"Seized by Terror and Amazement"

             As an ordained pastor for over 30 years, it seems to me that on Easter Sunday, there are always two separate congregations attending Easter Worship.  The two congregations intermingle and worship together.   Frequently, there are members of the same family, sitting together on the same pew, yet, they belong to separate congregations.  These two congregations are:

1.      The “true believers.”  This group is firmly convinced of the Resurrection and they harbor no doubts that through faith in Jesus they will have eternal life with God.

2.      The second group is the “quiet doubters.” Although they would like to belong to the “true believers” congregation, they have doubts that Jesus really was resurrected from the dead.  However, they are silent about their doubts because it might be considered impolite and it would upset others at the Easter Service.

In my faith journey, I have belonged to both congregations—both the “true believers” and the “quiet doubters.”  So, I think that I know how both congregations think and feel, as they gather for worship on Easter Sunday.

Let me focus a bit on the quiet doubters.  For this group, the resurrection is at odds with what we know from science and real life experiences.  For instance, we know that over the first 3 days of death, the physical body begins to decay and some post-mortem bloating may set in.  This raises serious questions about the resurrection of Jesus.  People are not just resurrected from the dead, as the scriptures claim for Jesus of Nazareth.  “Perhaps,” the quiet doubters may say to themselves, “Jesus was not really resurrected.  Perhaps his disciples just made up the resurrection because Jesus was such a special moral leader.”

The level of doubt may range along a continuum from some persons who completely reject the Resurrection as an actual event to others who basically accept the Resurrection, even though they retain a twinge of doubt and uncertainty in the back of their minds.  “Quiet doubters” may attend Easter services for a variety reasons, but they generally refrain from openly sharing their doubts.

As a pastor, who in the past was a “quiet doubter,” I feel it is important to point out to both congregations that there is a “bright red thread,” or common theme, that runs throughout all four gospel accounts of Christ’s Resurrection.   This red thread is so obvious that it is almost impossible to overlook.  Yet, many Easter services ignore or downplay this red thread. This red thread is that in all four gospels there is profound doubt expressed by some of Christ’s followers, concerning the Resurrection:

Ø  In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus’ disciples meet him on the mountain following his Resurrection, “they worshiped him; but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:17) 

Ø  In Luke, when the women returned from the empty tomb and their encounter with the two men in dazzling white, their words seemed to the disciples to be “an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

Ø  And, of course, in John we have the story of “doubting Thomas,” who said:  “‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’” (John 20:25) 

Ø  In Mark’s account of the first Easter morning, when the women arrive at the empty tomb and encounter the man in white, they run away from the scene because they are seized by “terror and amazement.”  (Mark 16: 1-8)  In Mark, when the disciples are afraid, it usually indicates that they lack sufficient faith in Jesus Christ.  For instance, when the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee during a fierce storm, they become terrified.  Then, Jesus calms the sea, reassuring the disciples and asking them:  “Why are you afraid?  Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:  40)

Frequently, we overlook the disciples’ doubt in our rush to shout “Alleluia!” and sing “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.”  We ignore the red thread in our rush to plan Easter egg hunts and scrumptious Easter dinners with our family and friends.  Amid the Easter eggs, jelly beans, ‘peeps,’ chocolate bunnies, and Easter lilies, we always manage the avoid discussion of the disciples’ doubts.  Yet, regardless of which Gospel account you turn to, there is always at least one person who has doubts and is not sure about the resurrection. 

I think that we should pay more attention to the disciples and other followers of Jesus who had doubts about the Resurrection.  As a former “quiet doubter” myself, I have always found it easier to identify with “doubting Thomas” and the others who did not initially accept the reality of the Resurrection.

Yet, in each case, the doubts of Jesus’ followers eventually gave way to assurance of the Resurrection reality.  Through Jesus’ appearances and words, through the mutual support of the community of faith, through the growth and maturation of their faith, Jesus followers become convinced of his resurrection and they ultimately become … people of the Resurrection.

So this brings us to the central question of Easter, regardless of whether we are “true believers” or “quiet doubters.”  This central question is this: 

What does it mean to live as a Resurrection people?

In my message on Sunday, I will suggest that to live as Resurrection people means that we must learn to see with new eyes: 

First, we need to avoid the trap of seeing Jesus’ Resurrection as just another unconnected miracle performed by God.  Instead, we must view the Resurrection as part of the overarching story of God’s Creative work in the universe.  This story begins when God created the universe and judged it to be very good.  However, God’s creative activity is not limited to just the beginning.  God is continually at work creating and redeeming the world.  Ultimately, God promises to transform all of Creation and make it new.  As the New Testament Book of Revelation says:  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, …[and God said], ‘See, I am making all things new.’”(Revelation 21: 1-2, 5)  In God’s New Creation, the old will be transformed.  Jesus’ Resurrection is the “tipping point,” when God begins to transform this universe into the New Creation described in Revelation.

Secondly, as a Resurrection people we must live towards the future and this New Creation which God has begun through the resurrection of Christ.  In other words, we are not enslaved by the past.  Instead, God intends for us to look forward to the future and Creation’s final redemption.  The celebration of the Lord’s Supper is an example of this forward way of looking and living.  Too often, when the community of faith gathers to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion, we dwell on how the sacrament was first established.  We look to the past and remember how on the night when he was betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter, Jesus gathered with his followers in the Upper Room where he instituted the sacrament.  Although how the Lord’s Supper was established is very important, it is perhaps even more important to remember that the Lord’s Supper points forward to the future New Creation, when Jesus will join with all of his followers and feast and drink at the heavenly banquet in the kingdom of God.  (See Mark 14: 22-25 and Matthew 26: 26-29)

Finally, as Resurrection people, we no longer need to live in fear and dread of death—either the death of our friends or even our own death.  Through the Resurrection, God has provided conclusive proof that death is not the final word.  Rather than being the termination of our existence, death is a transition from this life to New Life with God through Jesus Christ.

 

Come and celebrate Easter with us this Sunday, April 5th.  Our church is located at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in Meriden, Kansas.  Our classic worship starts at 10 am. 

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.