Being There ... on the Day of Resurrection

Easter Sunday Morning

Jesus Christ is risen – he is risen indeed!

Jesus Christ is risen – he is risen indeed!

Jesus Christ is risen – he is risen indeed!

Hymn 155 Jesus Christ is risen today – Alleluia

Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

They were scared that first Easter Sunday Morning.

They thought what had happened to Jesus might happen to them.

They were scared stiff.

And when they found the tomb was empty the women who went there were even more scared.

As we follow those women out to the tomb where Jesus was laid let us think of ourselves as being there. There in the garden. There beside the Tomb. There with the women.

Let’s feel their fear … we’re going to read the story from Matthew – a bit like the red letter Bible with the words of Jesus in red.

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 

But the angel said to the women,

‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ 

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them and said,

‘Greetings!’

And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 

Then Jesus said to them,

‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

What a wonderful word from Jesus – do not be afraid –

Think of things in the future that make you frightened.

Wherever you go – know that the risen Christ will be with you

In our mind’s eye picture that sense of God with you – in the Galilee of your fears

Hy-Spirit Song – maybe         be bold, be strong

The women knew a fear in the hearts and discovered in Christ a love to take all fear away.

Judi passed on this powerful poem by Gideon Heugh for us to read this morning.

Devastating beauty

On Friday my hope died.

The sky wept itself dark

the ground broke apart

and all creation cried 

for the bloodied innocence 

hammered into a tree.

There were whispers 

of a torn curtain,

but they didn’t reach my ears

or mend my mangled heart

or stem the bitter tears

as we took 

the body

down.

On Saturday we grieved,

hiding from the troops

whom we’d once believed

would be overthrown 

by the carpenter’s boy,

who had preached and fed

and healed,

and was now dead.

But then on Sunday – 

The devastating beauty

of that Sunday – 

when time and space

were blown out of shape

and angels wrapped in electric grace

rolled the impossible away

'He is not here'
they proclaimed
for glory had risen
our failings were forgiven
and the rules of life
and death were rewritten
as an empty tomb declared,
‘Love is alive.’

There’s something missing – we always exchange our Easter Greetings – we’re going to do something different.

You were given a flower as you came in – I want us to come forward with your flower and together we are going to transform our church and bring colour and life and the hope that comes with the flowers.

Not everyone wanted the Easter Message to be heard and passed on.

They wanted to Hush It Up.

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, ‘You must say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

The Easter message is to share – that’s what we have done for Easter – the story of Easter – a story to share – the story we have told outside goes back a lot further than Easter.

It’s one that’s been passed on.

Show the video Super Cool Story of Jesus.

STL 21 I danced in the morning

 I am with you always

The message to share

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them,

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

Making disciples

Baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you

I am with you always

That presence of Christ made real in our hearts, made real in our lives – and made real in a very special way as we do exactly as Jesus did all those years ago.

Easter Communion

How do we make that presence real? In our Lives – how do we keep the memory going.

We go back to the first Easter, the first day of resurrection … two friends heard what the women had to say but they couldn’t believe it.

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

As they walked the talked with each other. The two friends shared their hopes and their fears. And Jesus shared so much with them too.

Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’

So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. They recalled those words he had shared at that Last Supper on the Thursday …

Take, eat; this is my body.

A Prayer of Blessing and the Bread is shared

They remembered how he had broken bread with them only three nights before. How he had taken a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying,

‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

 A Prayer of Blessing and the Cup is shared

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’

That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them,

‘Peace be with you.’

To us Jesus says, Peace be with you.

Hy-Spirit – See what a morning

Easter Prayers - June

Hymn: Thine be the glory

Words of Blessing

Lord Jesus Christ,

Go with us into all that lies ahead

Go with us come what may

Go with us to the end of the age

Be in our hearts

Be in our minds

Be in our thoughts

Be in our homes

Be in our world

Now and forevermore.

Amen.