An Easter Message - Mary and the Other Mary (Matthew 28:1-10)

Below is the text and recording of the message I preached on Easter morning at Rimersburg Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday, April 9.

Matthew 28:1-10 [Contemporary English Version]

The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord’s angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.

The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. Now hurry! Tell his disciples he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. This is what I came to tell you.”

The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

Mary and the Other Mary

You know, it’s interesting; sometimes the strangest things can pass through your mind at the oddest times. For example, this past Friday, when I was thinking about the passage that we just looked at and after I read that “the Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb [Matthew 28:1, CEV],” do you know what I started to think about? I started to think about that old television show from, I think, the eighties called Newhart and particularly about those three brothers who owned the café right next to the Stratford Inn. 

Now, if you remember the series you know exactly who I’m talking about, the “Anything for a Buck” guys. But if you’ve forgotten about the show, let me tell you what I’m talking about. Newhart was a situation comedy in which Bob Newhart owned a hotel, well it was really more like a “bed and breakfast” kind of place. And on the program, there were these three really dirty and scraggly guys who were almost always together. Now they were brothers and only one talked. And every time they came into a room, the one who talked would always, and I mean always, say the same thing. He’d say, “I’m Larry, and this is my brother Daryl and my other brother Daryl.” Now that’s what he’d say. And I’ve got to tell you, when I read, “Mary...and the other Mary,” bang, I was right back at the Stratford.

And you know, when it comes to the resurrection, well, I think the women are often seen as a little bit like those two guys. In other words, I think most people who know the story would say that they have a secondary role at best. I mean, with angels coming down and guards freezing up and of course Christ himself passing by, often the women kind of get lost in the shuffle. And although they may not rise, or probably better drop to the level of Daryl and the other Daryl, as we think about what we might learn from Jesus being raised from the dead, I believe in the minds of a lot of folks, Mary and the other Mary are pretty close.

But you know, I think that’s a real shame, and I’ll tell you why. In my opinion, not only did those women play a central role in the story itself, they also carried a message that can absolutely change our lives, if we let it. You see, when we really pay attention to what those two women did and consider what they became, I think we’re going to find a source of hope and peace we may never have known before. 

You see, when we take a good, hard look at those two women, I think we’re going to recognize that, first, they really became the first witnesses to the resurrection, didn’t they? In other words, they became the first human beings to tell others about something that absolutely changed the world: that through the power of the Almighty God, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. I mean, just think about what Matthew wrote. After they’d come to the tomb and after the stone was rolled away and after the guards were frozen in their tracks literally, the angel said to them,

Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. Now hurry! Tell his disciples he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. This is what I came to tell you. [Matthew 28:5a-7, CEV] 

Now that’s what the angel said.

And do you remember what those two women did? Again, according to Matthew, “the women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.” [Matthew 28:8, CEV] Now, I’ve got to tell you, reading this gives me chills. You see, they did exactly what the angel told them to do. And man, this is important, because when they ran and told Peter and James and John and all the rest exactly what had happened, they were doing a whole lot more than just passing on information. They were sharing a message that is at the very heart of the gospel, the good news. My gosh, they were bearing witness to the most important event in human history, and I’ll tell you why. The resurrection isn’t just about an empty tomb or a dead body that came back to life; that had been done. It’s not even a happy ending to the story that had taken a dark turn, no, it’s a whole lot more than that. You see, it’s God giving his stamp of approval on everything that Jesus said and everything that he did during his life. But it’s even more than that. It’s a reminder that just like Christ was raised from the dead, take it to the bank, one day so will we. It’s like the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. [1 Corinthians 15:20-23, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote, and I’ll tell you, if that doesn’t give you hope as you live in the present and look to the future, I don’t know what will. You see, regardless of what happens in our world and regardless of what happens in our lives, right here and right now, we can say that after we die, God will raise us to new life, to eternal life. Man, we can shout it from the rooftops with absolute confidence. Why? Because that’s exactly what he did with his son and our savior. Jesus was the first one who was raised, but we know others will follow. And I’m telling you, that’s what Easter’s all about and that’s the message the two Marys carried to the disciples. You see, they were the first witnesses to the resurrection; that’s the first thing those women became.

But that’s not all. Second, they also became genuine agents of reconciliation. In other words, they also let those disciples know that in spite of their past failures, in spite of their prior weaknesses, my goodness, in spite of the fact that, on a scale from one to ten, as loyal followers of Christ, the twelve probably earned something like a two, Jesus hadn’t given them up. You see, that was also part of the message of those women. 

