What: A group of women go to the tomb with spices to put on Jesus body.

These women witnessed the crucifixion and have no doubt that Jesus is
dead. When they arrive at the tomb, the stone has been rolled away. Two
angels at the tomb ask why they are looking for Jesus among the dead and
remind them that Jesus had told them that he would be raised from the
dead. The women seem convinced, but the disciples dismiss their news as
the ranting of a sick person. Peter runs to the tomb and finds only the burial
wrappings inside. He is amazed, but there is no indication that he
understands what has happened.

So What? We, the readers, know exactly what has happened. There have
been clues throughout the gospels that this will happen, and we, of course,
have heard the story before. It can be difficult to understand why the
disciples take so long to understand what has happened, but there are
some solid reasons why it did: First of all, look at Peters history with Jesus.
The disciple Jesus referred to as the rock walked on water until he
panicked and sank; he was the first to call Jesus the messiah, but he
immediately showed that he didnt really understand what that meant, and
he denied Jesus three times in spite of being forewarned that he would do
so. It comes as no surprise that Peter is unable or unwilling to reach a
conclusion about the meaning of the empty tomb. What is impressive is
that he is the one willing to race to the tomb to check it out. The other
disciples are probably dealing with their own guilt for hiding during and after
the crucifixion. They are also rightly afraid of what the future has in store for
them if they admit to and act on the belief that Jesus is risen. In spite of the
fact that the women and the disciples either witnessed or at least know the
story of the resurrection of Lazarus, it still makes sense that they see death
as being permanent. The trauma of watching someone you love being
beaten, spat upon, ridiculed, and killed does not lend itself to optimism.
This, the first Christian Sabbath, is a perplexing time. The issue is not
as simple as believing the angels at the tomb, the women, or Peter.
Admitting and understanding that Jesus was crucified, died, and was
buried, yet he now lives again is a total paradigm shift. Jesus has defeated
death, made the law irrelevant to our salvation, and restored the paradise
that Adam forfeited. Those of us who gather for worship this Easter Sunday
follow in the footsteps of Peter. We have heard that Jesus is alive and
come to hear again for ourselves: "What if it is true? What if death is real,
but not final? What if Jesus is not merely past but present? What if Jesus
were to meet me here? What would life be then?"

Now What? We need to ask ourselves what the empty tomb means to us. It
took time, reflection, and several appearances by Jesus to convince the
disciples of Jesus resurrection, and Jesus did not occur to anyone else
before ascending to heaven. Think about the angels question -- Why do
you seek the living among the dead? Where do you see Jesus? Too often,
we think of Jesus as a historical figure to be studied and analyzed so that
we can learn how to be Christians, as the perfect example of a life of faith.
We look for Jesus in dead things like traditionalism, mans rules, human
effort. We will never find Jesus in the dead things -- we find him only where
there is resurrection life. It is not enough to confess that Jesus was raised
from the dead, ascended to heaven, and will return. You can know that
Jesus rose from the dead, but unless you know His words, it won't make
sense. Unless you know the life and teachings of Jesus, you don't know
that the resurrection means that the payment that Jesus offered on the
cross was perfect and complete. You don't know that the cross was the
payment and the empty tomb is the receipt. You don't know that death has
no hold on redeemed man. You don't know that when God's love and man's
hate battled at the cross, God's love won. You don't know that because
Jesus was raised from the dead, we can be resurrected in Him.

In his sermon for Easter Eve of 1532, Martin Luther said: The words,
Christ is risen from the dead, we should blazon and inscribe with letters so
large that just one letter would be as large as a steeple, yes, as heaven
and earth, so that we would see and hear, know and think of, nothing but
this article.Use whatever means necessary, he said, to shout to the world
that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from
the dead, he said Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because
they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble
because the light is not in him. Jesus told Nicodemus, This is the
judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the
darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. You are the light
of Christ. You are his banner and billboard. All of Gods people, wherever
they live, are little Christs shining the light of his resurrection. Almighty God
sends his message day and night, night and day, every day of the year,
through his people who are alive and living. One little life is enough to shine
eternal light for someone who hopelessly lives in darkness. Just imagine
the impact when Gods people come together to light up this dark world. Its
far brighter than the brightest billboard. It is a light that is never snuffed.
This light cannot be quenched, even by death.

Most importantly today, this light is for you. Christ is risen from the dead.
He is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Adams death has no
mastery over you. Christs resurrection reigns supreme. He is the Light of
the World. He now lives his life and shines his light through you. Today, and
always, we see and hear, know and think of, nothing but this article. AMEN