April 24, 2011
Acts 10: 34, 37-43 + Psalm 118 + Colossians 3: 1-4 + John 20: 1-9
It has begun to occur to me that the world did not take much notice of the resurrection of Jesus. It was, in fact, a rather humble and hidden event. Today the whole world knows it’s Easter. Even non christian populations know we are up to something today. They may think it has something to do with adults hiding colored plastic eggs; while children run around looking for those eggs; or with baskets full of chocolate bunnies. But the fact remains that on that first day of the week at dawn, nobody much noticed except a couple of women and a couple of men who were not too sure about what was happening.
As the truth of this simple reality sinks in, I have begun wondering what Jesus was doing, where he was, and how such an awesome event could go so unnoticed especially by those who were so involved three days ago. Why didn’t he go straight to Pilate, bang on the door till Pilate answered and then say something like: “Hello. Want to wash your hands again? The next time your wife tells you about her dreams, PAY ATTENTION!”
Why didn’t he go back to the Temple to scare the incense out of those Scibes and Pharasees. Can’t you imagine that scene? They would have been running all over the place trying to hide muttering: “Look out! Here comes the King of the Jews!”
He could have stopped by to check on those soldiers. Can you imagine their faces when he walked in and said: “Who’s got my tunic? Give it back! Or he might have said: “Any one want to try on my crown?”
But it didn’t go that way. Only those called by name, only those with whom he broke bread and to whom he spoke words of peace, were aware of what happened. No one else. Jesus was raised as a sign of hope to those who loved him and followed him that God’s love is stronger than death. The resurrection of Christ must not be separated from the resurrection of humanity saved by him.
Artists, poets, even musicians have tried to make something big out of that first Easter morn; but no matter, the fact is, it was a hidden event that freed humanity from the chains of death. It happened in an obscure corner of the world, in an distant outpost from powerful Rome and it involved simple fishermen and a couple of women from insignificant places. It is nearly the same all these years later.
Many in this world have no clue even to this day what Easter is all about. Many of those who know about Jesus don’t get it. They think it’s all about him. They think his greeting of Peace is something they get never realizing that the peace of Christ is given not as the world gives. It is a life changing gift that brings more challenge than we might care to imagine. In it’s most simple form, it means we will live together in mutual respect, care, and love with everyone from the neighbor who may annoy us, to the terrorist who frightens us, to someone who may hate us and wish us ill. The peace of Christ is a peace that transforms this world and that transformation begins with us or it begins nowhere at all.
Think of it this way…..
The world is at war. The British Isles are chloaked in darkness. Into the midst of this black night a German pilot, his aircraft disabled by hostile fire, bails out to save his life. Perhaps he prays as he plumets to the ground into the heart of enemy territory. Perhpas, as he struggles to rlease his paraahute, he has a flashbak image of the girl he left behind and dares not hope to see again. Minutes later his parachute becomes tangled in a tree, and he lies unconscous on the ground.
Dawn breaks. A young woman passes by. She is lost in thought. Her lover has asked her to marry him. She longs to say yes. But who can afford to celebrate a wedding in these dark days? Where will they find the ingredients for a wedding cake? Whatever could she wear for a bridal gown? Warning voices tell her to wait until the war is over — but who knows when that might be, and she loves him and longs to be his bride now…for tomorrow may never come. Suddenly her daydream is interrupted as she nearly stumbles over the German airman lying in her path. Her heart knows what she must do. She covers him gently with her coat and places her sweater over his head. There is still a pulse. There is still life. She runs for help. The casualty will be cared for – at least in his immedaite need. Beyond that, who knows?
The next day her path rakes her back past the spot where she found him. The torn parachute is still there, caught in the branches. She gazes at it but now, in her mind’s eye, she no longer sees a parachute hanging there in the tree but the possibility of a silk wedding gown, a gift from God. For the next weeks she spends every spare moment with her needle, painstakingly trnasforing an abandoned parachute into auniquely beautiful weddig gown. From his bed, the the military hospital, a lonely young German airman, recovering from disatser, sees the bridal couple pass by. His heart leaps with a sudden surge of hope. This time next year, perhaps, he will be with his own bride3 once more. He never guesses that this English bride is wearing his parachute.
This time next year! Easter is a time to look forward. Too often the Christian story gets told backwards, as if it were only about God’s rescue mission, God’s parachute, bailing us out the wrechage of our sin. Easter is the time to change the direction of our gaze and see the rescue mission for what it can become: an invitation to participate in the great adventure of becoming the people God is dreaming we can be and of transforming planet Earth into the sedbed of God’s Kingdom. That will be the gift of Peace with which Christ risen greets us – not so much something we get, but something we have become.
If we are going to celebrate the resurrection, we ought also be celebrating our transformation. If a parachute can become a wedding dress, we can become peacemakers
worthy of and sharing the gift of God’s peace.