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SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2008
EASTER
John 20:1-10 (More than an old
story)
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TODAY’S SERMON THEME:
Today
we come face-to-face with the great mysteries of an old story. A story that is much more than a
"story" and that is anything but "old." The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is,
without question, the most important event in history -- for the single reason
that it changed the course of history.
And it released into the world a force that is the most powerful in
history: The Love of God. This power can
(and will) turn even the most painful and difficult situation into an occasion
for joy and hope.
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1. Not too long ago, after one
of our Lenten weeknight services of Holy Communion, I heard a very sad -- and a
very familiar -- comment. A comment made
by a young man. Unfortunately, it was a
comment I have heard many times. The young man said that the
Holy Week and Easter stories about Jesus were all great stories -- stories he
had heard all his life. But that's all they were. Stories.
Old stories. Just like the old
stories about the gods and goddesses of Egypt, and Greece, and Rome. Just like the old legends about Zeus, or
Aphrodite, or Isis, or Hercules. Maybe
you have wondered about Jesus, too.
Maybe you have wondered whether Jesus was just an old name in an old
story. Or maybe you have wondered WHAT
-- if anything -- this OLD STORY about Jesus has to do with YOU.
If you have ever wondered about
these things, then please consider a couple of things:
(1)
Just consider . . . that before this day is over . . . more than 6,000
people will come to believe in Jesus, in INDIA; and more than 10,000 people
will come to believe in Jesus, in CHINA; and more than 41,000 people will come
to believe in Jesus, in AFRICA. Before this day is over,
nearly 70,000 people all over the world will make a decision to convert to the
Christian faith. And not just
today. EVERY day. (These are figures from the Center for the
Study of Global Christianity.)
(2) Just consider . . . that in
the Islamic nations of the world, where conversions to Christianity can result
in the death penalty, more and more people every day are turning their backs
secretly on JIHAD and HATRED and turning to faith in Jesus:
(a) In ALGERIA . . . where Christians have been
repressed violently since 1990, there is a growing whisper on the streets that
says: “Christianity is LIFE; Islam is
DEATH.” Such is the power of that old
story about Jesus.
(b) In the tiny
nation of QATAR . . . the most widely read book among the nation’s 1
million people is the Arabic translation of the New Testament. Four years ago, more than 100,000 people
watched the showing of Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” in its
first weekend. Thousands of people that
weekend left the theaters in tears, with a hunger to know MORE about Christ. Such is the power of that old story about
Jesus.
(3) Just consider . . . the story
of a friend of mine named Stuart. Fifteen
years ago, when I met him, Stuart was angry, confused, and determined to commit
slow suicide through alcohol. He stayed
drunk all the time. He had lost his
wife, his children, and a whole series of jobs.
I met him at a weekend spiritual retreat known as Cursillo -- which he
attended as a favor to a friend. He
fought against God all that weekend, and then finally -- on the last day --
opened his heart to the Lord. His life
was changed instantly. He finally realized
that God had already forgiven him, and that he had a purpose in life, a PURPOSE
for being alive. He turned his life
around -- and is now the Scoutmaster of his church’s Scout troop, is a lay
minister and Sunday School teacher, and has a new relationship with his
kids. Such is the power of that old
story about Jesus.
(4) And just consider . . . the
story of another friend of mine, a retired schoolteacher named Sharon. She is in her late-70’s. When her husband died 15 years ago, she gave
up on life. She spent days by herself,
without contact from anyone. She went
days at a time without eating. But one
day, she opened the door to her house to find a bunch of teenagers from our
parish standing there, inviting her to come to a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. SOMETHING about those kids melted her
heart. She opened her door to them, and
then opened her heart to the Lord. Our
kids prayed for her, right there on her front porch. And today she is a prayer WARRIOR for the
Lord. And she plays the piano three days
a week at a retirement center in her neighborhood. And on other days, she reads the Bible aloud
to “the old folks” in another nursing facility.
Such is the power of that old story about Jesus.
