the king taken back the throne

an easter sermon



It’s a curious thing, today’s Gospel
We call this a “resurrection story;” but actually everything in today’s Gospel takes place after Jesus’ resurrection…
Indeed, there’s the earthquake, and as the angel rolls away the stone, lo and behold, Jesus is already out and on the loose! 
By the time we get there to investigate, Jesus has already been raised!

The resurrection itself takes place well out of our sight; today’s Gospel, truthfully, is more of a story about the first moments after Jesus’ resurrection - not a story of Jesus’ resurrection itself.
Which is an odd thing.
It’s an odd thing because in this world, ‘seeing is believing.”

I have a story:
At the college I went to, there was this one gentleman who worked in the president’s office; and he was a pain to deal with.
He seemed to only have contempt for the place. Which was weird, seeing as he graduated from the school himself… 

The whole time he was a student there, though, he couldn’t wait to get out - his aspirations were far too big for a little Lutheran college in the middle of Iowa. After graduation he promptly went to graduate school in the East Coast, being easily accepted. Then after graduate school he moved to Florida, quickly getting an anchor position at one of the larger TV stations.

But there was a problem… 
The woman he was married to, he had met her at the college he couldn’t wait to leave. And she, unlike him, loved Iowa and couldn’t wait to get back.
So, after a few years in Florida; she informed him it was her turn; she was ready to move back to Iowa…

Ironically, this man upon returning to Iowa, was hired by the very school he couldn’t wait to leave…
He was in charge of communications for the President’s Office…

I’m telling you about this fellow because one day, a classmates of mine -a real nice, young woman- had gotten a tip about a particularly scandalous meeting occurring in the president’s office. 
Her deadline was closing in, though. 
As she rushed off to cover the story, there wasn’t even time to find a camera student to come along with her and film the meeting.

She did make it in time to catch the chaos of the meeting, though. 
As she rushed back to the journalism lab to put the story together, she grabbed some stock tape from the presidents office to accompany her story.
Less than an hour later, she was on the student-news giving a hard-hitting, scathing story about a decision from the President’s Office.

There was one problem, though; as she critiqued the president for making a decision without consulting the faculty, the screen rolled pictures of the President shaking hands with community leaders. 
As she described the tumultuous meeting, the screen showed the president calmly leading a meeting, in a snappy outfit to boot.

The next day, this difficult gentleman I had been describing, the person in charge of communications for the President’s Office, called my classmate. 

“I saw your story last night,” he said… 
Well done! Great job,” he congratulated her.
She was a little confused, she thanked him but then said; “the story was critical of the President’s Office, though, you know.”

“Oh I know,” he said, “but you used my footage. Here, let me give you your first real lesson in journalism; in the battle between the eye and the ear, the eye always wins. Seeing is believing.”

Seeing is believing…
But in today’s Gospel, the resurrection happens out of sight. Jesus is resurrected, and even escapes from the tomb without the guards catching a glimpse of him. 
In fact, the only thing that we’re invited to see in this resurrection story, is the empty tomb…

The resurrection itself happens out of sight, out of sight in a world where seeing is believing. 
It’s curious…

While Matthew is short on visuals, though; his Gospel comes to life with sounds.

There’s the sound of the earthquake, literally shaking the world on it’s ear, as God does a new thing; brining a mortal back from the dead.
Then, once the angel has descended, rolled away the stone and made a thrown of it, the angel speaks: “Do not be afraid, I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised.”

The sound of the angel’s voice bounces off the walls of the now empty tomb.

It’s as if Matthew is insisting that some things are unavailable to us in this life.
Yes, seeing may be believing.
But God has determined that the resurrection is not something to be seen and believed.

No. Rather, the resurrection is something to be proclaimed and trusted.
And trust, dear sisters and brothers, only works through hearing the sweet word of promise and trusting that that Word is for you.

Yes, Matthew lacks the visuals we might expect; but his story abounds with sounds.
Sounds.

See, what those woman learned after they went to the tomb grieving the death of Jesus, is the a promise can’t be seen - it can only be heard and then trusted.

As these women then run from the now empty tomb, with these words of promise ringing in their ears, they do indeed met the fulfillment of the promise; the risen Jesus. 
Not before, though; not before they hear the promise.
“He is not here, for he has been raised,” the angel proclaims.

So you, you like those women, out and about searching for Jesus. That’s why you’re here this fine morning; you’re searching…
You, you like those women who know a thing or two about fear, hear the promise the angel declares:
Do Not Be Afraid; This Jesus you’re searching for is raised!

Do not be afraid because this Jesus who was crucified, has been raised, he’s broken free from the tomb and death, he’s on the loose making promises to searching, fearful folks like ourselves; to you.

Do not be afraid sisters and brothers, because Jesus has gone ahead of you to send a word for your to hear and trust.

So hear this Word: 
The tomb is empty- go and look if you’d like. 
But above all, hear the promise: Jesus is on the loose - neither the grave nor death could keep him from being a loving God for you
so don’t be afraid he’s gone ahead of you to destroy death for you.

With gusto:
He is risen!
He is risen indeed!

Amen

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