Easter Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Tara W. Bulger

Mark 16:1-8

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.

They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”

So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Sam Is With Us When We’re All Together

In a small town outside of St. Louis, 66-year-old Peggy Winkowsky is known as Granda Peggy to a whole host of kids from the local high school.

It started when her grandson Sam started meeting with a small group of friends every Wednesday for breakfast before school. They met at the local diner and it was ok—but it wasn’t great. One Wednesday Sam declared, “My grandma can make a much better breakfast than this!” And so the next week’s Sam’s friends got a text to meet Sam at Grandma Peggy’s house instead of the diner. She was going to cook them breakfast.

And what a breakfast it was. Waffles and eggs and bacon and biscuits. It was so much better than the diner that Sam and his friends began to meet there every Wednesday. And every Wednesday Grandma Peggy would cook them breakfast.

Until that terrible day when Sam was killed. Gone in a hit and run. Grandma Peggy was devastated. Her sweet Sam was gone. And Sam’s classmates were too. They all grieved Sam. And no one thought about breakfast.

Until the very next Wednesday. When Grandma Peggy was surprised to find that her doorbell rang at 7 a.m. And there was the breakfast club—ready for breakfast. Except it wasn’t just the core group any more. Grandma Peggy’s doorbell kept ringing and ringing and classmate after classmate of Sam’s showed up. They came that Wednesday and the Wednesday after and the Wednesday after and each week the crowd grew—to far greater numbers than before.

For Grandma Peggy, out of her grief, she felt that Sam had sent every one of those kids her way. She said, “Every Wednesday morning is the best morning.”

One of the kids said, “Its really not about the food, it’s about being together.” And another explained, “I feel like Sam is here with us when we are together.”

The Grief and Story of Holy Week

As Christians, we know something about grief. This Holy Week we have heard again of the devastating story of our Lord and Savior—who was welcomed into Jerusalem with crowds waving palm branches. But soon the crowd turns against Jesus. He is betrayed by one of his own. We know of Jesus’ humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane and we have been witnesses to the terrible darkness of Good Friday.

But on Easter morning, the women—the same women who were at the crucifixion—have gone to the tomb. It was customary for them to anoint a dead body, certainly the dead body of someone they love. On the way, I imagine they are mired in grief and worried about the logistics of rolling the heavy stone of the tomb away to get inside. Imagine their shock to find that the stone is already rolled away and a man, in a white robe is sitting there.

Now, Mark’s Gospel is renowned for its brevity. And the absolute miracle of Easter is shared with us in the most succinct way, “He has been raised; he is not here.”

What Resurrection Means

He has been raised! In that empty tomb that the women found, we know that all the stones of our own tombs will be rolled away. No longer do death and sin have power. In Jesus’ resurrection, we are reminded of the sovereignty of God. We are reminded of the power of God. Resurrection is the defeat of all evil powers. It is God’s defeat over the powers of sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance that God is with us and for us. Always. Forever.

The Body of Christ

“He is not here, he is raised” and we are told that Jesus will go ahead of them and see the disciples in Galilee. And we know too that Jesus goes ahead of us, into our lives. There is no future we can enter where Jesus is not already there for us.

“He is not dead, he is raised!” and no where is Jesus more present—with us and for us—than in the church community. In Jesus’ resurrection the blessed and beloved church is called into being. The church is called the very body of Christ because Jesus is present and at work in its community and the world.  Its like one of those kids said about Sam—e know Jesus is here with us when we gather.

The Church’s Proclamation to the World

Every time we meet together we are proclaiming the resurrection of Christ and all the hope it brings. To a hurting world we are saying, He is raised! There is hope. Just as Peggy and those kids gather together and Sam is with them, so too we, as the church gather together to remember that Jesus is resurrected. We have not been left alone. The very spirit of Christ is alive and at work in the world.

I consider it a privilege to worship in a church with such a long history. For over 200 years a community of believers has gathered in this place and declared the joy of the resurrection. For over 200 years this church community has declared that Christ is alive! I look forward to the next 200 years, when we will do the same. The Easter message is familiar, certainly, but it is never routine. It is the bedrock of who we are. From generation to generation, we declare the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and life over death.

“He is not here, he is raised” and the man tells the women to go and tell the disciples and in their fear, they keep quiet for a time. But the disciples will meet Jesus themselves and he will tell them to go and share the Good News. That’s what we do—we share the Good News. That’s who the church is—bearers of Good News.

Comfort of Resurrection/Promise of the Church

I hope this day has been a reminder to you that in the resurrection, Jesus has triumphed over all. I hope this brings you hope and comfort—that no matter what difficulty you encounter Jesus is with you and for you.

But I hope this day is also a reminder to you that in the church, Jesus is at work, calling us to share the Good News and help the world around us. And that it is a privilege to be the church, here in this place, from Easter to Easter, from generation to generation. Thanks be to God for the resurrection of Christ and the hope and joy we have in this day. Amen.