2. JUST AN OLD STORY? Hardly.
Today -- on
this Easter morning -- we come face-to-face with the great mysteries of an old
story that is much more than a "story" and that is anything but
"old." The resurrection of the
Lord Jesus is, without question, the most important event in history -- for the
single reason that it changed the course of history. And it released into the world a force that
is the most powerful in history: The Love of God. This power can (and will) turn even the most
painful and difficult situation into an occasion for joy and hope.
3. Let us look at the event that
changed the course of history:
a. The eerie setting -- that morning, before sunrise,
when Mary Magdalene visited the Garden Tomb . . . to perform a final act of
kindness to her rabbi and teacher . . . who had been executed by crucifixion
two days before.
b. The barrage of emotions -- fear, pain, anguish,
sickness, nausea, extreme disorientation, post-traumatic stress.
c. Mary and her questions -- what would she
encounter? Would the guards at the tomb
arrest her? Hassle her? Abuse her?
Would then let her near the tomb?
Would they roll away the stone?
Mary overcame her fears.
d. The unexpected scene -- the Roman soldiers had
deserted their post, the stone was already moved, the tomb was empty. The grave clothes were in place, but the body
of Jesus was gone.
e. The appearance of the angel -- Mary had come seeking the
dead . . . but Jesus was NOT dead . . . She wanted to know where the body had
been taken . . . but Jesus was NOT dead.
He had risen.
f. The Risen Christ -- Mary encounters the Risen
Lord in the garden, but her grief keeps her from recognizing Him . . . until He
calls her name: “Mary!” She is overcome with joy. Death is swallowed
up by LIFE.
g. Further resurrection appearances -- The
other gospels tell us that Jesus appeared to other women at the tomb . . . then
to the apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem . . . then to two disciples on
the Road to Emmaus . . . then to Simon Peter . . . then to James, his
half-brother . . . then to His family and followers over the next 40 days . . .
including an appearance to more than 500 people at one time (I Corinthians 15).
4. An old story? Hardly.
The New Testament is filled with accounts of TRANSFORMATION -- from
despair into hope, from death into life, from sorrow into joy, from meaningless
into ministry. And the pages of HISTORY
-- for 2,000 years -- echo those Biblical stories of TRANSFORMATION. OF POWER.
In my
own life, I can point to several specific occasions when the POWER of the resurrection
changed -- and saved -- my life. And I
know that many of you here today can point to similar stories in your own
life. I have no doubt that I would not be here today except for the saving and
the healing power of the Lord Jesus -- a POWER released into the world for all
time, for all places, for people, on that first Easter morning. The power of the resurrection literally
rescued me from the bonds of sin and hell.
And I know that it has for many of you, too. It has done so for 20 centuries -- one person
and a time, one situation at a time, one event at a time. The power of the resurrection continues to
this day to TRANSFORM lives. Even today. Even in this place. Right here.
Right now.
5. As we gather this morning to celebrate the event that
changed the course of history, let us take the opportunity to look into our own
lives. And let us ask the crucial
question: ARE WE living in the POWER of
the resurrection today . . . or are we trying to muddle through life on our own
strength and power? The facts are very
simple. We are NOT alone in this
world. And we do NOT have to live as
though we were left to our own devices and desires, merely to survive. God has other, better plans for us. As Scripture tells us:
(1) “God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should NOT perish, but have everlasting LIFE.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world, through Him, might be saved”
(John3:16-17).
(2) “I am the
resurrection and the life, says the Lord.
He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall NEVER die” (John 11:25-26).
(3) Jesus said: “Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me. For I
am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-30).
(4) “For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things to come
nor things that have been, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation shall be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
6. And the greatest news of all
is that we can turn to Him at any time to connect to the greatest power in the
universe -- the LOVE of God in Christ Jesus.
This power can (and will) turn even the most difficult and painful
situation into an occasion for JOY and HOPE.
Nearly 70,000 people TODAY -- 6,000
in India, 10,000 in China, and 41,000 in Africa -- can attest to this
miraculous POWER.
And so can I.
And so can many of you.
JUST AN OLD STORY? Hardly.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!