Sermon (4/24/11, Matthew 28: 1-10): Our last reflection on the Passion Narrative ended with an earthquake. Just as Jesus breathed his last breath,

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1 1 Sermon (4/24/11, Matthew 28: 1-10): Our last reflection on the Passion Narrative ended with an earthquake. Just as Jesus breathed his last breath, Matthew tells us there was a sudden and powerful earthquake along with the tearing of the temple s curtain in two. In fact, the earthquake was so powerful that solid rocks were split in two. Today s story from Matthew describing Jesus resurrection also begins with an earthquake marking the moment when the angels rolled the stone away from the entrance of Jesus tomb. It s interesting how both these stories include an earthquake - one to close the story of Jesus horrific demise and one to announce the glory of Jesus resurrection. It s easier, I think, to grasp the reason for the earthquake at the time of Jesus death. It s almost as if God s grief exploded-shaking the very foundations of both heaven and earth. We can imagine it to be the consequence of a Father s heart, split in two like the rocks that were split by the earthquake s fury. The earthquake on Easter morning is a little more difficult to reconcile, mostly because we know all too well that there is no glory in them. All too fresh in our minds are the images of Japan s recent earthquake where buildings were reduced to splinters and a Tsunami picked up large objects like toys in a bathtub, depositing them in places beyond comprehension. Still fresh in our minds are the tears of broken families hunkered down in crowded shelters or looking over the scattered remnants of their homes and communities or overcome with grief by the loss of loved ones. Clearly, there is no glory in earthquakes. And yet, on this Easter Sunday we still come looking for glory in adrenaline inducing hymns, in trumpet notes vibrating the air with joy, in exuberant highs that make our souls sing. The idea of an earthquake as a consequence of Easter is far from our minds-it seems sorely out of place. On Friday, Jesus cried with a loud voice and breathed his last. The curtain in the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, and the rocks split in two. A Roman Soldier cried out Truly this man was God s son! An understatement, if you ask me, after feeling the earth literally shift under his feet but maybe the shaking made it all sink in. Maybe that soldier said what others were thinking. Maybe that Good Friday assault woke them up, causing them to rightfully question what they had done. On the first day of the week, as the sun rose, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus tomb. Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was an earthquake.

2 2 The ground literally shifted under the feet of these poor women. We can picture them struggling to regain their footing, maybe even falling, gripping the ground with fear, confused and dazed by the violence of the moment. Once again, we also find Roman Soldiers this time ordered to stand guard to make sure that Jesus stayed dead. As the earth trembled, we re told that fear turned them into something resembling dead men. The bad news of Good Friday ends with an earthquake exclamation. The good news of Easter morning begins with an earthquake wake up call. The line differentiating earthly horror from heavenly glory seems almost non-existent. Both earthquakes are gut wrenching, life disrupting, and catastrophic, leaving its victims trembling with fear. So the question left for us on this Easter Morning is what has changed? If we find the earthquakes of Good Friday still shaking the ground on Easter morning, how has Easter made a difference in creation s story? To be sure, what seems to be clear in this Easter story is that Jesus resurrection did not somehow magically eradicate fear from the earth. It didn t stop the earth from moving nor did it curtail the worries that weigh so heavy on mortal shoulders. It didn t shift the spin of the world s axle so that all of the world s evil would be flung into deep space somewhere. In fact, it s curious that as close as the women seemed to be to the tomb, by the time they arrived, Jesus was already gone. It seems that Jesus didn t waste a single moment making his way back to the same place where so much of Jesus ministry had taken place. He s gone ahead of you to Galilee, there you will see him. The angels said. Galilee was the same place where Jesus had taught, where Jesus had healed the sick, where Jesus had appointed the twelve, where Jesus had showed compassion on the suffering, where Jesus had spoken in parables, and where, behind the scenes, those who felt threatened by Jesus started to plan his demise. Go back to Galilee, there you will see him at work, back in the thick of life s troubles, cleaning up the mess of the world s disturbing ways. In essence, Jesus instructions to the disciples didn t lead the disciples away from the world s troubles but it pushed them out of the tiny room they were hiding in right back to the place where their service was needed most. Just as it was on that first Easter Sunday this is both a bad news/good news day. The bad news is that life is still hard even as we gather to celebrate the

