Easter Sunday | Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane
I forgot. How many times have you said that? Maybe it was your keys, phone, an appointment, someone’s birthday? I’ve said it way too many times. We all forget things from time to time, but it’s especially easy to forget things when we are grieving, stressed or distracted by other things. My aunt liked to remind her family that on the morning of her wedding, she was all ready to go to the church and she went into her upstairs bedroom to get her veil. Meanwhile, everyone else in her family was so distracted by the details of what they were each supposed to do on that day that they piled into their cars… and it wasn’t until they got to the church that they realized, - they left the bride at home.
Mary Magdalene, Joanna and the other women were understandably more than a little distracted when they went to the tomb. They were grieving the loss of the one who had healed them – Jesus had exorcised 7 demons from Mary Magdalene and had healed Joanna and the other women from various diseases as he traveled throughout Galilee. Luke reports that after being healed, these women followed Jesus, listened to his teachings and supported him and the disciples out of their own resources.
But now, as they brought spices to anoint his dead body – the last gift that they could offer - their world looked bleak, full of death. The powers of evil – working through the brutal force of the Roman army – had killed the one that they thought was the Messiah and along with him whatever hopes they might have had for a different kind of world.
Dashed hopes. Death. Shattered dreams. It sounds all too familiar. Just as we begin to come out of the pandemic, which was marked by isolation, disease and death, we find ourselves in a world that is less safe. Bombs devastate train stations and maternity wards. People are shot in a subway. Children are dying of hunger. The death toll is mounting. Regardless of where you get your news from, the news is not good.
Yet it is into this very world that Jesus came, teaching, preaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God as he healed the sick of heart and mind and forgave the sins – even of those who tortured and killed him.
Who could blame the women if their thoughts were not on Jesus’ teachings that day as they brought spices to the tomb? They were living in a world of death and hurt – much like ours. And so of course they were “perplexed” when they found the gravestone moved and the tomb empty. Of course they were terrified when angels - men in dazzling clothes -- suddenly appeared.
But the angels – not bound by this world of death and hurt - seem surprised to see them and ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not dead but is risen.” “Remember.” Remember the words of Jesus. And then they remind the women of Jesus’ words prophesizing his death and resurrection. Of course Jesus is not in the tomb. He’s not dead!
And then… as if the light from the angels shone a light into their hearts and minds, in an “aha” moment, he women remember. They remember Jesus’ words and the promises of God and go to tell the disciples and all the rest the good news.
At first, none of the disciples believed the women. They called their good news “an “idle” tale – which is a polite translation of: “hogwash,” “fake news” – or worse. But later, after a visit from Jesus and some work on the part of the Holy Spirit, Peter and the others not only remember Jesus’ words, but are convicted that the Good News of Jesus is true, not only for them, but for all people. As Peter says in the book of Acts, God shows no partiality. The love of God and forgiveness of sin is for all people. You can count on that too.
Remember. Just as Mary Magdalene and Joanna remembered and then shared the Good news, and then Peter and the disciples remembered and shared the Good News, so I invite you today to remember the words of Jesus and share the Good news of the promises of God which have been given “for you” and for all people.
Remember. Soon, you will again hear the words of Jesus proclaimed, “This is my body… eat this in remembrance of me. This is my blood.. drink this in remembrance of me…” Remember the promise of forgiveness of sins is given for you.
Remember. Today as you walk by the Baptismal font, remember that you were baptized as a child of God and God claims you as God’s beloved.
And wherever you go, and wherever you are, Remember the promise of Jesus who said, “I will be with you always.”
Jesus told stories to help people remember. So today I have a story for you. This is the story of a farmer and a hired hand.
“A hired hand was once applying to work for a farmer. When the farmer interviewed him, he would respond to every question by saying, “I sleep well at night.” The farmer thought his responses to be a little odd, but decided to hire him anyway.
One night, not long after, a great storm arose, and the farmer leapt from bed and called for his hired hand to help. When he could not rouse him, he went out himself, only to find that everything was already sheltered and tied down. The farmer then understood the worker’s comment, “I sleep well at night.” He slept because he had done everything needed in case of a storm. From then on, the farmer also slept well at night.”1
Out of God’s great love, God sent – not a hired hand -but Jesus, his only son, to save us and redeem us. And that is why we not only remember the words of Jesus but we can trust in his promises. By dying and rising again, Jesus has defeated the power of death so that we might have life in him. This is why we can rejoice. Thanks be to God. Amen.
1Adapted from God Pause Sunday, February 13, 2022 https://www.luthersem.edu › godpause