowing that it was risky to go back to the place where the authorities had so recently tried to stone their leader. And yet, things seemed to be going well.

Many new people had come to listen to and follow Jesus after he raised Lazarus from the dead. They had seen an amazing crowd lining the road, hailing the rabbi as a new king when they all entered Jerusalem just a week before. Jesus had tossed out the money lenders in the temple and crowds had come to listen to him teach – all without any real threat from the priests. What could the authorities do, after all, when so many people were behind them? There were even Greeks – people who knew nothing of God’s promise to the nation of Israel – who were coming to learn from the rabbi. And, at their arrival, Jesus had said that the time was coming when he would be glorified, and angelic voices speaking from the heavens had confirmed that glorious destiny. Yes, it was all coming together quite nicely.

And then it happened.

I suppose they could have seen it coming. There were probably rumors that the high priests were planning something to get rid of the threat to their power. Jesus himself told them more than once that he was headed to his death rather than some grand coronation ceremony. But, it was still quite a surprise when the soldiers of the chief priests came and arrested him in the middle of a quiet night. And to hear all about how he stood silent, offering no defense at his trial. To know how he was beaten and taunted. And, then, to watch him walk to his own execution – bloody and tired – so weak that some poor man was forced to carry the cross for him. To see him hanging there, dying slowly and be able to do nothing at all.

On top of everything else, it was one of their own who betrayed Jesus, and none of them were safe. After all, everyone knows that you can’t really stop a movement just by killing the leader. With Jesus gone – and all the protection his fame afforded – what was to stop the priests from coming to get the rest of them? Certainly, they must have felt trapped in the depths of despair.

And even more so – Mary. Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet. Mary who had run to the man she knew to be the Messiah, her grief bringing tears to his eyes. Mary who, six days before, had lavished a year’s worth of wages and all her love on Jesus when she poured perfume over his feet and dried them with her hair. She had hosted her teacher and his closest followers several times, and they were staying with her the night Jesus was taken. Certainly she was caught up in despair and fear as well.

Yet Mary needed more. She needed to see the tomb one last time. Dead in the depths of her grief, went to the tomb while the others hid. And there, life surprised her.

An angel appeared … rolled the stone away from the door to the tomb … spoke to her impossible words. “I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised.”

Mary looked and saw that Jesus was not there. With joy and confusion milling about together in her heart, she turned to share the news with the others,

and life surprised her again.

Jesus appeared before her. He was alive and she saw him with her own eyes. She took hold of his feet and worshipped him. And speaking words of comfort and peace, he sent her on ahead to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

And, I imagine, as she went on her way with tears of joy on her face, she found herself surprised again. Surprised to feel life and hope surging in her heart and soul. And so she hurried…. She hurried to bring the news … to let the others know that the door to the tomb of their grief and fear stood open.… She hurried to bring them out again into life and hope.

New life was there for them … and it was more than they needed. They had already received the living water. The second birth – the birth from above was already theirs. It was there in the teaching they had received. It was there in the life they had witnessed. Teachings and examples that had opened their blind eyes to a new world and a new way of living love. The door to the Realm of God was open to them, and they had already been invited – already been welcomed into that new reality by their rabbi and their Lord.

The promises of the prophets had been fulfilled. The suffering servant, the Messiah had come and freed them from the binding of the world. He had brought them once again to Mount Zion and shown them how to worship God. And then … and then, he had given them more.

And Easter comes to us in the same way. It is enough for us that Christ taught us how to live. It is enough that Christ showed us how to love. It is enough that Christ loved us enough to die on the cross – carrying our sin there to die with him – healing our broken relationship with God and with each other through the balm of his own life pour out. All of this was enough for our salvation from the powers of this world and our rebirth into our new lives as Children of God.

And then … and then, we are surprised by grace. With all the promises fulfilled … with our souls’ needs met … with the doorway open and the banquet prepared for us, God gives us yet another gift. Christ – our teacher, our model, our lord – rises from the tomb and hands us life and hope, unwrapped … shiny and new.

The gifts of God to us in Christ are
not just teaching and knowledge
but wisdom that is folly to the world,
not just a good example
but a guide and companion along the paths of life,
not just salvation washing life clean
but new life,
And not just life,
but abundant life eternally made new by the presence –
the voice, the touch, and the love – of the Risen One.

And we receive this gift just as the disciples did. Coming into the darkness of our lives every year, the angel speaks of hope and life beyond hope. Mary comes and tells us the good news. Christ has risen. Look and see the light shining to guide you out of the tomb that daily life has built around you. The Spirit whispers the invitation, “Follow the voice of Christ. Rise, come forth, and enter into the true life that is now and forever open before you.”


Today – on this wonderful day of celebration – we receive that gift anew.

Look and see the empty tomb with its sentinel stone thrown aside.
Experience again the voice of the angel offering hope.
Feel, once more, surprise and joy at Mary’s revelation.

All over again, hear the Spirit’s invitation …

(whispered) Rise, come forth, and enter into true life, the abundant life in Christ.”