Jesus Conquered Death

Matthew 28:1-10

Today is the night of the Easter Vigil – an ‘in-between’ time during the Easter Triduum – the three most holy days between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. Horrible things had happened with Jesus’ death and the joy found in Jesus’ resurrection had not yet occurred.

The disciples were mourning, they didn’t know what to do, they had not understood the coming resurrection; instead they were sequestered in a little room afraid to come out, fearful that they may be killed, isolated as a pariahs from society (much like we are now). They thought they had seen their dream of eternal life dashed with Jesus’ death.

We can imagine how the disciples felt. They were in their ‘in-between time’: between the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter morning. They had suffered in pain while Jesus was betrayed, arrested, tried, convicted, and hung on the cross on Good Friday. Like the veil of the temple, their world was torn apart at the moment of His death.

We also are existing an ‘in-between time’ – the time between when we started ‘sheltering-in-place’ during a worldwide pandemic and whenever that time comes when we are allowed to safely enter back into society without the fear of disease and death. We are all anxious about when that is going to be, and have no doubt about the joy we will feel when we will be able to have personal contact with others.

Probably, the most unnerving thing in all our lives is the fear of death – we don’t what is going to happen. It is a fear that we will go into ‘nothingness’, a big black hole. What we are now and will become will disappear like dust in the wind.

We dream about what it will be like Heaven, where we meet with our friends and family who have gone before us. A place where we will suffer no pain, have no disabilities, have no reason for weeping and mourning.

Fear of death is a morbid, abnormal or persistent fear of one’s own death or the process of dying; a “feeling of dread, apprehension or anxiety when one thinks of the process of dying, or ceasing to ‘be’”.^[1] It’s a fear that some how we will die before we have reached our hopes and dreams. . . that we will leave things unfinished. It can be irrational and often debilitating, keeping us from achieving our hopes and dreams.

But by Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection He conquered the most fearful thing of all –

DEATH.

We have been promised by Jesus:

And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. (John 14:3)

Death can no longer hold us in constant fear!

Jesus came as a messenger from God – in fact HE was God made man. He came to tell us that God loves us – that life and death are NOT the whole story. The cross of suffering is bare, the tomb is empty.

The rest of the story is eternity – one message:

Like Jesus, we came from God

and will return to God.

God is with us each day of our lives, living in us and in the love of those we see.

As we find ourselves sheltered right now, we have the courage to stay in this place and invite Christ to meet us there. If you know anyone who is dealing with pain, disappointment, or loss—share hope with them – ask them how they’re doing – listen to them – be with them – pray for them. And when the time is right, point them toward the resurrected Jesus. Because life has a way of killing dreams, but Jesus has a way of bringing them,

and us,

back to life!

We are all part of God’s love, God’s eternity and we have nothing to fear – this is the message of Easter – indeed the most joyous season of all.

Let us love one another as He has loved us – and continues to love us throughout eternity.

Phillip Brook wrote his “Easter Carol” reminding us that death is no longer:

Tomb, You shall not hold Him longer,
Death is strong, but life is stronger
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right
Faith and hope triumphant say;
Christ will rise on Easter Day.

While the patient earth lies waiting
Till the morning shall be breaking
Shuddering beneath the burden dread
Of her Master, cold and dead,
Hark! she hears the angels say;
Christ will rise on Easter Day.

And when sunrise smites the mountains
Pouring light from heavenly fountains
Then the earth blooms out to greet
>Once again the blessed feet;
And her countless voices say;
Christ has risen on Easter Day. [2]

Jesus Christ is the death of Death! 

Let me say this again:

Jesus Christ is the

Death

of

Death! 

Let us move through this ‘in-between time’ with confidence that through Jesus’ resurrection we will be assured of eternal life.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

Amen.

 
[1]      Farley G.: Death anxiety. National Health Service UK. 2010, found in: Peters L, Cant R, Payne S, O’Connor M, McDermott F, Hood K, Morphet J, Shimoinaba K. (2013).
[2]       Phillips Brook, “The Easter Carol”, Christmas Songs and Easter Carols, (New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1903)
 

Delivered at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church & University Center, Columbus, OH; 11 April 2020

Our Charge

Today is Maundy Thursday, the least understood, probably least attended, and surely the most intimate of the Christian holy days.

It was the time of Passover, when all Jews commemorated their escape from the Angel of Death while captives in Egypt. As we partake in our Agape meal at our homes, we share with those Hebrews and Jesus and His disciples in that last meal. This meal is the foundation of the Eucharist we celebrate today; reminding us of Jesus’ suffering and our redemption through His body and blood.

Jesus was aware that His path would be to the cross, and he tried, once again, to get the disciples to understand what would be happening.

The disciples were a rag-tag collection of men who gave up everything – their families, their jobs – to follow this man from Nazareth. There had to have been intense love and respect for Jesus. He had spent almost three years with these men and women, preaching and teaching. Yet, the disciples really don’t understand and were in serious denial that He would be going away.

One last time, Jesus provided an example of how the disciples, and WE are to live in relationship with God.

After the meal, Jesus humbled himself, as a servant, to wash the feet of the disciples – a custom that was relegated to the lowest of the low in the Jewish community. He instructed the disciples to follow his example:

For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them (John 13:15)

This is to remind us that by following His example of humbling himself, we can be more Christ-like and live a more godly life.

Today is call ‘maundy’ from the Latin ‘mandatum’, meaning commandment or order, because of the command that Jesus gave to ALL of us.

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

That is our charge, not only on this Maundy Thursday, but now and for the rest of our lives.

After Jesus had shared a meal with his disciples, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. We are told, that for Jesus the Garden of Gethsemane frequently served as a place of quite reflection, and especially for prayers with his heavenly father. He took with him Peter, James and John, to keep him company and possibly protect him.

Jesus prayed that this burden should be lifted from him, but he understood that he must do this alone – there is no  one who could bear the cross or share his pain and death. He alone was the Chosen One – and he accepted that. It was here that Judas came with the Roman soldiers and Jewish temple authorities and arrested him.
 

Delivered at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church & University Center, Columbus, OH; 9 April 2020