The Walk to Emmaus | A Sermon on Luke 24:12-34

Introduction
Last Sunday, we celebrated the wonderous resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  The resurrection changed everything.  It was so unexpected, unprecedented, and momentous, it took time for the ramifications to sink in.  In fact, by Sunday evening of that first Easter, many of Jesus’ Disciples were still trying to figure out what had happened.  And for forty days, Jesus appeared numerous times to different groups on various occasions to confirm He really was alive and to teach what that means for the world.

Over the next 8-weeks, I’m going to share some of the stories of Jesus’ appearances and what they mean for us today.  The first is one of my favorites—the story of the Walk to Emmaus. …….

Luke 24:13-34
¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^[c] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^[d] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.^[e]”

The Walk to Emmaus Spiritual Retreat
There is a great modern day 3-day spiritual retreat named after this story called "The Walk to Emmaus."  I’ll be working as a chaplain on a the North Georgia Walk to Emmaus April 30-May 2.
If you are interested, I would be glad to talk with you about how you could attend WTE.  It had a tremendous impact on my life when I attend in 1996.

4 Things This Story Teaches Us
Now, back to our Scripture lesson about the original Walk to Emmaus.  It’s an incredible story. 
And it teaches us at least 4 things about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It really happened.  
The 2 Disciples left Jerusalem to walk to Emmaus (about 7 miles—2-3 hours of walking).  Why did they leave Jerusalem?  Scripture doesn’t say directly, but we can read some things between the lines.  In verse 21, they said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah…”  That’s past tense—like they aren’t sure they believe it anymore.  They were probably confused and overwhelmed.  They’d heard the women’s stories, but it doesn’t seem like they believed Jesus was really alive.  

Verse 17 says they were sad; but they may have been afraid too.  That would be a understandable.  The authorities who killed Jesus were probably keen on stamping out his following too  Anyone known publicly to follow Jesus could be in danger of reprisals.  So, the thought was probably, “Let’s get away from Jerusalem to somewhere safer.”

But then, Jesus shows up.  He’s not dead.  He’s alive.  They don’t recognize Him at first, but He’s alive!  The first thing this story teaches us is Jesus really did rise from the dead.  That’s important for so many reasons, but let me share 4.

1. It proves Jesus is who He said He is.  The resurrection confirms Jesus is the Son of God—not just a teacher or prophet.  Jesus is immortal and has power over death.
2. Second, it guarantees our forgiveness. The cross paid for sin, and the resurrection shows that payment was accepted.
3. Third, it gives us hope of eternal life. Because He lives, we will live also—death is not the end.
4. Fourth, it empowers our present life. The risen Christ is alive and active, giving us strength, purpose, and victory now.

The Resurrection was foretold in Scripture.
Another lesson from the Walk to Emmaus teaches is:  This was God’s plan all along; it was foretold in Scripture.  The death and resurrection of the Messiah was a surprise to the Disciples (to everyone really), but it was not a surprise to God or His Son.  The resurrection wasn’t a tragedy that got a positive spin.  It was part of God’s plan all along.  Scripture said it would happen.  So, it validates that God’s Word is trustworthy and true.

It proves Jesus is the promised Messiah.  The fulfillment of prophecy connects Jesus directly to God’s promises to Israel—He is the One they were waiting for.  The fact Jesus’ death and resurrection were foretold in Scripture shows God keeps His promises.  We can trust Him to keep every promise He’s made to us too—including the promise of our resurrection.

When we don’t recognize Jesus, He helps us see.
A third thing the Walk to Emmaus Story teaches us is:  Jesus helps us see Him.  Jesus wants to be known.  He wants us to know He alive and He is with us.  We often have trouble seeing it.  We’re often too busy, overwhelmed, afraid, sad, angry, or lonely to see Jesus.  But Jesus has ways to open our eyes.

Before you were ever thinking about God, He was already thinking of you.  He puts people in your life and lead you into situations that help reveal Him to you and help you see Him.

We see also from this story that God uses Scripture to help us see Jesus.  Scripture—rightly understood—is a powerful way we can understand Him.

Finally, we see that Holy Communion is a powerful way Jesus can open our eyes so we can see Him.  In the story, it was when Jesus broke the bread of Holy Communion that they knew it was the risen Christ with them.  The holy sacrament can open our eyes too.

