An Empty Tomb
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Today is Easter! A day that we all come to church. We bring our children. We come out. And we should. Because this is the day. This is the day that separates the Christian faith from all other faiths. What we come together to commemorate as happening on this day is what Easter is all about.
“We serve a risen Savior, whose in the world today, we know that He is risen, whatever men may say…”
But as today’s Gospel begins, no one really knows that yet. In today’s Gospel account the women get to the tomb, and there is no body.
Our faith is based on the fact that we serve a Risen Savior. A Savior that did not stay in the grave, but who rose again.
In Luke’s Gospel, as the women came to the tomb, and did not find the body, there were many responses.
Let’s look at some of them.
First, the women. “On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men appeared and they were terrified.
These men in dazzling clothes, asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead. They encouraged them to remember and then they remembered his words and how Jesus had told them that he must be handed over to sinners and crucified, and on the third day rise again.
The next response? The women went and told people. “They told all this to the eleven and all the rest.” They felt a need to tell. That is what we do when we have a piece of information that we think others might want to know. We share it.
When the women told the apostles what they had seen, it says, “They did not believe them.” Unbelief. But Peter decided to go and look, investigate for himself, and Peter was amazed.
The empty tomb caused a variety of responses -- perplexion, terror or fear, remembrance, a need to tell, unbelief, investigation and wonder.
It caused a lot of responses, but what it did not cause, let me make sure I am not missing it -- what it did not cause was FAITH. It did not cause an immediate response of faith by any of those who came to the empty tomb that day.
Faith came after. Faith came after seeing the risen Lord. Which I can appreciate. I can appreciate that faith is a process sometimes, dawning comes gradually for some, not all at once. We each have different responses to the resurrection of Christ. We each have different responses to the reality of an empty tomb. There are some here today who I would venture to say may question whether it happened at all. There are some here today who may say, “Well, even if it did happen, what does it really matter?”
This is where I come in as your Priest. This is the Sunday as Anna Lou has told me, “If you can’t preach Resurrection, then you better hang it up.” What does it mean that Christ was crucified and rose again? What does it matter? I will tell you why it matters.
Before the resurrection of Christ, the reality of death lay behind every suffering and sadness. Death was a finality. People mourned the loss of their loved ones because there was no hope for ever seeing them or being with them again. The ancient Hebrews had no idea of an immortal soul living a full and vital life beyond death, nor of any resurrection or return from death. Human beings, like the beasts of the field, are made of “dust of the earth,” and at death they return to that dust (Gen. 2:7; 3:19).
So imagine the women that day, the disciples that day — the devastation and loss they had felt. They had left their families. They had followed Jesus around Galilee. They had witnessed his miracles and now they had witnessed his crucifixion, death and burial. The loss they felt!
But the empty tomb changes things. Here is something new.
They were well aware that death is a part of the living cycle — that all things that live must die, but an empty tomb was a sign of hope. If, if the possibility of resurrection exists, then that changes things!
After the resurrection, suffering and sadness, separation becomes a temporary tragedy. Peter who got up and ran (I do love Peter so), he saw the linen cloths by themselves and he went home amazed.
Death causes a variety of responses in people. Perplexion and fear can be among them.
In the book of Job, which is thought to be the oldest of Hebrew Scriptures, Job asks, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” Job 14:14
Jesus answered this in John 14:19 in speaking to his disciples before his arrest, he tells them, “In a short time the world will no longer see me; but you will see that I live and you also will live.” Because I live, when you see that I live, you also shall live.
What the resurrection changes for us is that we now have hope beyond death. But you will see that I live and you also will live.
In Revelation 21:5 the One sitting on the throne spoke and said,“Look, I am making the whole creation new. Write this, “What I am saying is trustworthy and will come true.”
Then he said, 21:6, “It has already happened. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water from the well of life free to anybody who is thirsty.” “I am making the whole creation new”.
For each of us there has to be a death — we have to die as Jesus did, in order to have new life. But the promise is, is that all things will be made new.
That is why the resurrection matters. Resurrection matters because in a resurrected life, all things are made new.
So the women go to the tomb, they did not find the body, they are perplexed, terrified, they then remember the words of Jesus to them and then they go and tell the eleven and all the rest.
