2026 04 05 Resurrection Sunday
We have read a number of
scripture readings today. Did you know
that this is actually not all the readings that are set? The reason for so many readings is that
traditionally the church kept vigil through the night, waiting for the
resurrection. The readings capture the
story of salvation, starting with creation.
A standout memory for me was when I attended a vigil service in a church
where the stain glass windows told the story of creation. At each appropriate point in the readings a
light was turned on to highlight that window.
Each reading set down for
this Paschal service, tells us something about God’s plan for us. We start right back at the beginning, with
the story of creation. God made
everything and He was pleased with all that he had made and it was good. Then he rested. And he declared that rest HOLY. Now, the Hebrew word SHAVAT, translated as
rest, does not imply that God was tired or needed to rest, but it means to stop
or cease work because it was complete – He stopped and celebrated the
completion.
The next set reading is also
from Genesis about God calling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Not one of my favourites! But, did you know that the place where it
happened is supposed to be the very spot where Jesus was crucified? In the story a lamb appeared and took the
place of Isaac. Jesus is the lamb of
God. He died to pay the spiritual price
for sin that we all owe – and can’t pay.
Following on from this is
the story of the exodus from Egypt. Once
again there is a substitution that happens.
A lamb is slaughtered and the blood of that lamb on the door posts
provides protection from the Angel of death.
The lamb of God saves. Then the
whole nation is pursued by the Egyptian army.
Moses prays and the water is parted.
The nation passes through… from sure death and annihilation, to life, through
the waters. This is then symbolically
represented by us receiving spiritual life through the waters of baptism.
Then we have the reading
which we had in Lent week 5 about Ezekiel and the valley of the dry bones. The important message in this is that,
although the bones gained flesh and a form of life through the proclamation of
the Word of God, there was still another important element required; the HOLY
SPIRIT must come and bring life, restoring us as the people that God intended
us to be. (NOTE – our story is not
complete until God sends us His Spirit).
Then, to summarize the
Gospel message, our letter to the Romans makes it abundantly clear when it says
we have been baptized into Christ Jesus and therefore we are baptized into his
death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we too might walk in
newness of life.
LIFE! That is what today is all about. We have passed over from the darkness of sin
and death and, just as the sun rises, we enter into the light of redemption and
life. LIFE! God’s plan is to bring us life – the life
that we lost when sin entered the world.
Jesus rose from death to life!
That is what was declared to Mary Magdelene and the other Mary as they
went to the tomb. They went to a place
of darkness and death, expecting death, but also significantly, they went on
the first day of the week – the first day after the day of rest – the first
day!! What do you think? Is this all a coincidence that this occurred
on the first day? Rule number 39 (for
those who are NCIS fans – you will know what this means), there are no such
things as coincidences.
On the very first day, God
commanded, "Let there be light," to dispel the initial darkness. On the first day – the day that Jesus rose
from the dead he again dispels the darkness.
All the dark spiritual powers and principalities are pushed aside to
make way for the light – For Christ - For God’s light that dispels the
darkness. In the song, In Christ Alone,
it sums up the story when it says; “The light of the world by darkness
slain. Then bursting forth in glorious
Day up from the grave he rose again”.
We don’t know what it was
like on the first day of creation, but some suggest it was a mighty roar as God
spoke. God spoke the Word of God (Jesus
is the Word of God), and there was light.
On the day that Jesus rose, we are told there was a great
earthquake. I’m imaging that there was a
mighty roar as the light of life pushed all the darkness aside as he rose from
the grave.
An Angel appeared, rolled
back the stone that was over the tomb and the guards possibly fainted, or at
least were frozen in fear. The Angel
spoke to the women, explaining that Jesus had been raised from the dead and was
going ahead of them to Galilee. Before
Jesus had been crucified, he told his followers that after he was risen, he
would go ahead of them to Galilee. The
phrase that we read as “go ahead of you” was a pastoral term that was used of
Shepherds leading the sheep. Galilee was
where the ministry began, but the “sheep” had been scattered through the time
of Jesus crucifixion. Now the Good
Shepherd would gather the sheep and lead them.
It was the first day of the
week…. It was the first day of a new story. A story where light dispels the darkness
and where the shepherd leads the sheep.
We may have experienced great sadness and great darkness in our own
lives. We may feel that all our hope for
the future is gone, but this is where those followers of Jesus were at, and
then there was a great earthquake. Their
world was turned upside down, as the light of the world burst forth in glorious
day.
This
saving power of Christ is completely powerful.
It is the same power that brought order out of the chaos on the first
day of creation – the same mighty roar. And
he achieved his victory over the grave, not for himself, but for you and
me. Out of love for you and me.
We
may have heard this story so many times and it doesn’t seem so new, but in our
lives, we’ve become cluttered with worries and frustrations, grief and
confusion. In our lives there maybe an
element of chaos. Scripture tells us,
“Today!! If you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” May our ears be open. Today may we hear His voice roaring into our
lives – changing our lives. He has
brought us life and raises us up from death.
He dispels the darkness and brings us clarity in his love. Scripture tells us, “The steadfast love of
the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every
morning;..”.
It
was the first day of the week when Jesus rose.
It is our first day, every day we allow the light of God to lead us into
life. His light opened the pathway of
eternal life for us all, and now nothing separates us from the love of God. We say “YES” to God, rejoice and receive that
light. Christ is risen. Alleluia, Alleluia. He is risen indeed!