Knowing Christ is with us empowers us.
A fourth lesson from our Scripture today is: Knowing the risen Christ is with us empowers us.  I want you to notice something.  These 2 disciples walk 2-3 hours to get to Emmaus (possibly running away in fear and disillusionment).  They had planned to spend the night in Emmaus.  We know this because of what they said to Jesus before they recognized Him.  They said, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” (verse 29).  But after recognizing the risen Christ, they were empowered and emboldened to go back to Jerusalem (even though it was already dark)!  No fear of bandits on the road or authority figures who might try to do them in.  They walked 2-3 hours back to Jerusalem in the dark!

One of the most powerful things Jesus did for me when I attended the spiritual retreat, The Walk to Emmaus, was open my eyes to Jesus presence every moment in my life.  Before The Walk, I already knew about Jesus, that He was alive, that He was my Lord.  But somehow, during my Walk, I realized and accepted deep down inside the true reality of His living presence with me.  I can't explain it, but now walking with Christ through life is a very real and powerful experience.  He really is alive and He is with me every day and it is empowering!

The same is true for you if you Jesus is your Lord.  And really knowing it will empower you to live like you have nothing to lose.

Closing Meditation
The two disciples in our Scripture didn’t recognize Jesus at first.  
Jesus walked with them a long time, but they didn’t know it was Him. 
But then something changed.  Scripture says, ‘their eyes were opened.’

I wonder how many of us are walking through life right now, and Jesus is with us, but we just don’t see Him clearly?

I want you to consider for just a minute.
Think about your life this past week.
Contemplate the moments you were too busy or felt overwhelmed.
Consider the times you were afraid or filled with worry.
Remember the moments you felt alone.
What if Jesus was right there with you then and you didn’t recognize Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, just like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, we don’t always see You.
But You are with us.  Open our eyes to Your presence, to Your truth, to Your work in our lives.
Help our hearts to burn within us again as we recognize You.
In Your name, we pray.  Amen.

Looking for the Living Among the Dead | An Easter Sermon on Luke 24:1-12

Introduction
Easter is the most important holiday of the whole year for Christians.  Jesus–the Son of God–was arrested, tortured, falsely convicted, and executed on a cross.  His body was hastily placed in a borrowed tomb, but on the third day, Jesus rose to life.  This is the foundation of everything for Christians. 

I want you to know, I believe in the resurrection.  I know Jesus is not dead.  I believe He literally got up out of the grave--a bodily resurrection.  It's not just a great story or an ideal to live up to.  I believe it really happened and it's the Truth I base my life on. 

I hope you believe too.  But if we really believe Jesus rose from the grave, it will change the way we think and live.  That’s what I want to talk to you about today.

Luke 24:1-12
¹ But very early on Sunday morning^[a] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man^[b] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

⁸ Then they remembered that he had said this. ⁹ So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. ¹¹ But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. ¹² However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

Two Angels at the Tomb
The women found an empty tomb.  The stone was rolled away.  The body of Christ was gone.

Luke says, “Two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.”  These are clearly not men, but angels.  They resemble the angels Luke says appeared in heavenly glory at Jesus’ birth.  They also resemble Acts 1:10, where Luke also says “two men dressed in white” appeared when Jesus ascended to heaven

I also can’t help but think about the two cherubim God stationed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden.  Remember, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit and where kicked out of the Garden of Eden, God stationed two angelic figures (Cherubim) to guard the entrance so no one could re-enter.  Those two cherubim were later represented by the golden cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, which was considered by Jews to be the holiest place on earth and the very footstool of God.  But now 2 angels appear to the women at the empty tomb and say something incredible.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”  In a literal sense, the women were looking for a dead Jesus.  They came to anoint His body with burial spices.  This had not been done at His initial, hasty burial.  Remember, Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday afternoon.  They had to get His body off the cross and into a borrowed tomb quickly, before sunset when the Sabbath started and no work could be done.  So Christ's body had not been properly anointed for burial according to their traditions.

So the women had to wait until Sunday morning to come finish the burial ceremony.  As they approached the tomb, their thinking was completely focused on a dead Jesus, which was totally understandable.  The reality of what they found was so implausible, they couldn’t immediately comprehend the truth.  Their earthly minds struggled to make sense of it with the most reasonable explanations:  Someone has moved or stolen the body.  The authorities must have moved the body.

