Calvary Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Debra May Cerra

March 23, 2008 – Easter Sunday

John 20:1-18 (NRSV)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." ³ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples returned to their homes. ¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The Big Picture

            A Sunday school teacher asked her students if they knew what happened on Easter and why is was so important. One little girl spoke up: “Easter is when the whole family gets together and you eat turkey and sing songs about the pilgrims.” No, that’s Thanksgiving,” the teacher replied.

            “I know what Easter is,” another student said, “Easter is when you decorate a tree and give lots of gifts to each other and sing lots of songs.” “No, that’s part of the celebration of Christmas.”

            Finally a young lad spoke up: “Easter happens after Jesus was killed and put in a tomb for three days.” Ah, thank goodness one of them knows the teacher thought to herself. Then the boy went on: “Then everyone gathers at the tomb and waits to see of Jesus comes out.  And if he sees his shadow, he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter.”[1]

            We giggle at the children’s misunderstanding of Easter. But can we honestly say that we fully understand the message of Easter? Even after hearing the story year after year, do we fully acknowledge Easter’s impact on our lives?

            How many of you were at the Easter Sunrise Service this morning? As usual, Lakeview Cemetery was filled with people wanting to celebrate Easter. They were there to hear the good news of the resurrection and to see the dawning of a new day. Like Mary, these people wanted to be in the garden at sunrise.

            It’s true: many people associate sunrise with Easter morning. But in reality, that is problematic. You see, the first Easter activities did not begin at sunrise. It was “while it was still dark” that the resurrection occurred and the news was heard! Darkness, not dawn, characterized that morning in the garden.

            The Gospel tells us that very early – while it was still dark – Mary Magdelene approached the tomb of Jesus. Her heart was sad. Her Master and her Friend, Jesus, was dead. He had been crucified like a common criminal.

Even now, only three days later, she missed him so. Jesus had shown her a new way of thinking; he had transformed her life. He had taught her how to love – to love herself and to love others. Now, in the predawn of the first day of the week, Mary was about to offer him her love one more time. In the dark, she had found her way to the grave to prepare her friend’s body for a proper burial.

            But when she arrived at the tomb she found it open and empty. Her heart was broken. Where could they have put his body? Fear, apprehension, and confusion filled her mind. “She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, ‘They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him.’” (2) The darkness of the hour had just grown darker.

            Upon hearing Mary’s news, Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty. They saw the linen cloths that had wrapped his body but Jesus was no where to be found. Bewildered and discouraged, they returned home, deeply distressed by the darkness of the circumstances.

            Mary, who had returned with the disciples, stood outside the tomb weeping. Through her tears she again peered into the dark tomb to assure herself that it was empty. But this time it wasn’t empty. Mary “saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, ‘Woman, why do you weep?’ ‘They took my Master,’ she said, ‘and I don't know where they put him.’" (12-13)

            Mary’s thoughts were still shrouded in darkness of death. Even in the presence of these two angels, Mary could not shed light on the situation. When asked about her tears, she could only respond to the angels: “They took my Master and I don’t know where they put him.” (13)

            Even when Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, she didn’t recognize him. He spoke: “‘Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?’ Thinking He was the gardener, she implored Him to tell her what He had done with the body: ‘Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.’” Mary was so obsessed with the details of the situation that she wasn’t able to see the big picture. She was not able to recognize Jesus.

            Many times our faith is draped in darkness. Things are not clear; we don’t understand. As the old saying goes, “we can’t see the forest for the trees.” There are facts that challenge our minds; details that threaten our understanding. Some days our doubts scream so loudly, we can think of nothing else. Maybe we’re like those children in that Sunday school class – not sure what we believe or why we believe it. Or – maybe we’re like Mary Magdelene, our vision clouded with the darkness of uncertainty; our eyes blinded by details that distort the big picture.

            Friends, it’s time for us to move out of the darkness of uncertainty, fear, and discouragement. We cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by insignificant details that rob us of joy and peace, hope and gratitude. Easter provides a big picture…a picture of good news. Jesus is alive…and because He lives, we too will live – forever and ever.

A man named George was accustomed to driving his wife, Rosie, to church every Sunday. And every Sunday, they parked in the same spot. George and Rosie had been married for forty years and they loved each other very deeply. They did everything together. They were inseparable in almost every area of their life, except one. When George drove his wife to church Rosie went in and George remained in the car where he would read the Sunday paper.

            Rosie died, and for many Sundays after, church members looked wistfully at the parking lot because George's car was no longer seen there. Several months later, on Easter Sunday, George's car again appeared, and George went into church.

            The preacher spoke about the resurrection and about Mary Magdelene meeting Jesus in the garden. He reminded everyone that Mary did not recognize Jesus until he called her by name.  He added: “In that one word, ‘Mary,’ all doubt evaporated and the details of the situation melted into the darkness. Jesus was alive! And friends, because He lives, we too will live…forever with Him.”

After the sermon, the pastor challenged everyone to push away their doubt; to dispel their own personal darkness. “Because He lives, we too will live,” the pastor reminded the congregation. No sooner had the words left his mouth than George stood up and with deep emotion said firmly, "Rosie lives!" And then, in a sound that could only come for the depths of a person’s soul, he began to sing: "My wild Irish Rose, the sweetest flower that grows . . ." One person joined in, then another, and another. Finally, everyone present was joyfully singing what someone later described as "The most beautiful Easter hymn ever sung in our church."[2]

            George stepped out of his darkness that day. He came to know first hand the truth of Jesus Christ. He saw the big picture. And it gave his life joy and peace, hope and gratitude.

            Jesus meets us in our times of need and asks, “Why do you weep?” Like Mary, we may not be aware that it is Jesus standing beside us. Instead we may search everywhere else for help; trying to make sense of insignificant details; hoping to find relief and healing in the wrong places.

Friends, we need to listen for Him; to hear Jesus call us by name. Jesus Christ is the Good News. It’s His Light that breaks into our darkness. When we recognize Jesus, the little things won’t matter so much. The darkness will be pushed aside and our eyes will be opened.

Sisters and brothers, today is Easter Sunday. Let’s celebrate the dawning of a new day. Let’s hear the Good News. Christ has risen. He has risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.