March 27th, 2016
Good morning and welcome to this House of the Lord. Today is the holiest day of the Christian calendar, for on this day, we celebrate the miracle of Easter: Christ’s conquest over death.
All over the world, Christians are gathered in church services to celebrate that Christ is Risen. But as we remember the various stories and meanings concerning Easter, I would ask this question:
What do we learn from Easter? What do we learn about God and Christ?
To help us explore these questions, I want you to visualize something. Please ensure that you are comfortable, and feel free to close your eyes. But stay awake!
Now … imagine yourself sitting in a chair on a tropical beach. Its hot and sunny, and the ocean is the clearest blue. The sand is white and flecked with dazzling shells.
You sip some ice cold water, feeling very refreshed, and also very relaxed. Beside you is another person, who is also sitting in a chair, also looking very relaxed, staring at the ocean. Between the two of you is a table, and on that table is a platter full of cheese, dates, figs, grapes, and freshly baked bread.
There is a gentle breeze, and you notice pleasant scents in the air: that of the ocean, that of spring flowers, and of course, the mouth watering aroma of cooking meat.
You can hear nice music playing, and as you look around, you see many other people who are also cheerfully sitting on the beach, enjoying the view.
You have never felt so at peace, so tranquil, so relaxed. You are, truly, in Paradise.
Everything is perfect, and you are totally content. And you’ve earned it.
And you’ve earned it because just a few hours ago, you were found guilty of crimes that you were innocent of, you were beaten, scourged, and eventually crucified, dying a slow, and agonizing death.
You think back on the last three years. When you knew that the time had arrived for you to begin your public ministry, you asked your cousin John to baptize you. Then, you began to preach, and to teach.
Your message was simple. Love everyone. Understand, and accept that you are a person of worth, and that God loves you. So love yourself, and love everyone else. Everyone. Love your family, love your friends, even love your enemies.
Be compassionate. Show mercy. Forgive each other. Be generous and charitable. Look after those who have less than you. Never resort to violence. Do not judge unrighteously.
Understand that a place is prepared for you in the Kingdom of God. Understand that life does not end. Be true to God, and expect to live forever in God’s domain.
You also taught by example. When the Pharisees brought a sinner to you to be judged, you confounded them by saying “let he among you who is without sin, cast the first stone”. You forgave many people of their sins. You healed the sick. You restored sight to the blind. You even raised the dead. You performed many miracles to help people understand that you were truly sent from God.
And people listened to you. They heard your message, and it resonated with them. It was a message that was relevant to them. It was a message that brought forth redemption.
Your followers grew in number, until there were thousands of them. Some of them became your disciples, traveling with you, and supporting you in your ministry.
And it was ministry that you were performing. You helped people encounter God, to have their lives transformed, to be freed of sin, and to set their lives in order, living for the sake of others, not just themselves.
Eventually, you traveled to the city of Jerusalem. You entered the city riding on a donkey, in fulfillment of messianic prophecy.
You preached in the temple, and you gave thanks to God for the opportunity to worship Him.
And then Passover came. All throughout the city, Jews would recite the familiar words “why is this night different from all other nights?”
Why indeed? You share a final meal with your closest friends, your followers and disciples, your apostles. And one of them gets up and leaves, to run an errand of shadows.
Later, you and your apostles rest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Eventually Judas returns, and betrays you with a kiss. You are surrounded by temple guards, and arrested.
You are taken before a late night gathering of the Sanhedrin, where you are tried for blasphemy. You are found guilty, and dragged before Pontius Pilot. He finds no guilt in you, and has you sent to King Herod, who also finds no guilt in you, sending you back to Pilot.
Under the pressure of the Sanhedrin, Pilot is manoeuvred into sentencing you to die.
You are tortured, and crowned with thorns, and forced to carry your own cross to Calvary, where your feet and hands are impaled with spikes, as you are nailed to your cross, and crucified. You hang on your cross for several hours before finally, dying, and passing into Paradise.
And now again, you see the ocean, and the white sand, and you feel the peace and bliss of utter contentment. You hear someone talking to you, and you turn to look at the person sitting beside you. It is a man that you met just a few hours ago, while you were still dying on the cross. It is the repentant thief, who you promised would be with you this day, in Paradise.
He says to you “Lord, thank you for your love and mercy. I am humbled to be here with you.” He looks in several directions, and takes a piece of bread, chewing it thoughtfully. He again looks at you and says “Lord, I have been so blessed. Truly, I am content to dwell here with you and God in Paradise forever.”
You smile. And then you say “I will not be here forever. I have to go back”
The man looks stunned, and he says “Go back? But Lord, I don’t understand, why would you leave this place? Why would you forsake Paradise, and go back?”
You reply “My mission is not yet complete”
“But lord” the man says “I don’t understand. Your people rejected you! I was there, even before the crucifixion. Pontius Pilot gave them a choice, and they begged for mercy, they cried for freedom, they yelled, and the screamed, as they called for….Barabbas! Give us Barabbas they demanded!
Why would you go back? You were forsaken by your own people. Only a week ago, they received you into Jerusalem like a prince, draping the road with palm leaves, and shouting Hosanna! And then they conspired against you!
All because you preached love, mercy, compassion, hope.
Lord, your own disciples abandoned you! One of them betrayed you, delivering you into the hands of your enemies. Another denied you. Three times he denied you!