God knew resurrection would be so far from their thinking they would need help to see the truth.  So, God sent His angels to explain:  “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!”  

Some people today still struggle to accept the resurrection.   A dead man coming back to life is incredible (in the literal sense of that word–not credible).  The entire history of human experience as well as modern science cries out as a witness that dead people do not come back to life–not in the way the Gospels describe Jesus’ resurrection.  And so many people cannot make the leap of faith to conclude Jesus rose from the grave as He said He would and as the earliest witnesses and the Bible say He did.

So, many people still look for Jesus among the dead.  What I mean is, they cannot accept that He really, literally rose from the grave and so they try to spiritualize the resurrection.  Maybe they see Christ rising from the grave as a symbol of hope, or a fresh start, or spiritual renewal—but not as a real resurrection that changes everything about how we live and think.  For them, the resurrection has “some” meaning, but they are still looking for the living among the dead—holding onto the idea of Jesus, while missing the reality that He is alive.

They want to find value in the Christian story—and in Jesus as an important religious figure—
without really believing the fundamental claim of Christ.  But if Jesus did not really rise, then the faith He gave us falls apart. It’s not just weakened—it’s false.

The Apostle Paul said it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:14:   “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  And he goes even further in 1 Corinthians 15:17:  “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

On the other hand, there are many Christians who do believe Jesus truly rose from the grave, yet that reality has not fully transformed the way they think and live. They still turn to the dead things of this world, hoping to find the life and fulfillment that only the risen Christ can give.  

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in success, in comfort, in possessions—thinking if they just had a little more, they would finally feel full.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in approval, in relationships, in what others think of them—hoping someone else can give them the worth Christ already secured.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in routine religion—going through the motions without truly setting their hearts on Christ.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in distractions—keeping busy, staying entertained, avoiding stillness—because they’re not drawing from the life that is already theirs in Christ.

They believe Jesus is alive, but still live as if this world is where life is found.

They believe in the resurrection, but they haven’t yet learned to think like people who have been raised with Christ and live like people who have nothing to lose because Christ already won the ultimate victory.

Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
But that’s exactly what the resurrection offers us–a whole new way to think and a whole new way to live.  Paul said it like this in Colossians 3, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ… set your sights on the realities of heaven.”

Not someday you will be raised, but you have been raised.  That means the life you’re looking for is not found in the dead things of this world.  It’s found in a living Savior.  

So stop looking for life where there is none.  Stop searching among the dead, and start following the One who walked out of the grave.  Lift up your eyes!   Set your heart on Him!  Because Jesus is not in the tomb!  He is alive!

And if He lives then real life is found in Him.  Not later.  Not someday.  But right now!  So, let’s stop looking for the living among the dead.  And let’s stand together and celebrate the victory we have in Jesus, because He lives.

Closing Invitation
I want to give you this invitation.  Maybe you need to make a decision today.  Maybe you want to start following this Jesus who walked out of the grave.  You don’t have to understand.  The resurrection isn’t logical.  It doesn’t make sense.  It doesn’t follow the laws of nature.   But if God is real and Jesus is His Son, is anything impossible with God?  Maybe today, you just need to choose to have faith in God and His Son.  For then you will find, not just belief,  but life.  Life that is real.  Life that is full.  Life that is eternal.

So, stop looking for the living among the dead. Come to the One who is alive.  Close your eyes.  Tell God you believe, and ask Him to save you and give you new life in Christ.

Beautiful Scars, part 2

Introduction
There are actually seven Sundays of Easter.  The resurrection is so powerful, it takes Seven Sundays to express it fully.  In addition, every Sunday of the year is considered a “little Easter”, the Lord’s Day, the day we worship the resurrected Christ.

However, Eastertide is seven Sundays and 50 days from the first Sunday of Easter until Pentecost Sunday.  Eastertide is like Lent, which is a time of repentance and spiritual preparation, except Eastertide is filled with more wonder and excitement and joy than Lent, which tends to focus on penitence.  Eastertide is a time of anticipatory waiting and expectant prayer and reveling joy that Christ is risen indeed.  Recall that the resurrected Jesus told his followers to stay in Jerusalem and wait until the Holy Spirit came to fill them with power (see Luke 24:49).  Today, I want us to consider the beautiful scars of Jesus and what we could gain by rediscovering the practice of the Eastertide tradition as many of found in the Lenten observance.

