Bethlehem Lutheran Church

I was in India a few weeks ago, where it was my privilege to lead two preaching seminars. The first was held in Amritsar, in Punjab, in the far northwest, and was for pastors in the Church of North India Diocese of Punjab, Himanchal Pradesh and Jammu and Kasmir. I have taught there before, and the Bishop, Pradeep Samantaroy, has become a good friend.

On an earlier visit, he had taken me to Srinagar, the largest city in Kashmir. I remember asking Bunu (the bishop’s nickname) as we were on the way, “Is this safe?” because of all the struggles that have happened there- it has been at the heart of the fighting between Pakistan and India since independence. He smiled and said, “Oh, western press. It’s mostly safe...”

It is also stunningly beautiful: a valley with the high Himalayas all around it. I was staying at the Tyndale, Biscoe and Mallinson School in the center of town. It’s a school founded by British Missionaries in the 19th century, now operated by the Church of North India, and although it is a Christian School, the students are overwhelming Muslim- which makes sense because Kashmir is 99% Muslim in population.

The next day we went to a place named Tangmarg and visited a place near and dear to Bunu’s heart- it was a satellite school he had helped organize that served the children from the villages who could not get into Srinagar. Both the setting and school were gorgeous- a forest clearing with the mountains in the background, the school designed to fit in- built out of the trees of the forest; it was breathtaking. And it was doing wonderful work with the area’s rural poor children. As a response to the threat of an allegedly Christian “pastor” in Florida to burn a Koran, last September, local militants attacked this small, isolated Christian School, and burned it to the ground. Bunu returned to the school, in tears; the pain in the pit of his stomach growing as he approached, and surveyed the damage.

I wonder if that isn’t something like Mary Magdalene must have felt as she went to the tomb of Jesus that first Easter morning so long ago. Something had died inside her, no doubt, as she watched Jesus die that Friday afternoon. The man who had cast out the demons she had struggled with; the one who had showed her that she had value- she had meaning as a child of God, in spite of her past- her social status, had been horribly put to death after a show trial, and now she had one last thing to do as his friend.

She was going to anoint his body with spices. She had gone early in the morning, but when she arrived, she found the tomb opened and the body gone! She ran back to where Peter and John were staying- hiding, actually, and told them that someone had taken Jesus’ body. They returned to the tomb, saw the linen wrappings, and the shroud that had covered him. The Bible tells us that John believed, but apparently Peter was just as perplexed as Mary, but then unbelievably, the men just go home! How could they have done that??? We won’t speculate about this particular gender question…

Heartbroken Mary, however, stays and when she looks in the tomb, she sees two angels who ask her “Woman, why are you weeping?” She exclaims her frustration, and then turns and sees a man she thinks must be the gardener. “Where is the body??!! Give him back!”

And the Risen Jesus calls her name. Mary recognizes his voice and so him! She calls him Teacher- tries to embrace him… Can you imagine her joy??? He had been dead- she watched him die- and here he was alive, standing in front of her: “Go and tell the disciples,” he says and she does: “I have seen the Lord!”  Mary- Mary of the seven demons- Mary, the friend and follower of Jesus- becomes the first Apostle- the apostle to the apostles, the first to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus from the dead!

Now we are here today-celebrating with billions of Christians around the world-in every imaginable setting from theater to house to prison to cathedral-what Mary experienced first: that our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ is alive! The one who suffered death on the cross for each of us- for you and me- for every person in the world- lays no longer in the grave, but has been raised from the dead!

This is our reason to be! It’s why I get out of bed every day. It is why I have hope, both for this life and the life to come- it is what gives meaning to my life! And why? Because it means Jesus is who he said he was!

In the Gospels, Jesus makes all kinds of claims about himself. He says in John’s Gospel, “I am the resurrection and the life, those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and every one who lives and believes in me will never die!” He said, “I and the Father are one- before Abraham was, I AM…” Jesus was claiming to be God!

The resurrection of Jesus means that he was and is who he claimed to be- and that means we can know God!  We can look at Jesus’ life- hear his words and know what God is like! I know that God is love, because in the course of Jesus’ life and ministry, we see his love and compassion again and again!

I can say that God cares for the poor- the unloved and the outcast, because those are the people with whom Jesus spent his life! Because Jesus is alive, I know we have God who can always be counted on- who keeps the promises God has made to us! Jesus keeps his promises- Jesus can be trusted! You can put your life- your death- your forever in his hands! And as you trust in Jesus, like Mary Magdalene, your life will be changed forever- transformed! And how does this happen? 

I have my past forgiven!

Because Jesus is raised from the dead, I no longer have to live with and in my past, and neither do you! All the things that you have done and regret- that cause guilt and shame- that make you feel like you’re trapped on a wheel and can’t escape, Jesus offers to take away! You can’t redo or undo those things, but Jesus offers forgiveness for them!

