Easter Worship 2023

Easter Worship 2023

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” _³ At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. ⁸ The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. ¹¹ But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” ¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. ¹⁵ “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.” ¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

John 20:1-18

When people get married, life changes. When they start having children, life changes. When a loved one dies, life changes. When a tragedy occurs, like what happened in Nashville several weeks ago, life is never the same. Lives are changed forever. One event can do that.

A man died and everyone believed Jesus would remain dead and, at first, acted according to that belief. But for many of them, including an increasing number as time went on, there was a change, a significant change, an unbelievable change. Their lives were changed forever.

The apostles, within a few weeks after the death of Christ, were in the temple grounds preaching and teaching about this Jesus boldly, without fear, with reckless abandon. Even when they are threatened, arrested, thrown in jail, and some of them put to death, they did not abandon what they believed, they did not resort to their former timid and fearful ways of living. They begin to travel outside of Jerusalem, outside of Judea, going to heathen cities, gentile nations. They are determined to go as far as they can to preach and teach and persuade and defend and convince anybody and everybody. They are willing to suffer anything and everything, including the loss of reputation, the loss of property, the loss of liberty, the loss of health, and even the loss of life.

A permanently dead Jesus cannot explain this 180° turn, this complete and permanent change.

We know what changed them. That is why we are today.

Peter and John run to an empty tomb and see the linen cloths no longer securely bound to Jesus’ dead body – very strange – and also the “wrapping that had been on his head … not lying with the linen cloths but … folded up in a separate place by itself” – very bizarre. This was not evidence of a stolen body. It pointed elsewhere. When John saw this arrangement, this evidence, he “believed,” he believed that Jesus was alive again. A change had begun that would last until John died 60+ years later. And Mary, who convinced Jesus was still dead – she is the one to whom Jesus first appears. Her life is also changed immediately.

So one by one, two by two, and to groups of three, ten, eleven, and larger, including a group of over 500, Jesus appears to them. For many of them, Jesus alive again was at first hard to believe, so he has to convince them by telling them to see and touch his wounds, and by eating food in front of them so they can see he is a real living physical human being, their brother in the flesh.

And eventually one by one, two by two, groups of three, ten, eleven, and larger, they believe, they become convinced that this man, who once was dead, is now fully and perfectly alive. He is risen, indeed. And it this resurrection of Jesus that explains the change, the drastic change, a change of hope, of comfort, of life and for life, not only back then, but also for millions and millions over the centuries, right up until today.

But it is not merely him physically and bodily coming back to life that brings about a change, but the message and the words that are attached to this bodily resurrection, for without the message and words, a bodily resurrection of Christ does nothing for anyone.

So what is this message and these words attached to his resurrection? Jesus goes there right away when he is risen and gathered with his disciples for the first time. He says to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you … If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:21, 23) The resurrection of Christ brings with it the message and word of peace with God and of forgiveness of sins. Sins forgiven, purchased by his suffering and death, and confirmed and proven by his resurrection.

So when you think about and ponder his resurrection, remember it always points to forgiveness of sins that Jesus paid for dearly by his cross. And where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. There is a change, a drastic change, a lasting change, for everyone who bows in humble repentance before God and trusts alone in this crucified and risen Savior.

Jesus, the Redeemer, lives. And he is as busy and active as ever, without the suffering. He is busy doling out and dispensing the forgiveness of sins to the repentant, doing so through his church. He is busy sending out pastors and evangelists. He is busy helping his believers in their daily lives to “seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). He is busy to help them rejoice in the salvation he has provided for them, “even though now for a little while they may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1 Pet. 1:6), like those in Nashville.

That Nashville Christian school and church, those Christian families there, are undoubtedly experiencing the worst Easter they have ever known. But they are also experiencing the best Easter they have ever known. For in Easter, in the resurrection of the Son of God from the dead – and in him only – is there the certain promise and hope of forgiveness, life, and salvation – a life and salvation that begins now but goes on forever, where in eternity his children, resurrected from the dead, will also have perfect, immortal, and glorious bodies.

27 years ago, the wife of my best friend, Randy, came down with cancer. So it was kind of a strange situation that two best friends found themselves in, both their wives dying of cancer. My wife died first, and his wife, Diana, lived several more years. Randy’s grief was very deep for they loved each other greatly. But what was so memorable at Diana’s funeral was not Randy’s grief, but his singing. He sang very loud, with great confidence, and with great joy. Why? Because he knew and still knows that his Redeemer lives.

If we are Christians, we know that our Redeemer lives. If you are a Christian, you that know your Redeemer lives. And so you may sing also, loudly, confidently, and with great joy, especially today using the words of the hymn we will soon sing:

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