John 20:19-24
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 

24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 

Christ is Risen, and He Appears to Many
One of the key things that happened during Eastertide, the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost, is Jesus appeared to many people.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:5-6 – “He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” 

What would it be like to see the risen Christ?  I know we can see Him in many different ways However, what was it like to seem Him in bodily form?  Perhaps that is something you could strive for during Eastertide.  Let’s examine what it was like for the Disciples to see Him.

Behind Locked Doors
The disciples were afraid.  Even after we’ve walked with the Lord for a long time, we can still experience fear.  So, the Disciples we hiding behind locked doors.  Christians were never meant to meet behind locked doors.  We don’t need to be afraid of rejections, persecution, intimidations, sickness or tribulation.  In Christ, we have nothing to lose.  We’ve already won.  In Christ, we are accepted, valued, and protected.  Even if we die, we’ve lost nothing.  This world has nothing for us and when we die we are raised to new life, true life, eternal life in Paradise.  Therefore, we don’t need to hide behind locked doors.

Jesus is Here, in the Flesh
The Disciples plainly see Jesus is alive!  Even though He is a physical being, He can somehow still come to be among them.  No matter where you are or where you try to hide or what experiences you feel separate you from Christ, nothing can keep Him from you. 

Furthermore, Jesus is the first fruit.  That means, His resurrection is the example of what our resurrection will be like.  We will have bodies like Jesus had a body.  But our bodies will be new and improved.  You think the next version of yoru smart phone will be something great?  Wait until you see the second version of your physical body in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Apparently, if Jesus is the example, locked doors will not be able to hinder your passage. 

We All Have Wounds & Scars
Jesus had scars, but His scars were not shameful or disfiguring.  Jesus’s scars were glorious because they tell the story of who He really is.  He can show them to us and prove that it’s really Him.  He’s the one who loved us so much He laid down His life for us and won our freedom from sin and death!  And so, the sight of His scars brings us joy!

 What stories do your scars tell?  It could be that they tell the story of foolish choices.  You did something stupid and have scars (whether physical or emotional) to prove it.  I hope more of my scars will show how I sacrificed for others.  A few weeks ago, a Christian came from Pakistan to tell how He runs a Christian school in Pakistan, a country that is 97% Muslim, where Christians are persecuted and even killed for their faith in Jesus.  The man told me, “Chris, real Christian love always hurts, because it means you must sacrifice like Jesus sacrificed.” 

To love like Christ means being vulnerable.  Sometimes when you love others, they will use or abuse your love and it hurts.  You will be tempted to withhold love next time, but don’t do it.  Real love hurts sometimes.  It may even leave you wounded and scarred.  But don’t’ give up.  Jesus will heal you and empower you to love again.  And the scars you bear will tell the glorious story of how you loved like Jesus loves.  Your scars will be a beautiful crown of glory!  So just keep loving!

Peace & Forgiveness
At first, it puzzled me that Jesus gave the Holy Spirit.  I always think of the Holy Spirit coming to the Disciples at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, which happened 50 days later.  However, then the Lord reminded me, the Holy Spirit comes at many different times for many different reasons.  In this instance, the Holy Spirit was given to impart peace and the ability to forgive.  In Acts 2, Spirit imparted the power to speak boldly in ways that everyone everywhere could hear and understand the Good News about Jesus Christ.  God gives us His Holy Spirit when we believe in Christ to help us overcome any obstacle.  If you ever feel inadequate to complete a task God gives you, do not fear.  God is about to show His power through His Holy Spirit! 

The Disciples need to be able to forgive.  Even though it was an amazing revelation that Jesus was alive and not dead, the Disciples still had a lot to be angry about.  The were angry at the Romans and the Jewish leaders for crucifying their Lord.  They must have been hurt and angry that one of their own number—Judas Iscariot—betrayed them and Jesus and then committed suicide.  They were surely also angry at themselves for their own shameful behavior, fleeing in terror, abandoning their Lord, and Peter denying he even knew Jesus right after boldly telling Jesus he was willing to die for him.  The Disciples need the Holy Spirit to help them forgive others and even themselves.  So Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon them and gave them the power to forgive.

