Sermon Easter Day Year B
It’s wonderful isn’t it …that two thousand years later
people are still arguing about the resurrection of Jesus. It was in the news this week…
I’ll bet we could get into a hum dinger of a debate going this morning about it…
people are still arguing about the resurrection of Jesus. It was in the news this week…
I’ll bet we could get into a hum dinger of a debate going this morning about it…
But did you know in Jesus’ day…Jewish factions argued all the time about…
resurrection...
the Sadducees who controlled the Temple… just didn’t believe in it…
and the Pharisees did.
resurrection...
the Sadducees who controlled the Temple… just didn’t believe in it…
and the Pharisees did.
But theirs wasn’t a debate about… what happens after people die…no…it was about…
whether there’d be a final resurrection on the day of judgment…
when God would remake the world...
and give his people… new… resurrected bodies’[i]
whether there’d be a final resurrection on the day of judgment…
when God would remake the world...
and give his people… new… resurrected bodies’[i]
Until then… most Jews had faith that God would look after their spirits when they died...
You see right through Jewish history… the Hebrew word for resurrection is…
You see right through Jewish history… the Hebrew word for resurrection is…
reserved …used only to refer to the new bodily life… which is to come…
for all the righteous
at the end of days… And it’s clear from the Hebrew scriptures...
most Jews looked forward to it…
What happens right after we die…was considered to be just the first stage...
of a two stage process.
at the end of days… And it’s clear from the Hebrew scriptures...
most Jews looked forward to it…
What happens right after we die…was considered to be just the first stage...
of a two stage process.
And when Jesus lived…most pagans and Jews…
believed in the first stage...in some kind of continuing existence after death...but some
believed in the first stage...in some kind of continuing existence after death...but some
like the Sadducees… completely rejected…an end of days resurrection for everyone[ii]
And it’s clear from the songs and stories and poetry of the first century that everyone
had heard about ghosts, and spirits, and visions and hallucinations...and they knew
these apparitions weren’t about bodies the way you and I have a body.
And when the Jews debated about resurrection…
they were talking about bodies...not ghosts or spirits.
Like when King Herod getss paranoid about Jesus being John the Baptist raised
And when the Jews debated about resurrection…
they were talking about bodies...not ghosts or spirits.
Like when King Herod getss paranoid about Jesus being John the Baptist raised
from the dead. Herod certainly isn’t saying he thinks… Jesus is a ghost.
And we can hear echoes of this in Martha’s conversation with Jesus…
about the resurrection of the last days. Or when the Sadducees try to trick Jesus…
about who’s going to be married to whom…in the resurrection to come.
about the resurrection of the last days. Or when the Sadducees try to trick Jesus…
about who’s going to be married to whom…in the resurrection to come.
And Jesus’ opinion…is consistent with this…because he talks about the resurrection…
as an event sometime in the future... when all the righteous will be raised... [pause]
And that’s why… when Jesus predicts his own death...and that he’d be raised again
three days later…his disciples don’t understand what he’s talking about...because it’s inconceivable
three days later…his disciples don’t understand what he’s talking about...because it’s inconceivable
They never imagined resurrection could happen…
to just one person... ahead of everyone else.
And the Messiah wasn’t supposed to die anyway.
to just one person... ahead of everyone else.
And the Messiah wasn’t supposed to die anyway.
Of course all this… is why Jesus’ death on the cross...
is devastating for them and destroys their hopes and dreams.[iii]
is devastating for them and destroys their hopes and dreams.[iii]
Standing at the foot of the Cross…from the disciples point of view...Jesus crucifixion
means the hoped for kingdom of God … hasn’t come…and Jesus… can’t be the
Messiah
means the hoped for kingdom of God … hasn’t come…and Jesus… can’t be the
Messiah
Standing at the foot of the Cross…Jesus followers don’t dream of saying...
‘Oh, she’ll be right…Jesus has to die to save us...
but in a few days… he’ll be back just you wait and see.[iv]
but in a few days… he’ll be back just you wait and see.[iv]
On the contrary... the two days after the crucifixion...
are the darkest days of their lives…
as far as the disciples are concerned...end-of-story.
are the darkest days of their lives…
as far as the disciples are concerned...end-of-story.
But the story isn’t over...because something happens...
that causes the first Christians…to reform the Jewish understanding of resurrection…
in seven surprising new ways. [pause]
in seven surprising new ways. [pause]
According to Tom Wright… the first thing that was different about the disciples understanding
of resurrection... is that…when they announce Jesus has risen from the dead,
they mean something happened to Jesus…
that had never happened...to anyone else.[v]
of resurrection... is that…when they announce Jesus has risen from the dead,
they mean something happened to Jesus…
that had never happened...to anyone else.[v]
...something no one ever expected to happen...
Number two...resurrection moves…
from a debatable religious idea in Judaism ...
to the very centre of the faith… of the first Christians.
from a debatable religious idea in Judaism ...
to the very centre of the faith… of the first Christians.
Belief in Jesus’ bodily resurrection ...is held so strongly by the first Christians…
many are prepared to die for it…
as martyrs in the arenas of Rome.
many are prepared to die for it…
as martyrs in the arenas of Rome.
