Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Gospel Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Recently astronomers released a photo of a “black hole.” It looks like a big yellow donut with a big black holes in the center. It is called a “hole” but it is not empty. It is filled with the utterly compacted mass of everything that the hole has sucked into it. They say that the gravity inside the hole is so great that not even light can escape, and so it is utterly black.

We may not be scientists or astronomers, but we do know about “black holes.” There are things that suck up parts of our lives and prevent return. They suck up our joy, our peace, and our love. They suck up our health and leave us in pain. They suck up our patience and we fight with others. They suck up our faith and leave us despondent and without hope. Our life is ripped away and we are dead. Death is the end, like a hopeless black hole.

Jesus had died on the cross. The Women witnessed his death and burial. They knew he was dead and they thought there was no escape from that black hole. This was just common sense. And so they prepared their spices to anoint the dead body and “went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

They were utterly confused until the Angels reminded them of the promise of Jesus.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words.

When the Women reported to the Disciples, the Disciples thought that it was insane nonsense; it was against all common sense because death is death. Later that evening Jesus appeared to the Disciples and they came to faith.

The black hole of death and sin and despair and unbelief can only be overcome by Jesus who is the “Light of the World.” Jesus overcame that black hole by entering it by his death on the cross. By his resurrection he turned that darkness into the bright light of eternal life. It becomes an eternal out-pouring source of love.

Please listen to these Bible passages from the Gospel of John.

John 1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

There is one black hole that must remain. It is Jesus on the cross that takes upon himself our sin. Our sin is taken away and can never come back. That is utter forgiveness. That is complete salvation and eternal life. It is like a whole new world.

Genesis 1:1-4 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good.

Creation overcomes chaos. Resurrection overcomes death. Forgiveness overcomes sin. In Jesus Christ, faith and love overcome everything.

Amen.

P: Alleluia! Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

P: Sing to the Lord a new song! C: for He has done marvelous things. (Psalm 98:1)

Alleluia! Amen.

Alleluia! You have defeated death, sin, Satan and hell. In your victory, give us life, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life.

Please fill our hearts with you grace. Fill the emptiness of our lives with love, peace, friendship, justice, and hope.

Give us healing and energy.

Refresh our faith like a resurrection.

Bless our church as a place where the Gospel is proclaimed and lived.

Fill us with your Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrament.

Let the joy and hope and comfort and blessings of Easter be with us always.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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