Have you eve considered what a tremendous privilege it is to be able to forgive?  One of the reasons the religious leaders criticized Jesus was he forgave people’s sins.  They scoffed, “No one, except God, can forgive sins!”  So to prove that He had the power to forgive sins (and that He was God), Jesus did something dramatic.  In Luke 5, a some people brought their paralytic friend to Jesus for healing.  Jesus told the man, “Your sins are forgiven.”  When the Pharisees scoffed, Jesus said, “Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”  25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 

So you see, Jesus is God and has the power to forgive sins (and heal a paralytic).  And now, Jesus has given His followers the power to do something that formerly only God had the power to do.  When you forgive, you are doing God’s work by the power of His Holy Spirit.  It is a tremendous privilege.

Poor Thomas missed out on this whole episode.  Apparently, he was away doing someting else.  We don't know what.  Thankfully, Jesus came back another time so that Thomas wouldn’t be left out.  no one gets left behind in God's Kingdom.  We will look at Thomas' the story next time. 

Invitation
I want to challenge you to devote yourself to spiritual renewal as we lead up to Pentecost on June 5^th.  Pentecost is six weeks away.  Pray each day about how God wants to transform and empower you.  How might God want you to serve Him this summer?  Pray about it and let Him tell you.  And I also challenge you to read the Book of Acts.  If you read one chapter per day Monday through Friday (taking the weekends off), you should finish the 28 chapters of Acts by Pentecost Sunday.  Acts is the story of the earliest believers going out to tell the world about the risen Christ.  As they did, they transformed the world.  And the cool thing about Acts is, it is an unfinished book.  It’s unfinished, because we are writing the last chapters today.  We are the people of Acts and we are continuing their mission—sent by Jesus Christ to tell the world God’s Kingdom has come.

Jesus Rises from the Grave

Introduction

Where do you find ultimate meaning in life?  Do you even think such a thing exists?  That is the subject of today’s message.  The Christian faith promotes a relationship with Jesus as the way to ultimate meaning in life.  The Disciples thought they had found ultimate meaning, but then they suffered the great disappointment of Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, and death.  Suddenly, their faith was called into question.  On that first Easter morning, they were still in shock, trying to figure out what was going on.   

Slides – Luke 24:1-12

¹But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

⁸ Then they remembered that he had said this. ⁹ So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. ¹¹ But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. ¹² However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

The Empty Tomb

At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.  But in this Easter reading, Jesus does not yet appear.  The women went to put spices on the dead body of Jesus; but when they arrive at the tomb, Jesus is not there.  Peter rushes to the tomb to see the body, but Jesus is not there—dead or otherwise.

Usually when I think of Easter, I think of the radiant, resurrected Christ smiling and saying, “I told you so!  I told you I would come back to life!”  But here in this passage, we have only an empty grave and a pile linen.  It is the absence of Jesus in the passage that strikes me.  For those of us who know the way the story ends—we want to jump right to the point of acknowledging that Jesus is alive.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  

            As I pondered this passage, it occurred to me that these twelve verses illustrate three common attitudes people have toward spirituality.  First we have the women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James.  They didn’t come seeking the risen Jesus.  Such a thing never occurred to them as a possibility.  They were looking only for the dead body of Jesus.  It was customary in that day to put fragrant spices on the body of the dead as a way of honoring those who had passed—much the way we place flowers on the graves of our deceased loved ones today.  We don’t go to our deceased grandma’s grave with flowers expecting to see her risen to life.  We go to remember the dead.  And so it was for the women in this passage.  They sought only to remember a dead Christ, not to see one risen in power and glory.

Dead

It strikes me how much that attitude prevails in church people these days.  These women came to the tomb in grief and sorrow.  They were looking for a dead man’s body.  They are like people who go through the motions at church, but aren’t truly seeking the living Christ.  They say and do the right things, but they only come to pay tribute to a dead man.  Their lives do not display the power and glory of the risen Christ and they do not reach their full spiritual potential.  It doesn’t matter how many flowers or spices they use to make it look or smell good, it’s still just dead and lifeless.  No wonder people turn away from a church that worships God like that.  

Alive

But then, the women in our story saw something amazing that dramatically altered their state of mind.  They saw two men in dazzling clothes that appeared and told them the good news—Jesus is not dead!  He has risen from the dead, just as he said he would!  This sight seized their attention and they forgot all about their religious duty to put spices on a dead body.  Suddenly, they were filled with excitement and hope and they rushed off to share this astonishing story with the Disciples.