3 3 greatest joy that has ever been celebrated. Life is still hard and there are no easy answers as to why the world is still filled with earthquakes and so many other things that make little sense. Life is still hard filled with far too much injustice and cruelty. Easter offers no easy resolution as to why an empty tomb hasn t brought all our troubles to an end. Yet, there is also good news. It is closely intermingled with the bad just as an earthquake is so closely intermingled with Easter glory. One must look hard to see it, to notice it, to embrace it, to celebrate it. The risen Jesus is on his way back to Galilee, to Japan, to the Middle East, to the United States, to New York, to Massachusetts, to Vermont, to East Schodack, to Castleton, to East Greenbush, to your home, to my home, to your Galilee, to my Galilee. Tell the disciples that s where I will meet them. Jesus said. Not on the top of some mountain, not at some secluded, protected spot in the wilderness, not at a vacation resort where all of life s troubles are put on hold but right back in the thick of things and, sure enough, on their way, guess who the women run into Jesus. And his first words to them are, Don t be afraid even when life is lived on shaky ground, you won t be alone, you will never be alone, I will be with you always and, because of that, Easter hope, resurrection hope is never far behind. Carrie Newcomer sings a wonderful song called, I ll Go Too. It goes something like this: When I was small I often said There were ugly things beneath my bed I d slip downstairs into the safety of Dad s easy chair And I d stay until he d say, It s time But he d always smile and put his hand in mine And say, I ll Go Too When I was learning how to swim I d look down at the water and back at him He d say Take my hand, we ll both jump in And I ll go too.

4 4 It was almost noon in a white lace dress I had my doubts if I could do the rest He said, Take my hand, just do your best I ll go too In a quiet place in the April snow It was time to finally let her go So I took his hand and said, And I ll go too Someday we all will understand And we ll walk right into the Promised Land But I hope an angel takes me by the hand And tells me I ll go too. As it is true with so much of our journey as disciples of the living Christ, even amidst Easter joy there is also Easter fear, there is also Easter mystery, there is also the ominous horizon that still lies before us with threatening skies and earthquakes to clean up after. There are still tears to be dried, worries to be had, and sorrows to be confronted. They haven t gone away. The Good News of Easter, however, is that, come what may, the promise of Jesus stands firm and

5 immovable be not afraid, we go not alone, we do not face these things on our own. And therein is our Easter hope now and forevermore. To God alone be all the glory! 5

6 Congregational Prayer followed by Lord s Prayer, Hymn #307: 6 Loving God, your first words to your frightened disciples on that first Easter day were, be not afraid. Yet there was so much to be frightened of earthquakes that shook the ground, your disciples hiding, fearing they would be next, a world still immersed in chaos and struggle. Your words to us on this Easter Morning are the same Be not afraid. Yet there is still so much that frightens us frail bodies, worries for loved ones, earthquakes that shake the ground, catastrophes that shake our lives. Loving God, on this Easter morn, we pray for a new encounter with you, the Risen Christ, so that we might leave here in the confidence of knowing that come what may, we go not alone. You have been with us since the beginning of time and you will be with us always in all the days are yet to come. In you Easter hope never fades. We cling to this hope this day even as we hold before those who are ill and frightened, suffering and lost, grieving and troubled. We pray for those who are victims of life s tragic consequences and those who victimize. We pray for those places ravaged by war, by hunger, by anger, and by violence. We pray this day for Japan as it struggles to rise up from the rubble of their recent earthquake. We pray for those in our nation whose lives have been turned on end because of recent tornadoes. And we pray for these concerns that we now boldly name either in our silence or out loud. Finally, God of grace, hear us as we are bold to pray, singing together. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.