Focus: Jesus’ resurrection is a cosmic event, which affects the entire world and all God’s people.
Function: To help the people ponder God’s resurrection power.
Text: Matthew 28:1-4
Years ago, one early Sunday morning, I walked onto the cemetery grounds near my parents’ place in the Netherlands. I wanted to be alone, in a quiet place, to pray and prepare for a worship service later that day. It was so early that the birds had not yet begun their songs for the day; there was no wind, and thus no rustling of leaves on the trees. The dead in their graves and all of nature that morning--everything was holding its breath. The silence was deafening.
Perhaps, it was like that on that first Easter Sunday morning. Complete silence—silence before the wind of resurrection began to blow from heaven.
Early that morning, the Spirit of God has roused some women from their sleep. They are on their way to the Garden of Joseph of Arimathea, to the tomb of Jesus. They want to finish their job of embalming the body of Jesus. These women are instruments in the hands of God. The wind of resurrection—God’s Spirit—has begun to blow. God in heaven is on the move.
Now the tomb of Jesus is rock-solid. It is carved out of rock. A corpse placed in that tomb will be secure from outside intrusion. A large stone prevents people and animals from entering in. The rocky earth and inanimate forces of nature embrace the lifeless body of Jesus. They sing their song of silence.
And then, near the tomb of Jesus, we find human forces securing Jesus’ tomb as well: The legal authority of Rome prevents anyone from entering the tomb and taking away the body of Jesus. The seal of Rome, representing the authority of the world’s ruler in those days, sticks on that large stone at the entrance of Jesus’ tomb. “Don’t you dare to touch this tomb!” says the emperor of Rome through this seal affixed on the stone.
And then there is the military might of Rome assembled by the tomb. Guards, placed by Pontius Pilate, secure the tomb with their presence, swords in hand. Don’t you dare to mess with the corpse of Jesus! Rome’s authority and military power secure the tomb and contribute to the silence. How on earth can anyone come close to Jesus now and possibly raise him from the dead? No wonder it’s so silent. All of creation is holding its breath.
But wait! The wind of heaven, God’s Spirit from above is on the move. He triggers a violent earthquake. Shock waves rumble through the air; the earth shakes, rocks roll, stones crash, and soldier’s scream, all breaking the silence of that morning. The Spirit of God is on the move.
Heaven is putting its weight against the forces of nature and against the powers of Rome. An angel of the Lord appears. His appearance was “like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.” Scared to the bones, the soldiers of Rome stiffen up; they are paralyzed from fear—and they “became like dead men.” Ah, the Spirit of God is on the move, ready to raise Jesus, the Son of God, from the dead.
The angel of the Lord breaks the seal of Rome, removes the stone from the entrance of the tomb, and like a guardian angel sits on the stone. No earthly force can stop the finger, the power, and the wind, the Spirit of God from heaven. Jesus is raised from the dead!
On this Easter Sunday morning, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, let us not forget that Jesus’ resurrection is a cosmic event. All of creation works in alignment with the will of God in heaven. Heaven initiates, earth resounds the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The shockwave of Jesus’ resurrection has triggered ripples in our times and days. It’s now almost 2000 years ago that God raised Jesus from the dead. We live on a different continent, in a different time, and yet, Jesus’ resurrection has moved us, and stirs our hearts and souls as we remember that Easter Sunday morning.
The effects of Jesus’ resurrection will reach a crescendo at the end of time. Like an earthquake triggering ripples in the ocean, leading to a tsunami reaching dry land, so the earthquake of Jesus’ resurrection will lead to a tsunami, a huge harvest of people who will be raised from the dead.
What God began on that Easter
Sunday will result in God bringing about a restored creation, bringing about
the resurrection from the dead, where we shall be either raised from the dead,
or be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Then we shall have glorified,
resurrection bodies, and we shall live with God on the renewed creation for
evermore! Therefore, Come You Faithful, Raise the Strain of Triumphant
Gladness.