I have known quite a few church-goers who for years just went through the motions. They really didn’t come to church expecting anything exceptional. They were—in a sense—just seeking a dead man’s body. But then something shook them from their spiritual slumber and they forgot about their dead religion and started seeking the risen Christ. And suddenly, they began to worship and live with a new passion. They even begin to tell others about their wonderful new experience of life. 

Disbelief

Next in the story are the Disciples.  If we examine them, we also see an attitude that is common in our day and age.  They took the women’s story to be nonsense.  The Greek word Luke uses to describe the women’s story is the same that Greek physicians used to describe the babbling of a fevered and insane mind.[i]  And that is how the disciples took the women’s story—it seemed like nonsense to them.  You can almost hear them saying to the women, “Why, just this morning you were going out the door, carrying all your spices to put on his dead body.  Now you claim he’s alive?!?  You must be sick with grief.  You're not making any sense.”

This is much the same as cynics in our time who say there is no real meaning to life (or that such meaning is unknowable).  They shrug off the stories of those who claim to have had deeply spiritual experiences.  Yes, and many people in our age look at the church and scoff.  They think these stories Christians tell about changed lives and divine power is a bunch of non-sense.  “Why, I’ve seen the way you worship at church,” they say.  “It’s boring and lifeless and dull.  If you ask me, you’re just worshiping a dead man.” They dismiss the church; they dismiss Christ; they refuse to believe. 

Hope

            But then there is Peter.  He hears the women’s story and he rushes out the door to investigate for himself.  And when he arrives, he sees that indeed the stone is rolled away and the tomb is empty.  All that’s left are the empty linen wrappings.

It’s ironic how things turn out.  According to Luke, Peter is the only one who runs to check out the women’s story.  Peter was not a particularly “spiritual” person in the sense we might think.  He was not a monk or priest or holy man of any sort.  He was a fisherman, a sailor, a common worldly man.  (Today, we use the expression, "He cusses like a sailor" for a reason.)  By Peter's own estimation the first time Peter met Jesus in Luke 5:8, Peter exclaimed, “I am too much of a sinner to be around you.” And yet it is Peter who goes to look in the tomb when all the other Disciples dismiss the story.  And it says when Peter saw the tomb was empty, he went away wondering what happened.

Peter reminds me of people in our age who are sincerely looking for meaning in life.  They may or may not consider themselves to be particularly “spiritual” people, but something prompts them to take a deep look at themselves and they recognize, “Huh… Something really important is missing.  I wonder where it is.”  And they start to honestly search.  They might look in quite a few places.  They might look for ultimate meaning in their career.  They might look for it in another person—a spouse or a friend.  They might look for it in a cause or in a family or in some other place.  But everywhere they look, they find only an empty tomb.  Where is that Most Important Thing that they crave? 

Which Are You?

The Christian faith teaches that life’s ultimate meaning is found through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  But some people miss out on the fulfillment that comes from a relationship with Jesus because they are like the women.  They are really only looking for a dead man.  Others are like the Disciples; they think the story of Jesus’ resurrection is a bunch of non-sense.  And still others are like Peter—they hear the good news, investigate for themselves, and discovered that the tomb is indeed empty.  Who do you resemble?

Are you looking for a dead man instead of a risen Savior?  Is your religious devotion helping you experiencing the life changing power of God or are you just trying to put sweet smelling spices and flowers on something dead?

Or maybe you are like the Disciples; you think all this talk about a risen Savior is just a bunch of non-sense.  You think, “There is no Higher Power and people don’t change.”  Maybe you’ve dismissed Christ and the church.  If so, I hope you will listen.  I hope you will take an honest look for yourself.  Maybe then you will see that there are a lot of empty, meaningless tombs in your life.  Maybe then you will say to yourself, “Huh…  Something important is missing in my life.  But maybe it’s out there somewhere.  Maybe what those Christians say is really true.  Maybe Jesus is alive.  And maybe Jesus is what I really need.”   

Dear God,

            Thank You for glorious hope of Easter—Christ is risen, just as he said.  Help us to see the empty tomb.  Jesus is not there.  Help us to see the lifeless parts of ourselves where Jesus cannot be found.  By Your grace, help us to surrender these to You, to let them go so that we can experience the divine, life changing power of the risen Christ living in us.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

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[i] William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, the Gospel of Luke, revised edition; page 292