3-31-24 Easter Service – “The Miracle of the Miracles”
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“The Miracle of the Miracles”
I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: Three blondes died and met St. Peter at the Pearly Gates of Heaven. St. Peter tells them they can enter the gates if they can answer a simple question. St. Peter asks the first blonde, “What is Easter?” The blonde replies, “Oh, that’s easy! It’s the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and is thankful and stuff…” “Wrong!” replies St. Peter, and asks the second blonde the same question, “What is Easter?” The second one replies, “Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and drink eggnog.” St. Peter looks at the second one, shakes his head in disgust, tells her she’s wrong, and then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, “What is Easter?”
The third blonde smiled confidently and looked St. Peter in the eyes, “I know what Easter is.” “Oh?” says St. Peter. “Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the Last Supper. Then the Romans took him to be crucified, and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and hung on a cross with nails through his hands. He was buried in a nearby cave, which was sealed off by a large boulder.” St. Peter smiles broadly with delight. Then the third blonde continues, “Every year, the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out… and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
I ask you, “What is Easter?” Don’t worry; it is not an examination question that you have to pass to enter heaven or not. I wonder, what Easter means for you. What comes to mind first when you hear “Easter”? Some of you might remember the sunrise services of Easter and fellowship afterward. Some of you remember beautiful lilies and decorations on the altar, along with wonderful choir songs. Some of you might think that Easter is the same every year. A few years ago, I overheard one of the community members say, “The service was good, but the sermon was just the same old Easter crap.”
Every Easter sermon has the same theme, “Christ is risen.” Perhaps you have heard sermons with the same theme every Easter Sunday. However, I wonder if the good news of Christ’s resurrection is not enough for you. Christ’s resurrection is the miracle of miracles. There was none greater, and there will be none greater. The miracle was the work of God the Father, as the Scripture in Acts says, “Whom you crucified but whom God raised from dead” (Acts 4:10). If you still think that you hear the same sermon every Easter, I hope God gives you the grace to forget and experience anew every year.
I believe that we should remind ourselves of our sins and God’s saving grace throughout Easter. We crucify Jesus every moment in our everyday lives when we feel discouraged, disappointed, full of despair, and complain or become upset about our lives. But God raises Him again on Easter morning to give us hope, lift us up, awaken us, and encourage us so that we can move forward. The entire Christian faith stands or falls on the reality of the resurrection. Christianity is the only religion to proclaim the resurrection. Without the resurrection, there is no faith, no Gospel, no proclamation, no worship, no mission, and no hope left in Christendom.
We keep our faith in God because our Lord Jesus Christ has risen. Because of His resurrection, the cross was not a symbol of shameful death, but an atonement for the world’s sins. “God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Because He lives, we worship Him today, celebrating His resurrection. Each Sunday, the church observes the miracle of the resurrection. Do you know why we gather on Sundays to worship God? It is because His resurrection was on a Sunday. Since then, Christians have called Sunday the Lord’s Day and worshiped God to celebrate His resurrection. That’s Sunday worship. Because he rose and ascended to His Father, we have the Holy Spirit and look forward to His return for the ultimate victory over the world. In the light of the resurrection, we live with the assurance that life is stronger than death, love greater than hate, and there is more goodness than evil. By his resurrection, Jesus conquered humanity’s last and greatest enemy, death. Furthermore, Christ’s resurrection is an assurance of what Jesus taught us and promised us. Because of His resurrection, we have hope for eternal life.
More than 2000 years ago, Mary Magdalene was an outcast of Israelite society, a woman with physical and emotional illnesses. She had no friends or family by her side as everyone ignored and abandoned her due to her emotional condition. However, only Jesus extended his hands to her and treated her as a fellow human being. Through the love of Jesus and the grace of God, Mary Magdalene finally found healing and became one of Jesus’ disciples. She was the first person to encounter the risen Christ.
The disciples, who went to the tomb along with Mary Magdalene discovered it was empty. They then returned home. This raised the question: how could the disciples simply return home after witnessing the empty tomb, especially without realizing the significance of Jesus’ resurrection? Even though they spent three years with Jesus and learned about his death and resurrection, they may have forgotten what they were taught, or allowed fear to scatter them following Jesus’ crucifixion.
However, Mary Magdalene was shocked to find the body of Jesus gone. She wasn’t able to leave without knowing where Jesus was and she wept outside the tomb. Finally, Jesus appeared to her and said, “Mary, why are you crying? Go and tell others, ‘I am resurrected.’” It is the miracle of miracles that she encountered the risen Christ and became the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection.
Today, it’s no wonder the risen Christ is here with us. If you believe that Jesus died and rose for you, that is the miracle of miracles because Jesus chose you just as He chose Mary Magdalen 2000 years ago. The risen Christ is among us. No wonder we are urged to witness Jesus’ resurrection. No matter what challenges you’ve faced — whether you have battled an illness, or struggled with depression or addiction — go and share your experiences with others who are facing similar struggles. Go and tell them, “Christ is risen for you.” Remember, God loves you deeply, whether you are in trouble or experiencing joy. As long as you believe in the risen Christ, His is by your side as your healer, supporter, and savior. Remember, Jesus died for you and rose again for you! Thanks be to God. Amen.