Do Not Be Afraid – Christ Is Risen!
Sermon text for Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008:
Acts 10:34-48; Matthew 28:1-10
The Easter hymns are glorious, “Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!” “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.” Most of us will be humming these and other Easter hymns for days. If the hymns are glorious, the joy of Easter is unparalleled. Jesus Christ is indeed risen and all of God’s people rejoice.
But the day did not begin in joy. On the first Easter two women, shrouded in grief made their way to Jesus’ tomb. We can guess that they were rehearsing the tragedy and humiliation of his death. When he died, hope died, and the women couldn’t imagine ever being whole again. So they made their way to the tomb to grieve.
What they were doing was risky because the authorities had posted soldiers to guard the tomb against the possibility that someone would steal Jesus’ body and claim he was resurrected. The disciples were in hiding for fear that they might suffer a fate similar to Jesus’. But the women made their way to the tomb, undeterred by personal danger.
The women could never have imagined what was about to happen to them. According to Matthew, as they approached the garden where Jesus lay in a borrowed tomb, the earth began to shake and an angel of God appeared and rolled away the stone that separated the living from the dead. The soldiers who stood guard there were so frightened by what happened that they fainted.
The women were also afraid, but they reacted differently. According to the scriptures, the angel spoke to them saying, “Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here but has been raised as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’”
The women did as they were told, and ran “with fear and great joy” to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive. And on their way Jesus appeared to them. That is the story. By the power of God, Jesus was resurrected, death was forever defeated, and we say with the Apostle Paul, “Death where is your victory! O Death where is your sting!”
But something more happened that day. It is something that some of us still haven’t figured out. God opened a tomb, and also opened the disciples’ hearts to all people everywhere. Before the resurrection conversion was rare because non-Jews were looked at with contempt. But when God raised Jesus from the dead, something new and unprecedented began to happen. Suddenly a few of the disciples began to believe that the good news could not be contained. It had to be shared with both Jews and non-Jews. And that takes us to the story of Cornelius the Roman Centurion.
Cornelius served in the sea port city of Caesarea, and while living there he became interested in Israel’s God, and he converted to Judaism. He attended worship, gave his tithe, and did his best to be a member of the community. But no matter how hard he tried, his participation was limited by Jewish law. Those who were not born Jews could never be a real part of the community. Cornelius had to stand in the back of the synagogue, and because Jews did not eat with non-Jews, he had had his own space at feasts. Cornelius believed in God, but he was always an outsider.
But one day that changed. God spoke to Cornelius and told him to invite Simon Peter to his house. At the same time God caused Peter to dream the strangest of dreams. And when he awoke he knew he had to share the gospel with a Roman named Cornelius. For Peter the idea was at first terribly offensive. He never associated with those who were unclean. And any Roman oppressor was by definition unclean.
Nevertheless Peter went to Cornelius’ house and shared the good news of the risen Christ. He told all who gathered that Jesus was put to death by “hanging on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear to the disciples.” He concludes his sermon by saying that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” And Cornelius believed. Suddenly he was no longer on the outside looking in. He received the resurrection story by faith, found forgiveness for his sin, and instantly the Holy Spirit made him part of the household and family of God.
If you sometimes feel like Cornelius, like you can only stand on the sidelines looking in, like you are not really a part of the community, then the Easter story is especially for you. Because of the resurrection, you are part of the family.
In the same way, the resurrection story gives the rest of us new and unprecedented freedom. Because of the resurrection, barriers to fellowship are destroyed. People who are our polar opposites in every other way, find commonality with us in Jesus Christ. That is the plain meaning of the story of Peter and Cornelius. If that sounds like good news then sing the Easter hymns with all your heart. “Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!” “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.” “Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord.”
Copyright © 2008 by Dwight R. Blackstock
Acts 10:34-48; Matthew 28:1-10
The Easter hymns are glorious, “Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!” “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.” Most of us will be humming these and other Easter hymns for days. If the hymns are glorious, the joy of Easter is unparalleled. Jesus Christ is indeed risen and all of God’s people rejoice.
But the day did not begin in joy. On the first Easter two women, shrouded in grief made their way to Jesus’ tomb. We can guess that they were rehearsing the tragedy and humiliation of his death. When he died, hope died, and the women couldn’t imagine ever being whole again. So they made their way to the tomb to grieve.
What they were doing was risky because the authorities had posted soldiers to guard the tomb against the possibility that someone would steal Jesus’ body and claim he was resurrected. The disciples were in hiding for fear that they might suffer a fate similar to Jesus’. But the women made their way to the tomb, undeterred by personal danger.
The women could never have imagined what was about to happen to them. According to Matthew, as they approached the garden where Jesus lay in a borrowed tomb, the earth began to shake and an angel of God appeared and rolled away the stone that separated the living from the dead. The soldiers who stood guard there were so frightened by what happened that they fainted.
The women were also afraid, but they reacted differently. According to the scriptures, the angel spoke to them saying, “Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here but has been raised as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’”
The women did as they were told, and ran “with fear and great joy” to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive. And on their way Jesus appeared to them. That is the story. By the power of God, Jesus was resurrected, death was forever defeated, and we say with the Apostle Paul, “Death where is your victory! O Death where is your sting!”
But something more happened that day. It is something that some of us still haven’t figured out. God opened a tomb, and also opened the disciples’ hearts to all people everywhere. Before the resurrection conversion was rare because non-Jews were looked at with contempt. But when God raised Jesus from the dead, something new and unprecedented began to happen. Suddenly a few of the disciples began to believe that the good news could not be contained. It had to be shared with both Jews and non-Jews. And that takes us to the story of Cornelius the Roman Centurion.
Cornelius served in the sea port city of Caesarea, and while living there he became interested in Israel’s God, and he converted to Judaism. He attended worship, gave his tithe, and did his best to be a member of the community. But no matter how hard he tried, his participation was limited by Jewish law. Those who were not born Jews could never be a real part of the community. Cornelius had to stand in the back of the synagogue, and because Jews did not eat with non-Jews, he had had his own space at feasts. Cornelius believed in God, but he was always an outsider.
But one day that changed. God spoke to Cornelius and told him to invite Simon Peter to his house. At the same time God caused Peter to dream the strangest of dreams. And when he awoke he knew he had to share the gospel with a Roman named Cornelius. For Peter the idea was at first terribly offensive. He never associated with those who were unclean. And any Roman oppressor was by definition unclean.
Nevertheless Peter went to Cornelius’ house and shared the good news of the risen Christ. He told all who gathered that Jesus was put to death by “hanging on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear to the disciples.” He concludes his sermon by saying that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” And Cornelius believed. Suddenly he was no longer on the outside looking in. He received the resurrection story by faith, found forgiveness for his sin, and instantly the Holy Spirit made him part of the household and family of God.
If you sometimes feel like Cornelius, like you can only stand on the sidelines looking in, like you are not really a part of the community, then the Easter story is especially for you. Because of the resurrection, you are part of the family.
In the same way, the resurrection story gives the rest of us new and unprecedented freedom. Because of the resurrection, barriers to fellowship are destroyed. People who are our polar opposites in every other way, find commonality with us in Jesus Christ. That is the plain meaning of the story of Peter and Cornelius. If that sounds like good news then sing the Easter hymns with all your heart. “Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!” “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.” “Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord.”
Copyright © 2008 by Dwight R. Blackstock
posted by Dwight Blackstock | 8:11 PM
1 Comments:
- the Holy Spirit made Cornelius part of the household and family of God... Amen! Alleluia!
Jesus Christ is the Almighty God himself. Jesus Christ is God himself who has come to this world clothed in flesh to save the God's people. Amen!
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