Easter 2012

Easter 4/8/12 Text: Mark 16:1-8 Title: Behold the Man! Dear people beloved by God, on this special Sunday when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, I ask you to behold the Man, Jesus, God Incarnate, the Savior of the world. Think of what he has done! Not what he did on that first resurrection day, but what he did on Good Friday Jesus, the heir of all things, of whom the Father said: “This is my beloved Son,” was made a curse for us; was despised for each of us! Most of us, if not all of us, find that statement hard to belief, for we are by nature proud and self-righteous. We believe that while we are certainly not perfect we are not that bad, at least as bad as others. And because of that we find it really hard to admit that there is nothing God pleasing in us or anything we do even though God tells us in his Word to us that our best deeds are nothing more than the nastiest of filthy rags before him. No matter how much we wash and sanitize our lives the filth of sin still stains them. But there is one verse in God’s Word that should make us shout for joy. It is, “God has made Him to become sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” On the cross of Calvary, Jesus became everything that God must judge and condemn, so that we through faith in him can become everything that God cannot judge and condemn; Jesus’ righteousness. It is difficult to imagine, but it is true. Remember Good Friday? What a day that was! Jesus is dead. To his disciples who expected so much from him it meant that his only crown was a crown of thorns, his only kingdom, a grave; his only scepter, a reed; his only throne, a cross of wood; his only palace, a dark grave. Those who had such high hopes in Jesus thought or maybe even said that afternoon when Jesus’ body was taken down and laid in the tomb, “He is dead. What more is there to say or do, for that matter?” And life to them on that long, long day was turned into a day of torment and fear, a day of deepest despair where the night was so black that no star could be seen. Depression settled in on his loyal followers who had had such high hopes for Jesus. Everyone agreed, “It is finished.” Oddly, Jesus that Friday afternoon said the same thing, “It is finished.” But, he meant something quite different, however. He meant much to our joy and happiness that salvation had been won for all. He had done what he came to do. God’s wrath was appeased; humankind and God were once more in peace, as the angels had promised at his birth. The question comes up. How do we know that in his death our salvation was accomplished; that he finished what he came to do? The proof is that on the third day, the day we call Easter, Jesus rose from the dead! The stone was not rolled away, so he could come out, but so we could see that indeed the tomb is empty. He had come out of the grave before the stone was rolled away. He is alive. That truth still echoes throughout the ages, as the hymn writer wrote, “He lives! He lives, He lives, who once was dead! He lives, my ever-living Head!” My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it was not a dead Jesus who appeared to Mary that morning. It was not a dead Jesus that appeared in the locked room where the disciples had been hiding dejected and scared, but a Jesus who was strong and full of life, as he began his reign over all things. Raising his arms into the air, his hands opened wide, inviting all to come and see and touch him. Incredibly, just above both wrists, the large gashes left by the nails could still be seen, except they were somehow now beautiful. Filled with wonder, joy, and awe, those that saw Jesus after his resurrection that Sunday stared at his wounds, realizing in that moment that the nails hadn’t ended everything, but had redeemed everything; the prophecies from so long ago had been fulfilled. Jesus has conquered suffering and death. No, it was not a dead Jesus who told Thomas to place his finger in the nail holes and his hand in his side. It was not a dead Jesus who sent the early Christians and gave them power to carry the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the world. It was not a dead Jesus who spoke to Paul on that Damascus road; or held Stephen in His love as he begged for forgiveness for his murderers. And, it is not a dead Jesus to whom we pray, praise and give thanks to today. He was not a dead Jesus, but a living Jesus, for, “He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save; He lives all-glorious in the sky; He lives exalted there on high.” For now we live our lives both in joy and sorrow. At times, there might seem like there is more sorrowing than joy. But since Jesus willingly took upon himself your sins, your suffering, and yes, even your death, you can be confident that you and I and all people who accepted his forgiveness will be transformed into a people of everlasting joy. Behold this man, Jesus, God Incarnate. Behold him with your eyes of faith. Behold him as your Savior. Behold him as your Lord and God, as you live in him, for through the Holy Spirit he lives in you. Our Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection gave to you a life that you would have never known because of your sin. His resurrection assured you of a place in in the new heaven and earth for all eternity. Behold, the man Jesus who is alive! Look at him today, and tomorrow, and each day for the rest of your life, so that you will remember that all those things we think that are so important; that we work so hard to make our lives secure are worthless compared to being with him now and forever. That is the promise of the cross and resurrection. He is risen! He is risen indeed! You, as the little pocket cross that you will each be given say, are now at peace with God. Amen.