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Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Hallelujah!
Happy Easter!
Easter is happy because, first, Jesus our Good Friend who had died has risen from the dead. Second, because Jesus our Champion who fights for us has been victorious over the devil and so we are saved from death and hell. Thirdly, because in the death of Jesus our Savior on the cross our sins have been forgiven and now we are acceptable to God. And fourthly, Easter is happy because just as Jesus our Redeemer rose from the dead on the third day, we too shall rise from the dead on the Last Day.
Hallelujah!
The women came to the tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week, and so we Christians come to church on Sunday morning, the first day of the week. And so each Sunday in church is like a little Easter celebration.
Today we read the Easter story from Matthew 28. My favorite verse in this passage is verse 2. “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.” I am curious of why the angel sat on the stone after rolling it back. I can think of a number of possibilities. Perhaps the angel was tired after the long flight from heaven and rolling back the heavy stone and so needed to sit down and rest? Hardly. Perhaps it was to prevent the guards from rolling the stone back over the entrance to the grave. The door of the tomb must remain open so that the women and disciples could see that it was empty, proof that Jesus had risen. Perhaps the angel sat on the stone so that he would not be so frightful when the women came. He would look more calm and relaxed, even though “his appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.”
I am going to suggest one more reason why the angel sat on the stone. It was because he had something important to say. When we have an important message to tell, we usually stand. But in the New Testament, when Jesus proclaims the Gospel, he sits. He sat when he gave the Sermon on the Mount. He also sat at table when he talked about the Kingdom of God in someone’s home. Likewise the Last Supper and when he preaches in the synagogue. When making official proclamations, kings sit on thrones, when passing judgment judges sit behind the bench, Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father. And so in the same way, the angel sits on the stone to show that he has something very important to say. He proclaims that Jesus had risen from the grave. He tells the women to take a good look at the place where Jesus had been laid, to see that the grave is empty, and then tells them to tell the disciples the Good News.
The angel has the same message for us today, too. The angel messenger is not still sitting on the rock, but messengers through out the world on this day are sitting and standing and proclaiming the same Gospel message: “Hallelujah! Christ was crucified, but now is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!” And these messengers are telling what it means. It means that death is not the final answer. Christ gives us life. Even if we die, we shall rise with Christ. Even if we are in danger, Christ knows what danger is and will be with us. Even if there are problems in our lives, Christ who suffered and died knows what life problems are like and will be with us. Even if we feel guilt and defeat and failure, the Cross and Resurrection shows that Jesus knows how to forgive and overcome guilt and defeat and failure. And Jesus will be with us.
The angel opened the door of the tomb and showed that Jesus was not in there. He is not there, he is here with us. Jesus is not dead, he is alive and he is with us. He is in our worship, our prayers, in the sacrament, and every moment of our lives.
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Hallelujah!
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church