April 7, 2013, the Second Sunday of Easter

Last week I read an article in the gLutheran Forumh magazine entitled, gProclaiming the Resurrectionh (by Phillip Max Johnson, Lutheran Forum, Spring 2007, Pg.51f). The writer gave four suggestions of what to proclaim at Easter. I am going to paraphrase his four points and then expand on them, like four short sermons.

First. At Easter, proclaim the resurrection of the body. Jesus was not a spirit or ghost. He seemed to be able to go through locked doors, but he had a body that could be seen and felt. The wounds were real. He told Thomas to touch him to make sure. He was hungry and ate and drank with the disciples (Luke 24:41, 42; Acts 10:41). He had a real, physical, solid body. We have the same real, physical, solid bodies. These are the bodies that God loves and for whom Jesus died to save. And that is why we say and confess in the Creed, gI believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.h

Second. At Easter, proclaim the death of Jesus. The birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension are a package. Jesus was born in order to die on the cross. He died in order to rise. He came down at Christmas in order to ascend again to heaven. Some Christians are embarrassed about the cross. They do not like to see a crucifix, a cross with the body of Jesus on it. They like the empty, Easter cross. We should be horrified to see a crucifix, we should be scared to see what our sins have done, and we should grieve when we are reminded that Jesus died. At Easter we celebrate that Christ overcame death and we decorate the cross with flowers. In the Holy Communion, when we receive the Body and Blood of our Savior, we do so in remembrance of his death. We remember that it was given and shed for us and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. On that first Easter Jesus showed the disciples the wounds in his hands and feet and side. Forty days later at his ascension the wounds would have started to heal, but ugly scars would have started to form. When Christ returns, he will show us his scars again. As the Book of Revelation tells us, he remains forever the Lamb of God who had been slain (Rev. 5:6).

Third. At Easter, proclaim the faith, and do not assume that everyone in the congregation has faith. Few people in the church are blatant, hostile, articulate atheists. But like Thomas, people have doubts and are on various levels of belief and unbelief. There is incomprehension, misunderstanding, pride, and stubbornness. There is fear that we would have to change our lifestyle, worry that our sins are so great that we cannot change our lifestyle, worry about sickness, death, and the troubles of life. Jesus proclaimed peace, gShalom,h he said. Today also he proclaims gShalomh to broken lives and broken hearts and broken minds and broken faith. During Easter, we preach life in the face of death. We proclaim the faith not just because we believe, but in order that we may believe. As the conclusion to John Chapter 20 says, gJesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his nameh (John 20:30-31).

And Fourth. At Easter, proclaim the faith with confidence. The Word of God overcomes all incomprehension. There are mysteries: How can the dead arise? How can Jesus pass through locked doors with a physical body? How can his death forgive my sin? How can his death and resurrection ensure my death and resurrection? How has the Holy Spirit created faith in my heart? How has the Holy Spirit given love and joy in my heart? But one thing is not a mystery. Godfs love is not a hidden. Therefore we proclaim the Easter Good News with confidence and faith and with joy and peace. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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