SERMON ~ 03/31/2013 ~ Resurrection of the Christ ~ “Home”

03/31/2013 ~ Resurrection of the Christ ~ Easter Day ~ More Appropriately Known as The Feast of the Resurrection ~ Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12 ~ Used in Place of Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 [ILV]. 

Home

“As yet, they, the disciples, did not understand the Scripture, that Jesus was to rise from the dead.  So, then the disciples went back to their homes.” — John 20:9-10.

He was not sure if he got any sleep.  And yet it certainly seemed like there were dreams swirling about.

Peter was at home, in his own bed.  So, he felt... safe.  Home is, after all, where one feels... safe.  And, mostly, the dreams Peter had were good dreams, safe dreams.

In many of the dreams the disciple of Yeshua— when translated to the Greek is the name Yeshua is Jesus— in many of the dreams the disciple saw the Rabbi, saw Yeshua.  In the safe dreams Peter saw the Rabbi feed a crowd which must have numbered 5,000, heard the Rabbi preach, heard stories, parables.

In one dream Peter was a witness along with the rest of the disciples when Jesus called out to Lazarus, already dead for four days.  And yes, Peter saw Lazarus come out of the tomb, alive.  That was not a dream.  It happened.  It was real.  (Slight pause.)

But there was also this other dream, a dream in which Peter could only watch as Jesus was executed, murdered by the soldiers of Rome.  Peter wanted to turn away.  He could not.  He had to watch and did watch as Yeshua died, was taken from the cross, the Roman instrument of execution, and was placed in a tomb.  (Pause.)

Somewhere in the middle of that dream Peter heard a banging noise.  At once awake, every fiber in his being was suddenly sensitive to the conscious world.  He could smell the sweetness of an early morning Spring rain, see the first streaks of dawn tumbling out of the sky through a window, feel the dirt floor as his feet hit the ground.

The banging continued.  “Who is it?” he shouted.

“It’s me, Mags!” came the reply.

The voice was that of Mary, the one they all called Mags because her hometown was Magdala.  Peter flung open the door.  Mags and his friend John, another disciple of Yeshua, stood there.

Clearly out of breath Mags managed to say these words: “The Rabbi has been taken from the tomb!  We do not know where they have put Yeshua.”  Peter looked at John.

John looked bewildered and shrugged as if to say, “I don’t know.”

Not always known to be decisive, this time Peter said, “Let’s go see.”

John— he was young— John took off at a fast clip.  Peter— older— could not keep up, but ran as fast as he could.  Mags knew what was at the tomb: nothing.  It was empty.  She kept a slower pace.

Having arrived at the tomb, John stopped.  Peter caught up.  Peter stooped down and looked inside through a slit in the rock.  The tomb was, indeed, empty.  It seemed... absurd.  He went in.  John followed.  “What does this mean, John?”

Again, John just shrugged.

“What should we do?”

Again, John shrugged, then said, “I don’t know.”

Peter shrugged.  (Pause.)  “I’m going home,” said Peter.  (Slight pause.)  “I need to be... home.”

Abruptly Peter turned, stooped again and slid through the small slit in the wall.  John followed.  Mags was approaching the tomb.  Peter nodded and John said in a matter of fact way, “You were right; it’s empty.”  They kept going.

“Where are you going?” shouted Mags.

Peter looked over his shoulder and shouted back, “Home!  I don’t know what else to do.  So I’m going home!  I think it will feel... safe to be home.”  (Slight pause.)

The two disciples walked silently, exchanging not a word.  Some minutes later John split off to the left, down a narrow lane.  Peter headed toward his home.  (Slight pause.)

“Well?” was the greeting the disciple of Yeshua heard from his wife.

“Well, what?” he asked.

“What did you find?”

“Nothing.  The tomb was empty.  Mags is right.  Someone has probably taken the Rabbi.  It’s terrible, but there’s nothing we can do.”  (Slight pause.)  “I feel so... so... lost, so... empty, so sad.  I feel angry.  I feel I have to be here... home.  It feels... safe.”  (Slight pause.)  “I think... I’ll lie down.”  (Slight pause.)

Peter was once again in that land in between sleep and consciousness when there was more banging.

Once again he shouted, “Who is it?”

Once again came the reply, “It’s me, Mags!”

She pushed through the door this time, closed it and leaned back against it.  Mags looked stunned.  “I have seen the Teacher!”

“Look, Magdala, why don’t you go home?” Peter suggested.  “I know this has been hard on you.  It’s been hard on all of us.  But the tomb is empty.  Go home.  It’s safe there.  Home is a safe place.”

“No,” said Mags with authority.  “Home is not the safe place you think it is.”

Peter looked puzzled.

“Have you not been listening all this time?” asked Mags.  “The call of God Yeshua told us about is not a call to safety.  It is a call to go out into the world.  It is a call to protect the helpless, to protect all who are marginalized.”

“This is a call to feed those who are hungry, shelter those without homes, clothe those who are wearing tatters, tend to those who are ill.  People who are hungry, homeless, poor did not cause these things.  Who wants to be hungry, homeless or poor?  In the realm of God, God does not want people to be hungry, homeless or poor.  This is a call from God to speak truth to power.”  (Slight pause.)

“Yes,” said Peter.  “Yes, Yeshua told us all that.  But what does that have to do with the tomb being empty and with the vision you saw of the Rabbi?”

Mags glowered.  “Peter!” she said.  “You do not understand!  It was no vision!  Yeshua lives!”

Peter looked confused.  “Still, what does the call of God have to do with all this?  What’s the connection?”

“Peter,” said Mags, “this is about the covenant God makes with us.”  She grabbed Peter by the arm, flung open the door and pushed him through it into the bright sunlight.

“Look,” she said, thrusting her arms toward the sky.  “Look!  This is the world.  God gave it to us.  We need to deal with it.  We need to work in the realm of God.  We need to work for the realm of God.  We need to work toward the realm of God”

Peter, still a little stunned, simply said, “Why?”

“Yeshua is risen!  Yeshua lives.  Yeshua is among us!” said Mags.  “That’s why.”  (Pause.)  Amen.

03/31/2013 — Easter Sunday
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Congregational Response and Benediction.  This is an précis of what was said: “I am sure the well known American composer Irving Berlin was a nice fellow.  I hold nothing against him.  Among other works, he wrote the songs Easter Parade and It’s a Lovely Day, Happy Easter. But these are not Christian sentiments.  These are secular sentiments.  If someone walks up to you today and says, ‘Happy Easter’ shake their hand and say, ‘Christ is risen.’”

BENEDICTION, RESPONSIVE BLESSING AND CHORAL RESPONSE: May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the love of Christ, Jesus, and in the knowledge of the Holy Spirit this day and forever.

ONE:    Rejoice, people of God! Christ is risen from the dead!  Go in peace to love and serve God.  Christ is with you always.  Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!
ALL:    Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

CHORAL RESPONSE —     “Break Forth O Beauteous Risen Light”

                        Lyric by J. F. Connolly

Break forth, O beauteous Risen Light,
    announcing God’s salvation!
By grace the world is set aright
    and made a new creation.
The deepest truth may now be told
    The bonds of death no longer hold!
God’s love through Christ now dawning
    with each new day and morning.