In 1st Corinthians 11, Paul reports the words of Jesus-the very words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “This is my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin…” In the death and resurrection of Jesus, you are offered forgiveness for everything you have ever done! You can walk out of here today with a clear conscience! And forgiven, you can begin asking for, and offering forgiveness to the people you love, as well!

How do you receive that gift? Respond to the love offered in our Risen Lord! Believe and receive forgiveness. And get this- this is not simple “intellectual assent to a series of propositions... It is a process- one of re-orienting yourself from the old way of doing things which we all know doesn’t work, and learning to trust that God’s love- God’s call for you and to you- brings life, and  as you trust, the forgiveness that has always been there becomes real!

Then, because Jesus is raised from the dead, my present can be managed!

So much of what happens in this world is out of our control. Do you doubt this? Do you have control over the stock market? Gas prices? Health Care? Turbulence in the middle east? Those of you with children, do you really control your children? Really? I hear, as do my colleagues in ministry from people who are just stressed out: I’m too busy- my life is out of control…I’m powerless to break this habit…why doesn’t she love me anymore? How could he leave me?

If you feel this way this morning, that this whole thing is too much, you need to hear that you were never meant to do this alone, and the resurrection of Jesus means you don’t have to! Paul tells us in Ephesians 1: how incredibly great is his power to help those who believe in him- the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead!

God’s power- present in our lives now- means that nothing that happens to us- nothing life brings is beyond God’s capacity to manage with us.

Now hear this carefully; I say this all the time: This promise is not a promise of life without problems or trials or illness- the promise has never been an easy, comfortable life. Rather, in the presence of everything life brings, bad times as well as good, we have the promise of the presence of the Risen Jesus, walking with us through everything.

What’s more, Jesus has given us each other- a community- where with his presence and promise, we walk with one another: caring for each other, accepting each other, growing together, serving the people around us (sharing that presence of the Risen Jesus with those in need!)

Starting next week, for six weeks, we will be looking at what it means to share “Life Together.” There is no reason, ever, for you to have to face the difficulty, and the challenges of life on your own! I encourage your participation, as we learn to live and walk with our risen Lord as we live and walk with each other...And that brings us to the surety that because Jesus is raised from the dead, my future- your future is secure! There is nothing that can happen that will take God’s love in Jesus away- not illness- not loss of a job- relationship- not even death.

There is no Easter without Good Friday: Jesus died- every human being dies- some sooner, some later; it’s how we’re made! And yet we resist so much- look at our culture’s frantic efforts to stay young: 50 is the new thirty... I told my sister in law as she celebrated her 60th birthday that really, “60 is the new...60!” We do everything we can do to postpone the inevitable- it is the taboo topic- don’t want to think about it, much less discuss it…

I’m not saying I look forward to death- good heavens, I don’t. But I will say that I can and will put my fear on Jesus, and know his presence with me- to walk with me where he went first! Because Jesus was raised…because Jesus has promised to take us to himself- because Jesus has promised resurrection for you, and for me…

Hear his words again: I am the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in me, though they die, will live! Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die! To believe in Jesus, to live in Jesus- is to receive God’s gift of eternal life. It is to know your future is secure- certain- in the nail pierced hands of our crucified and Risen Lord. No matter what happens- whether we live or whether we die, we belong to Jesus!

My friend Bunu Samantaroy surveyed the devastation of the school. As he was walking through the ruins, a group representing the parents of the students and their communities approached him. He pointed to the ruins, and said bitterly, “This was done to protest the potential burning of the Koran. Did you know there were eight Korans in the school that were burned, that are now ashes?”

The parents bowed their heads sadly, and told him that their children were crying constantly- they knew what the loss of the school would mean for their futures... If the Church could forgive and consider rebuilding, they- the villagers- would provide the labor to see that it happened.

Truly it is the power of God- the power of the resurrection at work half a world away! Muslims and Christians in Kashmir are working together, with support from the Indian government and from around the world, to see the school rebuilt. Anger, misunderstanding and bitterness are being replaced by forgiveness, reconciliation and hope for the future that the school will bring both to the students who attend and to their villages, as well.

You don’t need to go around the world to see Jesus’ promise to you this Easter. Right here, right now, he offers you healing, reconciliation and life! He invites you to join in a relationship with him- not rules, dogma or religion, but a relationship that is eternal – a relationship with God!

A relationship where your past is forgiven!

A relationship where Jesus will walk with you each day of your life!

A relationship where you will know his presence and peace in your death and beyond!

Jesus offers this to you because he is alive! Because he loves you- he always has and he always will!Come forward- receive him in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Join us in this life-changing journey with Jesus leading every step of the way. For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen!

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