"I have seen
the Lord"
Message preached April 15,
2001
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Glen Arm, Maryland USA
based upon John
20:1-18 (see gospel parallels)
Order
of Worship
(note - this is transcribed as remembered.
It was delivered "amble and ramble" style)
"How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘your
God reigns.’" So said Isaiah long, long ago. (52:7)
As you listened to the story of that first resurrection day, as revealed by the
gospel of John, did you pay attention to the feet? ... Does that sound like a
silly question? Should it for those who take seriously the words of Jesus, as
recorded in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of John?
Many of us here today gathered last Thursday in this very place to remember
the events of that night in which Jesus was
betrayed. Before breaking bread and drinking from his cup, we washed one
another's feet. In doing so, we remembered his cleansing - the washing away of
our sins. We also remembered his calling to have the "feet" of a
servant. "How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of those who
bring good news."
So, let me ask again. As you listened to the old, old story, did you pay
attention to the feet? The story as we have received it from John involves a
great deal of running. Feet are in motion. It begins with the feet of Mary
Magdalene. On the day after the Sabbath, she was headed to the tomb of Jesus to
complete a task she did not really want to do.
If you recall, those preparing Jesus' body for burial on the previous Friday
were unable to complete the job. Sunset, the beginning of the Sabbath, was
rapidly approaching. They had to stop their efforts before then and place the
body in the tomb. The requirements of the Sabbath ceased even that kind of
labor. Once Sabbath was over, then the job could be finished. That is what Mary
went to the tomb to do.
She didn't really want to. She had to. The first resurrection day began on a
very depressing note. If you have ever experienced depression, you know how
difficult it is to pick up your feet and get moving to do something, especially
something you don't really want to do. That was Mary. We can come to worship on
this day and fail to see that Easter was not, at first, experienced with all the
joy and celebration we associate with it. Think of those women, according to
Mark’s gospel account of that first morning (16:1-8),
who came to the tomb and were frightened into silence by what they saw. Indeed,
for us this is a "terrific" day, but do understand that
"terror" is found within the word "terrific."
"How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news... ?" Mary's feet
brought her to the tomb on that first resurrection day, however difficult it was
to pick them up and get them going. There she saw the stone rolled away. She
could not, though, take another step in that direction. Instead, she turned
around and ran.
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news...
?" No, Mary's feet took her to the disciples were all she could bring was bad
news. "They've taken his body, but I don't know where." Her
news caused other feet to run. Peter and another disciple raced to the tomb.
There, they took a few more steps than Mary did, and they looked into the tomb.
It was empty. While the other disciple "believed," it says, Peter was
not sure of what to make of it all. Personally, I picture Peter standing there
with a big question mark over his head.
I wonder if there are a number of us here today who approach Easter in the
very same way. We have heard the message of an empty tomb, but we're not sure of
what to make of it. Like Peter, there's a big question mark over our heads. Oh,
we've heard the words, but what they mean in our day-to-day life? What does it
mean for Jesus to be alive today?
Anyway,
Peter and the other disciple then raced back, presumably to tell the others -
though we are not informed as to what they said. "How beautiful are the
feet of those who bring good news... ?" There was another who had come
with them, apparently, to the tomb. Mary. She stood outside the tomb, the stone
of which had been rolled away - crying, lost in despair.
At this point a voice spoke from the tomb, the sound of an angel. "Woman,
why are you weeping?" ... Have you ever kept something hidden within
you, behind an outer mask? You hold it within, and then someone comes along and
speaks a kind word, or touches you in some way, and it is like a dam bursts. You
let go of what was held so tightly within, and it just comes spewing forth.
That's how I picture Mary at this point. She cannot control the words coming
from her mouth. "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where
they have laid him." Another voice, another kind word is spoken from
behind her. "Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"
A response comes rapid-fire from her mouth, words she cannot control. "Sir,
if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take
away." She is lost in her sorrow.
And
then this voice behind her, whom she had presumed to be the gardener, speaks a
word which sets her free. He speaks her name. ... "Mary."... In
that moment, I propose, the day of resurrection begins. Mary recognized the One
who spoke her name. "Robbouni," she said, "teacher."
Jesus gave her word to speak, and from there she went straight to the disciples.
"I have seen the Lord," she told them... "How beautiful
are the feet of those who bring good news." Indeed!
[Bulletin cover art by Paul Grout.
From Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin series,
copyright 2001. Used by permission of Paul Grout.]
************************************
This story of the resurrection lies at the heart of our faith as followers of
Jesus Christ. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built. It is
the linchpin that holds it all together. But, you know, we can't just sit on
this story. If it is to have any power in our lives, we must do something with
it; we must act upon it; we must allow it to come alive in our experience. Too
often we gather on Easter Sunday and hear the old, old story. We then return
home and continue on our way, "business-as-usual." However, this story
demands of us that we act upon it, that we get our feet in gear, and step out by
faith.
When the church of Jesus Christ came into being after that first resurrection
day, after Jesus "ascended to the Father" (20:17),
on the day when the Holy Spirit arose with fire among the disciples, Peter’s
feet got in gear and he delivered his first sermon. It was powerful - so
powerful, in fact, that as he finished those who heard it asked, "what
should we do?" Indeed, the resurrection story demands of us that we act
upon it. Peter responded with these words, "Repent (i.e. turn toward
God), and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that
your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For
the promise is for you..." (cf. Acts 2:37-42).
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good..." This
morning I want to challenge you to live out this story. Don’t just sit on it -
act upon it. Make it your story... Perhaps you have never planted your feed upon
the floor and stepped forward by faith to claim Christ as your living Lord and
Savior. Now would be a good time, on this very special day - this resurrection
day - to do so. I invite you to come forward as we sing our final hymn... On the
other hand, it could be that you have earlier professed your faith, but your
feet have grown weary. Perhaps you've lost the fire of an earlier day, and once
again it is your
desire to step out in faith and follow your living Lord and Savior anew. Now
would be an appropriate time. I invite you to come forward as we sing.
"Lord,
I want to be a Christian, in my heart." Let's all stand and sing this
old, old spiritual. Then we will pray together, and end our worship on this
Easter Sunday with a new song. Come...
©2001 Peter
L. Haynes
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