Exploding with good news!

 

In so many ways, Easter Day needs no words and yet here I am…! 

 

And so I’ll begin with the simple fact that Easter is the reason we’re here. If the cross at Calvary had been the end of the story, then it would have been the end of the story. Jesus would have been long forgotten. But today, in spite of all the miserable stories we hear about the decline of Christianity, Jesus is proclaimed as the Messiah by 2.5 billion people… 

 

And the invitation that Jesus offered in his earthly life to follow him remains the same today – come and follow, just as you are… That simple invitation changes lives… 

 

In our readings today we’re thinking unsurprisingly about life, about abundant life! In the Old Testament reading from Isaiah (25:6-9) we heard of the mountain prepared by the Lord with all kinds of rich food and good wine. It’s the picture not of a trip to a good restaurant, but of God providing abundantly for his people, of God wanting the very best for every one of us – and he’s made it ready for us… 

 

The reading goes on to say that God will destroy the shroud that is cast over people, that he will swallow up death for ever… In Jesus those promises are laid out again. New life, new hope… Easter Day is the day that new life and new hope become clear, the life transforming, history transforming day. 

 

Our reading from Isaiah ends with the words, ‘Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’

 

Next, I’m jumping to the gospel reading (Mark 16:1-8). Here we have the women coming to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. They wondered about practical things, about how to move the stone. And when they got there the stone was rolled back already and they met this man in a white robe. 

 

He told them not to be afraid – when I’m sure they probably were! He told them that Jesus had been raised from the dead and they were to go and tell the disciples. It’s a reading we probably know well, but let’s think about it again. What were the emotions that these women were feeling? Was it that the Messiah had been killed, were they wondering what the future might look like or perhaps they were just grieving someone they loved so much… 

 

They brought the spices, they worried about who would move the stone, they didn’t expect resurrection, but that’s what they saw and understandably they still don’t know what to make of it – we’re told that when they left, terror and amazement had seized them and they were afraid… 

 

Who wouldn’t be ? How many times when we don’t understand something are we left fearful ? But they and others would see the risen Jesus and they would eat with him and talk to him and know… 

 

And they would tell others and they would do it so passionately that people would listen, and they would do it so courageously that their voices would be heard, and they would do it so authentically that people believed them and they would do it with the power of God, so that 2000 years later there are 3 billion Christians still enjoying lives transformed and still being called to be glad and rejoice in his salvation, and to do it in such a way that it is contagious…. In such a way that invites others to experience the risen Jesus for themselves… 

 

And that’s what happening in the reading from Acts (10:34-43). Peter is speaking in the house of Cornelius where he is invited to share his faith, and the Message Bible puts it wonderfully, 

‘Peter fairly exploded with his good news…’

 

He told them about Jesus, about his life, his death, his resurrection and that he, and all the followers, were commissioned to tell others about it… 

 

Easter Day is the day that reminds us as individuals and as a church that we too are called to explode with good news, to tell others about Jesus, and to tell others what a difference he makes in our lives… 

 

And that is the call of Easter too. We’ve gone through Lent. Some will have observed it closely, some less so, but Lent has offered a chance to think about where we are in our relationship with God and it’s never too late to do that. 

 

The promises we heard in Isaiah can be translated into our lives today – and that doesn’t mean perfect lives with no problems. Sadly, that isn’t promised – the path of Jesus was one of challenge and pain and sometimes our lives will feel like that too. But we live secure in the knowledge that whatever life may throw at us, God is with us, and has prepared that rich feast for us to enjoy, here and for eternity. 

 

Death no longer has the final word, just as darkness and pain and challenges in our lives don’t have the final word… 

 

And so on this Easter Day, I just want to finish with 3 things from our readings today… 

 

Firstly, to think of those words from Isaiah, words delivered in the life of Jesus. God is there for us, ready to provide abundantly for us. “Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation”. It’s something that we sometimes miss – as we worry about things at home or in our churches, it’s easy to forget that we ultimately have hope, the greatest hope of all, delivered right to us by the Saviour of the world. “Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation” and in the wonderful gifts prepared for us… 

 

Secondly, we’re ok to not understand things sometimes. Like the women who went away from the tomb, we too can have times of questioning, times when we don’t get it… 

 

As Christians, primarily we have the gifts of prayer and the bible, but we also have the gift of other people and it’s important to enjoy times of fellowship and discussion with others to share our hopes and our fears, our joys and our worries… God has given us the gifts around us to use and just as we can use others as gifts to us, so we can be gifts to other people.

 

And finally, each of our readings is about telling people about good news. Isaiah ends with that phrase I’ve just mentioned “let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation”. That isn’t passive. It’s about showing that we have something in our lives to celebrate and that we want to share because it’s too good to keep to ourselves… that is Jesus! 

 

And in the reading from Acts, Paul is invited to tell the story of good news and he does… Are we ready, if invited, to tell that story? In the diocesan stewardship workshop there is an opportunity for what Americans call an ‘elevator pitch’. Basically, it is the chance to be in a lift with someone and tell your story briefly but effectively. What’s your story? Why is life better for you because of Easter, because of the resurrection of Jesus? 

 

And finally, from the gospel we have the women sent away from the tomb and scared and not sure what to do or say, but the message was shared. God gives the words and the opportunities when we want them… 

 

As we celebrate Easter, as we think of new life and new hope, as we think of death destroyed for ever, and the fact that light will always win over darkness, let’s pray for God to give the opportunities and the words to offer good news or in the words of the message bible about Peter, ‘to explode with good news…’  AMEN