Easter Afresh

Can be heard here

Gate Pa – Easter 2015

Readings:

First Reading:                    Acts 10: 34-43                                     

Second Reading:              1 Corinthians 15: 1-11                             

Gospel:                             Mark 16: 1-8                                      

What I want to say:

I want people to enter into the Easter story, to experience it afresh, and to wonder where they meet the resurrected Christ today.

Invite you to tell a least one other of those times, and to hear another's story, so that together you may rejoice at Risen Christ continued presence with us today.

The Sermon

     1.      Introduction:

Today going do something bit different

Invite you to sit comfortably

may be feet on floor

back straight

hands lightly lap

close eyes

be aware where sitting

            where need relax

            move so that can relax

be at peace in this place

Invite you pay attention noises around us

            pay attention to breathing

     2.      Meditation on Mark

Invite you find yourself on that first Easter

it is Sunday morning

            look around

            is it still dark or light

            how warm is it

            what is happening around you?

you see three women buying spices to anoint a body

            Jesus body

where are you ?

            are you one of the women?

            interested bystander

            shop keeper

            guard of some sort there to keep the peace

who are you in this story?

As you look at the women

            what see

            what hear

            what are the women talking about

what are you feeling as they buy the spices to anoint Jesus body

            and as they look to the tomb,

            and begin their walk

You are now walking towards the tomb

you can hear them talk about who will roll the stone away

            you might even be part of that conversation

What are their fears?

What are your fears?

As you come to the tomb you see that the stone is rolled away

what do the women think?

            what are they saying?

what do you think?

what are you saying?

Watch as the three women enter the tomb

You hear a cry of surprise

you too enter into the tomb

you look around

what do you see

what do you smell

what do you hear as you stand in that empty tomb?

What are the women doing and saying?

you turn and see a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side;

what is your reaction?

what do you want to say to him?

You hear him say ‘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.”

You look to where he is pointing

what do you see?

how do you react?

Young man now looks at the women and says, ‘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.’

He looks at you and speaks to you?

            what do you hear the young man say to you?

            How do you react?

            How do the women react?

What do you say to the young man in return?

Where is Jesus now for you?

When ready, return to this place, this Easter morn, in this worship

Invite you to share as much as you want to the person next to you

(Anyone like to share any insights from that experience?)

     3.      Blame Mark

Why did I do that and not preach?

Blame Mark

Gospel as written by Mark that has survived until today finishes at 16:8 - nearly all scholars agree with that

only the women see risen Jesus

Told to tell disciples to go to Galilee,

            where they will see Jesus,

and the woman ran from the tomb, confused, and shaking, too afraid to tell anyone what had happened

Some say, real ending got lost, that is why alternative endings have been placed on the end,

-usually 2 included in most versions

     4.      How it is supposed to be

Some scholars say, that is where he intended to end it

These suggest that Gospel is like an intro talk when have guest speaker at convention

Like Mark introduces Jesus by recounting stories reveal kind person he is

And then Mark says,

“And now let’s hear from Jesus”

inviting hearers to talk about how they met risen Jesus?

inviting us to talk about how we have met the risen Jesus.

From this point of view

Resurrection stories set in Jerusalem and Galilee are much less important than stories how you and I meet risen Christ in our daily lives.

    5.      The Point

If Easter is just a true story,

but has no impact on us

if doesn’t affect

            How see world

How live our lives

Then little point to it!

Reduced to level of nice story

But if this story stirs us to remember our own times with risen Christ

Allows us to recount how we have been changed by those experiences

Allows us to continue to grow into Christ's great love

Then Easter is of great significance

Season Easter is 50 days

Invite you spend those 50 days remembering times met risen Christ

Invite you to tell a least one other of those times, and to hear another's story, so that together you may rejoice at Risen Christ continued presence with us today.