But to understand how radical this was, I think it’s important to remember that by the end of his time here on earth, Jesus had twelve followers left, and do you remember what happened to them? One betrayed him. One denied him. And the rest ran away. I mean, if you were applying to be a disciple, this is not the kind of stuff you’d put on a resume. And because of that, I think we’d all agree that given what had happened, Jesus had every right to be a little ticked by the faith of his closest so-called followers. I know I’d be. And yet, when he met those women as they were on their mission, do you remember what Jesus said? According to Matthew, “Then Jesus said, ‘Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.’” [Matthew 28:10, CEV] “Tell my followers.” Now personally, I find that amazing. In spite of the fact that they’d been pretty much wash outs as disciples, Jesus still called them his followers, and that was something else those women were told to share. 

And I’ll tell you, we need to hear that message too. I mean, we need to hear that no matter what we did in the past, no matter how many times we’ve disappointed the folks around us or how many examples of our own failures people can throw up to us, Christ still sees us as his followers, as his brothers and sisters and is always ready to welcome us back when we return to the fold. You see, the Apostle Paul was right when he wrote that “nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” [Romans 8:39b, CEV]; therefore, we’re just going to have to live with the fact that God loves us. He loves us when we’re good and sitting in church on Easter morning but he also loves when we’re at our worst on Monday afternoon. I’m telling you, we need to hear that, because right there we can find peace as we live in the present. You see, they were agents of reconciliation, and that’s the second thing the Marys were.

Now in a few minutes, the service will be over, and we’ll be back to the same old, same old. But you know, as we all leave church this Easter morning, the one day we most clearly focus our attention on the resurrection of Jesus, along with the guards and the angel and of course the risen Christ, let’s also spend a little time thinking those two women, and I’m talking about Mary and the other Mary. I mean, let’s remember how they were the very first witnesses to the resurrection and how they were both agents of reconciliation. You see, right now, let’s all decide that we’re going to claim this, because I’ll tell you, if we do, starting today we’ll have a new sense of hope as we look into the future and a new feeling of peace as we live in the present. And you know, I don’t have to watch an old rerun of Newhart to know that.

WCC NEWS: WCC Easter message: Christ’s resurrection “a source of healing, wholeness, and renewal”

Amid feelings of despair in our world, Christ’s resurrection is a source of hope and new life, writes World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca in an Easter message. 11 March 2022: Sunset and barbed wire over a fence near the Vyšné Nemecké border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine. The border crossing at Vyšné Nemecké sees up to some 10,000 refugees from Ukraine cross each day, with faith-based and humanitarian organisations providing immediate support to people as they come into Slovakia. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF 13 April 2022 “As we look around, we see only signs of destruction and death,” writes Sauca. “The victims of economic and ecological injustices are increasing throughout the world.” Sauca acknowledges that the pandemic has widened the gap between rich and poor, between the powerful and the vulnerable. “Cruel wars in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world are taking thousands of innocent lives, allowing all sorts of atrocities, destroying everything in their way, and multiplying the waves of displaced and refugees,” he writes. “Violence against women, children, elderly people and those who are different from us is dramatically increasing.” Desolation and hopelessness seem to prevail everywhere, he laments—but ultimately God of life prevails. “Strengthened by our faith and hope, we should not be afraid, we should not despair when we see what happens in our world today but confront it with courage,” he writes. “Looking at the empty tomb and listening to the angel’s voice, we discover in the midst of the darkness of our world a life of light, joy, love, and newness.” Illustration: Resurrection Icon Myrrhbearing women Empty tomb. Photo by Ted/Flickr, Creative Commons license Christ’s resurrection ever reminds us that, ultimately, God, the God of life, prevails over all powers of sin and death, Sauca reflects. “Christ’s resurrection is the source of a new life recreating and renewing all things in Christ,” Sauca writes. “It is a source of healing, wholeness, and renewal.” Christ’s resurrection brings joy for the sorrowful, light for those living in darkness, liberation for those oppressed, reflects Sauca. “It leads the world to unity and reconciliation,” the message reads. “Christ’s resurrection is the power offering to the world the possibility and the chance for a new beginning.” Read the full Easter message 2022 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, April 4, 2021 (Resurrection of the Lord, Easter)

Below are NRSV translations of the lessons from the Old Testament (Isaiah 25:6-9), Psalms (Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24), the Letters (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43), and the Gospels (John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8) Please make any comments concerning the passages you want. Together, let's discuss the Word of God.

Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.

There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;

the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”

I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.

The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Mark 16:1-8

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.