Shook - A Sermon for Easter Sunday 2023
GOSPEL: Matthew 28:1-10
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
My friends,
Jesus’ rising from the dead
was no mere fluke,
no random occurrence.
It was a cataclysmic event:
It shook the world -
and dare I say it still shakes the world.
The earth shook as Jesus cried out on the cross
and breathed his last.
How could God die?
How could our King die?
The curtain in the temple was torn -
the place where it was believed that God lived
was vacant,
empty,
nothing.
The death of the Rabbi,
the death of the Saviour
the death of God
left the followers of Jesus shook,
and shook the very foundations
of the world.
I know many of you have had your own earth shaken
by death in your own family,
or the death of a loved one,
or some other event
that is cataclysmic for you.
As death shakes the foundations of our lives
we too look to the heavens,
crying out like Jesus on the cross
“Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani”
“My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”
Like the women gathered with Jesus on the cross,
Like Mary and Martha with their brother Lazarus
Like the father whose little girl lie dead,
We cling to the hope of resurrection
at the bedsides of loved ones who have died,
while shaken to our core:
crying, “Come back”
We want them to be like Lazarus and get up,
we want them to be like the little girl and rise
we want them to be like Jesus and resurrect.
On that first Good Friday,
Jesus died.
Our God died.
On the third day,
the earth shook when the stone was rolled away.
The earth shook to the point that
the guards - alive and powerful -
the ones the oppressors placed
to ensure no funny business,
fell to the ground,
like dead men.
Like a powerful lightning strike
with its crashing thunder,
God’s messenger appears to the women,
shaking them to their core.
Like fresh snow on a barren field,
the gown of the messenger rains down.
The women’s earth shook
to the point that their unimaginable grief
was turned into fear and great joy.
The death in their hearts
transformed into new life,
when they saw the risen Lord.
My friends, Jesus’ rising from the dead
was no mere fluke,
no random occurrence.
It was a cataclysmic event:
It shook the world -
and dare I say it still shakes the world.
Christ has conquered death.
Christ has conquered the grave.
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
The women are shook,
to their very core,
and so may you be shook.
The women left that empty grave,
expecting death but found life.
They left with fear and great joy!
As the guards shake and fall like death,
so the empire is put to death,
and God’s kingdom rises.
The women are the first sent ones,
the first apostles with the message of resurrection,
and not just any resurrection,
but Jesus of Nazareth:
God’s return from death to life.
Jesus sends the women
because this news is too good not to share.
This is the good news that the whole world longs for.
This is the good news that the whole world needs.
This is your good news,
Good news that still shakes the ground.
Yet, I’m sure they were confused.
We know they were afraid.
Resurrection is confusing,
resurrection is not normal.
It is only natural to be afraid.
Resurrection says that
everything you’ve ever known about our lives
is now up for review.
They say the two most certain things in life
are death and taxes
and now not even death is so certain.
But amidst their confusion,
and amidst their fear,
the women proclaimed what they knew.
Three days earlier,
a crowd chanting “Crucify him!”
could not stop our God.
Three days earlier,
a shameful Roman cross
could not stop our God.
On the third day,
a giant stone could not stop our God.
On the third day,
a guard of armed soldiers
could not stop our God.
On this great day
and every day,
death cannot stop our God.
Our God cannot and will not be stopped.
Our God opens up the dark tomb of death
and brings in Light
Our God moves the oppressive regimes
from their strength
to being crippled in the dirt
Our God takes the cross:
the sign of torture
and death
and power
and makes it the sign of new life.
Our God changes the people who shout “Crucify Him!”
into people who need not fear death.
Our God does not want death.
Our God wants new life for all God’s people.
Our God wants new life for your loved ones
Our God wants new life for you.
2000 years ago,
New life for the religious elite
meant dealing with a truth greater
than what they thought they knew
New life for the guards
meant recognizing that God’s power is greater
than any power of any empire.
New life for the women
meant being God’s chosen people:
the first to witness the Risen Lord
and the first to share Christ’s
earth shaking good news.
New life for the disciples and followers of Jesus
meant their lives had lasting meaning
and a renewed purpose for joining God’s work.
New life for Peter - the one who denied Jesus -
meant God’s forgiveness and God’s sending
for even the screwups
who have made the greatest of mistakes.
Make no mistake,
Jesus didn’t rise from the dead
so that God’s people can
merely continue on with our old lives -
Jesus offers you new life as well.
Jesus’ resurrection means your death
and the deaths you grieve now
do not have the same sting.
Easter says that your loved ones are held by the God
who brings new life out of death.
Easter says that your loved ones have new life too,
So what does new life look like for you?
Maybe new life happens
when you can see that the ground under your feet
is shaking with the presence of God.
Maybe new life happens
when you can see God’s love
shake people to their core
in simple acts of kindness,
and in grand reversals of fortune.
Maybe new life is seen when,
like the women at the tomb,
amidst our own confusion and fear
we dare to live and proclaim the love of Jesus.
New life happens - resurrection happens - every day
when the Good News of Jesus Christ
is lived and experienced.
New life happens when the hungry and thirsty are fed,
when the imprisoned are visited,
when debts are forgiven,
when forgiveness is given and not earned,
when invitations are extended
to your family
and friends
and neighbours,
and even to the people you just run into;
invitations to come to the Lord’s Table,
invitations to come and meet the Risen Jesus
in the community of faith.
Jesus shows us that new life happens
when you lose your life for the good of others.
Jesus shows us that new life
isn’t your own comfort,
rather helping those who know no comfort.
My family in Christ,
Your future is secure with Jesus,
Your loved ones’ future is secure with Jesus
and your today is brand new with Jesus.
As the earth shook at Christ’s death,
as the earth shook at Christ’s rising from the grave,
so is the earth shaking with the presence of God
today.
So may God shake you to your core,
and bring you new life.
May God lead you to those places
where you can join God’s work
and make another’s hopeless today
brand new
May you go from this place in praise to our Risen Lord
who makes all things new.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