Third…the first Christians are clear...that while Jesus’ resurrected body...
is somehow new, transformed, and incorruptible...it’s still a real body...the risen Christ
isn’t some disembodied spirit …ghost or hallucination...
isn’t some disembodied spirit …ghost or hallucination...
And fourthly...before Easter... no first century Jew…
expected the resurrection to be anything but a sudden
large-scale event...that happens to all God’s people[vi]
expected the resurrection to be anything but a sudden
large-scale event...that happens to all God’s people[vi]
But after Easter...
Christians believe the resurrection has happened…
to one person.. in the middle of history...
Christians believe the resurrection has happened…
to one person.. in the middle of history...
before and guaranteeing… the great final resurrection.[vii]
the fifth redefinition of resurrection…
proceeds logically from this...because if resurrection begins with Jesus...then…
in anticipation of the final resurrection…when God will make all things new
Jesus followers…are called to continue his work…
in all their personal and political relationships...[viii]
proceeds logically from this...because if resurrection begins with Jesus...then…
in anticipation of the final resurrection…when God will make all things new
Jesus followers…are called to continue his work…
in all their personal and political relationships...[viii]
As followers of Jesus they were ...and we are…
charged with transforming our present world…
charged with transforming our present world…
in light of the future hope…ignited by Jesus’ resurrection.
The Sixth overhaul of Jewish understanding…is politically fascinating...
before Jesus...the resurrection is often used by the Jews
as a metaphor for the restoration of Israel
as a people and a nation
but from the earliest days in Christianity...
before Jesus...the resurrection is often used by the Jews
as a metaphor for the restoration of Israel
as a people and a nation
but from the earliest days in Christianity...
that meaning completely disappears....
By the time Paul’s letters are written...
the resurrection is tied to the sacrament of baptism…
as a metaphor for dying and rising with Christ...
By the time Paul’s letters are written...
the resurrection is tied to the sacrament of baptism…
as a metaphor for dying and rising with Christ...
in baptism...resurrection becomes the symbol of a new life… of obedience to Christ..
in bringing Gods will on earth. [pause]
in bringing Gods will on earth. [pause]
And the seventh and final Christian reshaping of resurrection... links it for the first time
in religious history...with the Messiah In all previous Jewish writing...
in religious history...with the Messiah In all previous Jewish writing...
no one ever debated…
would the Messiah rise from the dead?...
because no one expected the Messiah to die!
Jewish texts… promised a Messiah
who’d fight God’s victorious battle against the wicked pagans
rebuild and cleanse the Temple...and bring God’s justice
to the world.
would the Messiah rise from the dead?...
because no one expected the Messiah to die!
Jewish texts… promised a Messiah
who’d fight God’s victorious battle against the wicked pagans
rebuild and cleanse the Temple...and bring God’s justice
to the world.
But Jesus does none of these things during his ministry ...instead......Jesus suffers injustice... wreaks havoc at the Temple and dies at the hand of the pagans.
Jesus does none of the things the promised Messiah is supposed to do..
.but from very early on...his Jewish followers proclaim for all to hear…
that Jesus is indeed the Messiah…
precisely because of his resurrection.
precisely because of his resurrection.
There had never been a story like it... Oh yeah there were Messianic pretenders
before Jesus and since… their movements were a dime a dozen. And…
often these movements ended with the violent death of their leader...
before Jesus and since… their movements were a dime a dozen. And…
often these movements ended with the violent death of their leader...
But their followers believe they were resting with God...
they do not understand them to be resurrected...
because as far as they’re concerned… that’s only going to happen…
they do not understand them to be resurrected...
because as far as they’re concerned… that’s only going to happen…
to all of them together ...
at the end of days...
at the end of days...
even though the gospel accounts differ... something happened to convince the first Christians…to make Jesus’ bodily resurrection...the very centre of their faith...
as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to annoint Jesus body in the tomb…
something happens.... something so compelling … it transforms… a quivering, terrified, defeated, and depressed… band of mourners…
some scared stiff even to be identified with Jesus…
some scared stiff even to be identified with Jesus…
something so undeniable happens…
it turns broken men and women...into courageous campaigners throughout the Roman Empire…who proclaim Jesus saving message of Shalom...for all to hear
it turns broken men and women...into courageous campaigners throughout the Roman Empire…who proclaim Jesus saving message of Shalom...for all to hear
something inspires them to go any distance, and face any danger…even death...
for what they believe...[pause]
for what they believe...[pause]
I love Easter... because it gives me the opportunity...
to tell you...what I hold to be true in my heart...
that nothing... but a face to face… touch to touch encounter...
with the resurrected Christ…nothing else... would or could explain...
the transformation of
the cowards of Gethsemane…
into the heroes of Pentecost…
may your faith also be strengthen and transformed...He is risen indeed.
the cowards of Gethsemane…
into the heroes of Pentecost…
may your faith also be strengthen and transformed...He is risen indeed.
Let us reflect on this as Kirsten and Taylor sing…You raise me up