The women told the apostles what they had seen, and “they did not believe them”. I will harp on the women a moment, these women, “ Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them…”
The women listed here are also listed in Luke 8:1-3, Joanna, Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and many others. They are mentioned as being with Jesus as he made his way through towns and villages preaching, with the disciples at that time. They were with Jesus-they were witnesses to his crucifixion, to his burial, and witnesses to the empty tomb. It says that they gave out of their own money. They underwrote the apostles, supported their ministry. Let us not underestimate or negate the women. The women are doing the heavy lifting here. These women went and told the apostles, and it says they (they — the apostles) did not believe them, it seemed to them an idle tale.
A response of unbelief.
Another point worth mentioning is this is one of the first references to calling the disciples apostles. Disciples are students. Apostles are ones who are sent with a message. They are no longer students. Something has shifted. The resurrection has happened. As John writes, we are now post-resurrection, they have their message. They have a purpose. As we too, have a purpose. The women when they remembered they went and told. As believers, we need to remember what Christ has done for us and we need to also go and tell.
In today’s epistle, the passage from 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul tells us that if Christ had not risen from the dead, our faith would have been in vain. If there were no Easter morning, if the resurrection of Jesus had not happened, then Christians would be, “Of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15: 19) If our only hope was in the living (human) Christ, when he died, we would have been a people to be pitied. He would only have been a good man with good teaching.
But the story didn’t end there. “…in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.” We will all die, but again, “…as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15: 23ff) Physically, humanly we will die. The hope lies in the resurrection we will experience in Christ. Because of Christ.
St. Paul in today’s epistle refers to the defeat of the last enemy of God: the destruction of death itself. That is promise we have. Death has been destroyed. That is the hope we have. Death no longer has any sting over us.
In the resurrection of Christ, all human nature is redeemed, is freed, from the power of death.
On Easter morning, we are invited to accept this reality, to allow it to actively transform our lives: to start fresh, to begin anew. In the resurrection of Christ, we are offered the gift of eternal life, freed from the burden of fear, and invited to share in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Savior.
John Chrysostom was an important early church Father, who served as the archbishop of Constantinople. He lived from around 347-to 407 and he was known for his preaching, his public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority both ecclesiastically and politically. He is honored as a saint in Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox and Anglican traditions. He is also known for his famous Paschal sermon which is traditionally read or used at what we now call the Great Vigil, the first Easter service of the year. In his famous sermon (which I will use next year), St. John Chrysostom proclaims to Hell and Death, “Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.”
Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the grave. To that we can all say, Amen.
“We serve a risen Savior, whose in the world today, we know that He is risen, whatever men may say…”
But as today’s Gospel begins, no one really knows that yet. In today’s Gospel account the women get to the tomb, and there is no body.
Our faith is based on the fact that we serve a Risen Savior. A Savior that did not stay in the grave, but who rose again.
In Luke’s Gospel, as the women came to the tomb, and did not find the body, there were many responses.
Let’s look at some of them.
First, the women. “On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men appeared and they were terrified.
These men in dazzling clothes, asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead. They encouraged them to remember and then they remembered his words and how Jesus had told them that he must be handed over to sinners and crucified, and on the third day rise again.
The next response? The women went and told people. “They told all this to the eleven and all the rest.” They felt a need to tell. That is what we do when we have a piece of information that we think others might want to know. We share it.
When the women told the apostles what they had seen, it says, “They did not believe them.” Unbelief. But Peter decided to go and look, investigate for himself, and Peter was amazed.
The empty tomb caused a variety of responses -- perplexion, terror or fear, remembrance, a need to tell, unbelief, investigation and wonder.
It caused a lot of responses, but what it did not cause, let me make sure I am not missing it -- what it did not cause was FAITH. It did not cause an immediate response of faith by any of those who came to the empty tomb that day.
Faith came after. Faith came after seeing the risen Lord. Which I can appreciate. I can appreciate that faith is a process sometimes, dawning comes gradually for some, not all at once. We each have different responses to the resurrection of Christ. We each have different responses to the reality of an empty tomb. There are some here today who I would venture to say may question whether it happened at all. There are some here today who may say, “Well, even if it did happen, what does it really matter?”
This is where I come in as your Priest. This is the Sunday as Anna Lou has told me, “If you can’t preach Resurrection, then you better hang it up.” What does it mean that Christ was crucified and rose again? What does it matter? I will tell you why it matters.
Before the resurrection of Christ, the reality of death lay behind every suffering and sadness. Death was a finality. People mourned the loss of their loved ones because there was no hope for ever seeing them or being with them again. The ancient Hebrews had no idea of an immortal soul living a full and vital life beyond death, nor of any resurrection or return from death. Human beings, like the beasts of the field, are made of “dust of the earth,” and at death they return to that dust (Gen. 2:7; 3:19).
