he closed the yawning gates of hell

the bars from heaven's high portals fell

The Holy Gospel according to St. John!

He is risen! (He is risen, indeed!)

Well, it’s an early Easter this year. Isn’t it? And the chilly weather out there is the perfect testament to that!

Nonetheless, here you are! You’ve made it to this Easter morn!

…And, I have to say, you’ve pulled it off nicely. 

Dressed to the nines, and with winning smiles to match.

But I’ve got to tell you, I just barely made it here this year.

Last Easter, was later in the year. The weather was nicer. And I felt more prepared. 

In fact, last Easter, the sermon just fell into place. I thought of a perfect illustration, “Little Miss Sunshine.” And afterward a fews folks shared how much they love that movie.

But this Easter, well this Easter just wasn’t doing.

The sermon wasn’t coming along at all. 

On top of that, the slowly springing Spring, was getting me down. I was stressed out with everything I needed to do. Plus, earlier in the week, my foot landed funny and I was limping around. And the icing on the cake, was the news from my mechanic, my beloved Subaru’s days are numbered…

It was like, I couldn’t catch a break. So I prayed, “O Lord, this is Holy Week. C’mon. Make it holy for me, please. Give me a little Easter. I could really use it about now.”
And it was like Jesus spoke back, and said, “Pastor Ryan, you should know, I’m giving you everything you need to truly celebrate Easter.”

With that ringing in my ears, I went back and reread today’s scripture. And wouldn’t you know it, Jesus was right!

Read today’s scripture again, if you’re not sure what I’m talking about!

It reads like one of those stories about the Christmas pageant, where everything that could go wrong; does!

Mary arrives way too early! It’s still dark when she gets to the tomb. 

Then, when she sees the tomb’s been opened, she starts running around like a chicken with its head cut off!

And Peter and the other disciple, are only too happy to join her!

Then, when they finally do bother to investigate the tomb, the two disciples see the evidence of a resurrection! But they just shrug and go home with nary a word!

In fact, they just leave Mary there while she’s weeping!

And Mary, for her part, when she sees the angel isn’t even impressed!

And then, when she finally lays eyes on Jesus, she thinks he’s just the gardener!

It’s an Easter story that couldn’t be an less Eastery! 

And yet, out of that Jesus makes Easter happen…

Re-reading today’s scripture, I realized all that stuff I thought was keeping me from celebrating Easter, was actually the very soil Jesus was tilling to make Easter for me!

…It’s like how the date of Easter, it isn’t like Christmas, is it?

We all know Christmas Eve will come every December 24th. But, we have to pay attention for Easter’s arrival. Because the date of Easter moves.

That’s fitting. Because the thing about Easter is, it’s not a matter of WHEN it comes, but HOW! How Easter comes.

And it comes when things are dark. When we’re running back and forth.

Easter is day for folks who don’t have it together! Like me, this year.

…And you, too; I’d be willing to wager.

Any of you have to wrangle with fussy children to get here this morning??? 

Or, are you a little cranky yourself? Maybe you got a little testy with your significant other while you were getting ready???

Is the top you’re wearing not your first choice, but you had to change because you spilled coffee on your first choice???

…I’ll take it by the nervous laughter that I’m not the only one who had a little trouble getting to Easter this year…

But here’s the deal; none of that’s a problem for Jesus today! 

Those of us who just made it here by the skin of our teeth, are Jesus’ cup of tea!

So if you are here, distracted by all you still have to do. 

If you’re here, missing loved ones.

If you’re here, and it’s been a long time since you’ve been in church and you’re worried maybe you don’t really belong. 

If you’re here thinking about how you wish you weren’t always rushing your children from one thing to the next.
If you’re here thinking about how you need to apologize to your wife for being snippy this morning;

then you’re right where you need to be!

You have everything Jesus needs to make another Easter miracle!

In fact, this chilly, decidedly un-Easter weather, only makes us more ready to celebrate! NOT less!

The thing about those idealized Easters we imagine is, they’re not real!

And the Easter Jesus comes to give, is an Easter for people like you and me. People who live in the real world. 

People who sit in these pews distracted, worried or sorrowful. 

People who have gone to a tomb or two. Folks who know what it’s like to bury hope. People who, as St. Paul put it, if in this life only we have hope, are most to be pitied.

So if you’re here today, knowing all too well what I’m talking about; then you are just the kind of person Jesus gets excited about! 

The kind of person who has everything Jesus needs this Easter… 

If the cloth you’ve tried to hide behind, isn’t big enough. The stones of your past too big to move. Do this:

Look away from that tomb for a second. Like Mary, like me, turn around! 

Look not to the tomb, but to the one who looks like the gardener! The one who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the muck of our lives!

Jesus rolls your stone away! He takes the cloth you’ve tried to hide behind, folds it up and puts it away!  And then, he just leaves it there!

He leaves all that in the tomb - and he’s not about to go back!

Because now, he’s out on the loose. He’s not in the tomb. Instead, he’s showing up in the lives of real people. People like, Mary, Peter and John… You and me. 

The first Easter began in the dark. Folks were running scared, and no one was quite sure what to think. 

And so it has been, and so it will be.

Because that’s how Easter comes every time!

If you’re here this morning, and you think there’s some part of your life that could keep Jesus away, think again. Turn around. Look here:

Jesus isn’t afraid to show up in your life!

And if you’re not so sure, read the scripture again. 

I mean, Jesus was born in a barn, for heaven’s sake! He spent his life among sinners, and by that we mean night-workers and con-men! And he died between two thieves!

So believe me, Jesus isn’t afraid to show up in the middle of your life!

And in the words I’m about to declare to you, he does: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; You are forgiven. You are loved. You are accepted. You have peace with God.

Happy Easter. He is Risen. (He is risen indeed!)

There’s nothing left to do; but sing for all that Jesus has done for us! 

(The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done)