Lord, why – why would you go back?”
***
Why indeed? Why did Jesus go back? Why did he rise form his tomb? His death on the cross paved the way for our salvation, but why did Jesus have to go back?
Well, there is the obvious factor that by rising from the dead, Christ proved to his followers that he really was what he claimed to be: the Son of God. Or, more specifically, God Himself.
Christ had performed many miracles when he was alive. He had even brought at least two people back form the dead. But he was the only person to bring himself back from the dead. This was the final proof, the final demonstration to his followers, the final revelation concerning who he was.
He was not just a prophet, he was not just a holy man. He was not even just the son of God. He was both the Son and the Father. Or the mother. The parent. The creator.
For three years, several people ate with him, they travelled with him, they were ministered to by him. They were taught by him. But I suspect few of them truly grasped who or what he really was. I suspect that few of them could comprehend that the person sitting opposite them, on the other side of the campfire, was God Himself.
Christ’s resurrection was validation for everything that the disciples and followers of Jesus believed in.
It of course was also confirmation that people can be saved from death – through his resurrection, Christ conquered death, and opened the doors of eternal life to his children.
But let’s be honest. We already know all of this – so my original question remains – what do we learn from the story of Easter?
Well, we learn about the nature of Christ the man. While it is true that Christ was God, fully divine, Jesus was also a human being, fully man. And despite everything he went through, he was willing to go back.
He was no longer at risk of being harmed. But he had been rejected by his own people. He was betrayed. He was discarded. Yet, he still went back, to complete his mission.
To me, this demonstrates how much Jesus loved everyone. Going to the cross, and being crucified in the first place, was the greatest selfless act that anyone could ever do. But then, having experienced it, having lived through it, and dying as a result of it, he might have had a different opinion about going back to the people who inflicted that suffering upon him.
But he went back. That is how much he loved all of mankind. Would you have gone back? Would you have left the Paradise I described earlier? Would you have left whatever your own version of Paradise might be? Knowing what Christ taught, knowing how the people ultimately responded, knowing what he went through. Would you have gone back?
Jesus Christ faced that reality, and he went back. He rose from the dead for the sake of his mother, and for his family, and for his apostles, and his other disciples, and his other followers, and all those who need to know, then and now, that we are not ever alone, that God is with us, and loves us, unconditionally.
This is another lesson we learn from the Easter story. Despite all we do, God loves us. We are never unworthy. What have you done in your life that compares to the betrayal, trial, torture, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ? What sins are you guilty of that God will turn away from you?
God loves us, and he understands our faults and failings. Three weeks ago, I read a prayer that President Emeritus Wallace B. Smith gave in 2005. And although some of you heard it recently, I feel it is appropriate to read it again. His prayer went like this:
“Gracious and loving God, how wonderful is your Name. We stand in awe of the great faithfulness you have shown to us: the children of your creation through all the generations of time. Just as the most loving parent, you have ever nurtured and guided us; and just as wayward children we have sometimes ignored or rebelled against that guidance. For these wilful lapses and times of weakness, we now ask for your forgiveness, even as we rejoice in the constancy of your love.”
I love that prayer. Listen again to these key words: “Just as the most loving parent, you have ever nurtured and guided us; and just as wayward children we have sometimes ignored or rebelled against that guidance. For these wilful lapses and times of weakness, we now ask for your forgiveness, even as we rejoice in the constancy of your love.”
Through the miracle of Easter, we are reminded of how vast God’s love is for each of us. It truly is constant.
One of the things Jesus said to his disciples is this:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” –John 13:34 (IV, adapted)
Another thing that Christ said was:
“You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute you; For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” –Matthew 5:45-46, 48-49 (IV, adapted)
Jesus Christ is the ultimate model and example of love, and the Easter message confirms that. But we seem to have such low capacity to love other neighbours.
How can we be more like Christ? How can we be an Easter people? I’ve spoken of this before, and my answer is still the same. Quite simply, we need to grow our capacity to love others.
And to do that, we must allow ourselves to be loved. Again, I’ve spoken of this before, but its something I really want people to take to heart. Allow yourselves to be loved, so that you in turn, can grow in your capacity to love others.
One final thing we learn from the story of Easter is that there is always hope. Christ’s resurrection reminds us that, through God, through our covenant with Jesus Christ, all things are possible. If Christ can conquer death, if he can bring himself back to life, there is nothing that God cannot do.
Therefore, we must never give up hope. We must always remember to turn our burdens over to God.
Jesus Christ rose from the dead because of his love for all people, and to bring hope to the world.
Meanwhile, back in Paradise.
The repentant thief looks at you with understanding. He now knows why you have to go back. You both stand up, and he looks at you with concern perhaps even shame, as he lowers his head, and he says to you:
“Lord, I don’t have to go back, do I?”
You smile warmly, and embrace him, and then you look into his face, and you say:
“No my son, your place is here. You shall remain in Paradise. Only I have to go back.
But if you had to go back, would you?
If I needed your help, would you give it freely?
If I asked you to prepare the way, would you go?
If I needed you to be my voice, to bring others to my table, would you do so?
If I called you, would you answer the call?
Will you teach people to never give up hope? Will you teach people to allow themselves to be loved, so that they can grow in their own capacity to love everyone?
I rose for you. Will you rise up now, for the sake of all others?”
~Sermon Vault~ 