So imagine the women that day, the disciples that day — the devastation and loss they had felt. They had left their families. They had followed Jesus around Galilee. They had witnessed his miracles and now they had witnessed his crucifixion, death and burial. The loss they felt!
But the empty tomb changes things. Here is something new.
They were well aware that death is a part of the living cycle — that all things that live must die, but an empty tomb was a sign of hope. If, if the possibility of resurrection exists, then that changes things!
After the resurrection, suffering and sadness, separation becomes a temporary tragedy. Peter who got up and ran (I do love Peter so), he saw the linen cloths by themselves and he went home amazed.
Death causes a variety of responses in people. Perplexion and fear can be among them.
In the book of Job, which is thought to be the oldest of Hebrew Scriptures, Job asks, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” Job 14:14
Jesus answered this in John 14:19 in speaking to his disciples before his arrest, he tells them, “In a short time the world will no longer see me; but you will see that I live and you also will live.” Because I live, when you see that I live, you also shall live.
What the resurrection changes for us is that we now have hope beyond death. But you will see that I live and you also will live.
In Revelation 21:5 the One sitting on the throne spoke and said,“Look, I am making the whole creation new. Write this, “What I am saying is trustworthy and will come true.”
Then he said, 21:6, “It has already happened. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water from the well of life free to anybody who is thirsty.” “I am making the whole creation new”.
For each of us there has to be a death — we have to die as Jesus did, in order to have new life. But the promise is, is that all things will be made new.
That is why the resurrection matters. Resurrection matters because in a resurrected life, all things are made new.
So the women go to the tomb, they did not find the body, they are perplexed, terrified, they then remember the words of Jesus to them and then they go and tell the eleven and all the rest.
The women told the apostles what they had seen, and “they did not believe them”. I will harp on the women a moment, these women, “ Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them…”
The women listed here are also listed in Luke 8:1-3, Joanna, Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and many others. They are mentioned as being with Jesus as he made his way through towns and villages preaching, with the disciples at that time. They were with Jesus-they were witnesses to his crucifixion, to his burial, and witnesses to the empty tomb. It says that they gave out of their own money. They underwrote the apostles, supported their ministry. Let us not underestimate or negate the women. The women are doing the heavy lifting here. These women went and told the apostles, and it says they (they — the apostles) did not believe them, it seemed to them an idle tale.
A response of unbelief.
Another point worth mentioning is this is one of the first references to calling the disciples apostles. Disciples are students. Apostles are ones who are sent with a message. They are no longer students. Something has shifted. The resurrection has happened. As John writes, we are now post-resurrection, they have their message. They have a purpose. As we too, have a purpose. The women when they remembered they went and told. As believers, we need to remember what Christ has done for us and we need to also go and tell.
In today’s epistle, the passage from 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul tells us that if Christ had not risen from the dead, our faith would have been in vain. If there were no Easter morning, if the resurrection of Jesus had not happened, then Christians would be, “Of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15: 19) If our only hope was in the living (human) Christ, when he died, we would have been a people to be pitied. He would only have been a good man with good teaching.
But the story didn’t end there. “…in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.” We will all die, but again, “…as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15: 23ff) Physically, humanly we will die. The hope lies in the resurrection we will experience in Christ. Because of Christ.
St. Paul in today’s epistle refers to the defeat of the last enemy of God: the destruction of death itself. That is promise we have. Death has been destroyed. That is the hope we have. Death no longer has any sting over us.
In the resurrection of Christ, all human nature is redeemed, is freed, from the power of death.
On Easter morning, we are invited to accept this reality, to allow it to actively transform our lives: to start fresh, to begin anew. In the resurrection of Christ, we are offered the gift of eternal life, freed from the burden of fear, and invited to share in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Savior.
John Chrysostom was an important early church Father, who served as the archbishop of Constantinople. He lived from around 347-to 407 and he was known for his preaching, his public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority both ecclesiastically and politically. He is honored as a saint in Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox and Anglican traditions. He is also known for his famous Paschal sermon which is traditionally read or used at what we now call the Great Vigil, the first Easter service of the year. In his famous sermon (which I will use next year), St. John Chrysostom proclaims to Hell and Death, “Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.”
Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the grave. To that we can all say, Amen.