The Difference Easter Makes
Sermon
The Courage to Carry On
Sermons for Lent and Easter During Cycle B
Object:
Once upon a time, a few years ago, a little boy came up to his pastor during Holy Week and said, "Say, pastor, anything special happening on Easter?" The pastor smiled at his innocent question and stooped to respond: "Matthew, you'll be surprised. Just wait and see. You won't believe it!"
The early risers on that first Easter morning were certainly surprised! They discovered something that was much more than special. It was life changing.
For twenty centuries, we Christians have celebrated this holy day. Hoards of people pack churches throughout the world to worship and remember an event that much of the world finds unimpressive and irrelevant. But we continue to find relevance and profound hope for our day-to-day living. An empty tomb, a few startled women, an angel of promise, and the renewed faith of followers and friends have passed along tremendous meaning for us. Christ is risen! He is alive and always will be forevermore!
The power of Christ's resurrection makes a big difference in our understanding of life and the way we live it.
In the first place, we have hope. Easter fills us with hope and lots of it!
Someone once wrote, "People can live forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only a second without hope."
Allowing for a slight exaggeration, the point is well taken. Hope is critical for human life.
Easter living is hope-filled living. Because of Christ's resurrection, we believe that there will always be a way through, a way out, a way over any obstacle, any pain, any misfortune, or any death.
Sinclair Lewis once wrote, "Life is a silly motion picture that doesn't make any difference which way you run it, backwards or forwards." In every age, there seems to be this chorus of ambivalence, unbelief, and even despair. Hope becomes critical during those times.
In the early church, people were extremely eager to hear the good news. Our first lesson story today tells of Peter's invitation to speak at the home of Cornelius and his family. Lots of folks were invited to be present. A nice crowd had gathered to hear an eyewitness to all that had taken place in Jerusalem. Peter preaches a dramatic sermon on the events and the power of Jesus Christ. The sermon was so candid and powerful that one could sense that something was happening to Peter as he preached.
Scholars tell us that through this experience at Cornelius' house Peter's world was suddenly changed to understand that Jesus Christ was Lord of all. The gospel was available to transform any life, any situation, any struggle with hopelessness.
There is no greater message to the world than Christ is risen in power. Because he lives we shall live, also. Hope abounds and we are no longer afraid and bewildered.
Secondly, because of Easter we have the presence of Christ with us forever.
The disciples thought it was over, nowhere to go, scared, perplexed, and terribly distraught.
But not for long! Their experience with him had only begun.
Christ's risen presence with us is an everlasting reality that will always make a big difference.
That brilliant, sophisticated Englishman with the funny name of Malcolm Muggeridge, who came to faith in Christ in mid-life, knows the difference Easter makes. In many ways, he was a typical product of our culture, the highly intellectualized society of the Western world. He began his career as a university lecturer, moved into journalism, and became the editor of Punch magazine. He was also a television personality and the director of Edinburgh University. But gradually Muggeridge began to find that the fruits of success were not enough. Something was missing. In spite of having so much, his heart was empty. He wrote in his autobiography, Chronicles of Wasted Time, "Somehow, I missed you, God. You called me, and I didn't answer all those empty years."
The breakthrough came while he was filming BC, the story of Jesus, on location in Israel. One day, he and a friend walked the six miles between Jerusalem and Emmaus. It was along that same road that the presence of Jesus joined two men so long ago. It happened again. Two thousand years later for Muggeridge and his friend, there was a powerful revelation. Here are his words: "As my friend and I walked, like Cleopas and his friend we recalled, as they did, the events of the crucifixion of Jesus in light of our different, and yet similar world. Was it fantasy that we, too, were joined by a third presence? Did I tell you that wherever we walk, wherever the wayfarer, there is always this third presence ready to emerge from the shadows, and all in step along the dusty, stormy way."1
What a great testimony. Because of this day, our Lord will forever walk with you and me and all who claim the riches of the Christian life. What a day!
____________
1. Malcolm Muggeridge, Chronicles of Wasted Time (Washington DC: Regnery Co., 1989), p. 162.
The early risers on that first Easter morning were certainly surprised! They discovered something that was much more than special. It was life changing.
For twenty centuries, we Christians have celebrated this holy day. Hoards of people pack churches throughout the world to worship and remember an event that much of the world finds unimpressive and irrelevant. But we continue to find relevance and profound hope for our day-to-day living. An empty tomb, a few startled women, an angel of promise, and the renewed faith of followers and friends have passed along tremendous meaning for us. Christ is risen! He is alive and always will be forevermore!
The power of Christ's resurrection makes a big difference in our understanding of life and the way we live it.
In the first place, we have hope. Easter fills us with hope and lots of it!
Someone once wrote, "People can live forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only a second without hope."
Allowing for a slight exaggeration, the point is well taken. Hope is critical for human life.
Easter living is hope-filled living. Because of Christ's resurrection, we believe that there will always be a way through, a way out, a way over any obstacle, any pain, any misfortune, or any death.
Sinclair Lewis once wrote, "Life is a silly motion picture that doesn't make any difference which way you run it, backwards or forwards." In every age, there seems to be this chorus of ambivalence, unbelief, and even despair. Hope becomes critical during those times.
In the early church, people were extremely eager to hear the good news. Our first lesson story today tells of Peter's invitation to speak at the home of Cornelius and his family. Lots of folks were invited to be present. A nice crowd had gathered to hear an eyewitness to all that had taken place in Jerusalem. Peter preaches a dramatic sermon on the events and the power of Jesus Christ. The sermon was so candid and powerful that one could sense that something was happening to Peter as he preached.
Scholars tell us that through this experience at Cornelius' house Peter's world was suddenly changed to understand that Jesus Christ was Lord of all. The gospel was available to transform any life, any situation, any struggle with hopelessness.
There is no greater message to the world than Christ is risen in power. Because he lives we shall live, also. Hope abounds and we are no longer afraid and bewildered.
Secondly, because of Easter we have the presence of Christ with us forever.
The disciples thought it was over, nowhere to go, scared, perplexed, and terribly distraught.
But not for long! Their experience with him had only begun.
Christ's risen presence with us is an everlasting reality that will always make a big difference.
That brilliant, sophisticated Englishman with the funny name of Malcolm Muggeridge, who came to faith in Christ in mid-life, knows the difference Easter makes. In many ways, he was a typical product of our culture, the highly intellectualized society of the Western world. He began his career as a university lecturer, moved into journalism, and became the editor of Punch magazine. He was also a television personality and the director of Edinburgh University. But gradually Muggeridge began to find that the fruits of success were not enough. Something was missing. In spite of having so much, his heart was empty. He wrote in his autobiography, Chronicles of Wasted Time, "Somehow, I missed you, God. You called me, and I didn't answer all those empty years."
The breakthrough came while he was filming BC, the story of Jesus, on location in Israel. One day, he and a friend walked the six miles between Jerusalem and Emmaus. It was along that same road that the presence of Jesus joined two men so long ago. It happened again. Two thousand years later for Muggeridge and his friend, there was a powerful revelation. Here are his words: "As my friend and I walked, like Cleopas and his friend we recalled, as they did, the events of the crucifixion of Jesus in light of our different, and yet similar world. Was it fantasy that we, too, were joined by a third presence? Did I tell you that wherever we walk, wherever the wayfarer, there is always this third presence ready to emerge from the shadows, and all in step along the dusty, stormy way."1
What a great testimony. Because of this day, our Lord will forever walk with you and me and all who claim the riches of the Christian life. What a day!
____________
1. Malcolm Muggeridge, Chronicles of Wasted Time (Washington DC: Regnery Co., 1989), p. 162.
