Resurrection Sunday Sunrise Service and Sermon

Click here for the link to the service for the Easter Sunrise Service at St. Luke, Rensselaer, IN.

2024 Sunrise – Resurrection Sunday

Exodus 15:1-11   1 Corinthians 5:6b-8   John 20:1-18

We cannot help but notice when we read through the four gospels that Holy Spirit allows each of the evangelists to bring their interests into the telling of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Matthew is probably the first Gospel written. It has a Jewish focus that is concerned that belief translate into right action. Mark is an efficient storyteller.  He never allows the listener or reader to dwell on any one incident for long.  His favorite word appears to be “immediately.” Then, one is immediately onto the next episode. Luke is a Physician.  He describes medical issues in more detail than the other gospels. John pays a lot of attention to whether it is day or night.  Not only is this about whether there is natural light or not, but light and dark are imbued with layers of meaning.  Day and light can infer deeper meanings such as life, enlightenment, hope, lightness of being including joy, and salvation.  Likewise, night and darkness can simply mean one can’t see, but it can also reflect a deeper meaning of confusion, spiritual blindness, spiritual or physical oppression, danger, malevolence, sin, or outright evil. 

Take for example, John 1:5 “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” That is not about the time of day, but about how Jesus is the light that the darkness of evil cannot overcome. 

It is not incidental that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. Nicodemus is spiritually confused. He comes to Jesus seeking answers. In John 3:19, Jesus says to Nicodemus, “the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”  Clearly, the light is not the sun – meaning s-u-n – rather the light is the Son – S-O-N – as in Son of God – Jesus. And darkness is not when the moon comes out, but sinful thoughts and behavior. 

In John 8:12, Jesus makes one of his remarkable “I AM” statements. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Darkness here is not a preference to walk around when the moon and the stars are out.  No, this is someone that prefers to ignore the one true God and His instructions. This is someone that chooses other gods to worship and follow and lives only for himself. Jesus is the light in the sense that he is the hope and salvation of the world. 

I think one of the bleakest uses of the day/night images happens in chapter 13 during the last meal. Jesus announces that one of the apostles is going to betray Jesus. What begins in verse 27 ends in verse 30, “…Satan entered into Judas…after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” There is no question that night means far, far more than the appearance of moon and stars. 

Bearing these and other Johannine light/dark passages in mind, we encounter the opening words of this morning’s Gospel reading. “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark…” 

Jesus died Friday afternoon. This is the first day. Sundown Friday is the beginning of the Sabbath. This is the second day. There is no unnecessary activity on the Sabbath. You can bet that there was no mirth or rest on that Sabbath in the homes of those closest to Jesus. Saturday night at sundown is the first day of the week. This is the third day. 

Mary Magdalene goes to the cemetery before light dawns on the third day because ever since Friday afternoon there has been no sun for her or anyone else that loves Jesus. Yes, it was still dark. She is grief stricken, devastated, her heart has been ripped out. This is a dark, dark moment in her life. She is beset with anguish. She cannot sleep.

In this dark moment, while it is still night, she is in the cemetery, a place filled with the memories of bitter grief. A cemetery’s calm belies the anguish and the fact that Death has separated loved ones. 

Why do we return to the cemetery after we have buried our loved one? This is where our loved one lies. We miss them. We want to be near them. It hurts to be there. It hurts to be away. But, at least we know where their bodies lay. So, we return to talk, to pray, to just be with them in our memories. 

In this very dark moment and very dark place, Mary experiences the first flicker of a precious light. She encounters the outer edges of the promise first given to us in John chapter 1. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The grave is open. The stone no longer covers the tomb. Something is not right. She goes and gets Peter and John. At some point, darkness gives way to daylight. Grief gives way to confusion, then hope, then belief. Then, Jesus reveals himself to Mary. Mary believes and she becomes the first to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.  “I have seen the Lord.” He is alive. It is now fully daylight. The light shines upon them all. 

 

The good news that Jesus embodies is that He is the light that cannot be overcome. When Jesus died on the cross, he overcame that most unholy trinity of Sin, Death, and the Devil.  His resurrection declares the victory. Christ’s forgiveness defeats sin. Christ’s resurrection defeats Death. Christ’s obedience, even unto death on the cross, defeats the tyranny of Satan. Jesus’ resurrection means that we who have faith in him have His promise that His resurrection is our resurrection. Paradise will be ours. 

In John 11:25-26, Jesus spoke another one of his precious “I AM” statements to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” That promise is for us. Jesus rose from the dead. He is the resurrection and the life. When we were baptized, we were baptized into his promise. The LORD’s promise shapes us and gives us hope for a future with God. 

Life today has many uncertainties. We are met with significant challenges and dangers. Hardship and illness and death are not unknown to us. Jesus promises to stand by us. His light covers us. No matter how dark the circumstances, no matter how confusing, no matter the anguish, His light cannot be overcome by darkness. The light of his cross and resurrection pulses into us and renews our faith. For that we say, Thanks be to God!

Alleluia! Christ is risen!!  He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

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The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.