Easter Continues

Easter Sermon by Rev. Mary Alice Mulligan, Ph.D.

Scripture - John 20:1-18

Each Gospel records differences in the Easter morning story. What women are there, whether any men arrive, how many angels, and whether Jesus makes an appearance at all. What is not at issue is the bold claim that the one who was put stone-cold-dead in the tomb has been raised to new life. Women witness the empty tomb and hear angels say he is risen or see Jesus himself. And Mary is given the apostolic call (with perhaps other women) to go tell the other disciples. Here is the key Easter moment. Jesus, crucified, dead, and buried on Friday, is alive. God has defeated the powers of death, bringing Jesus to new life. He is not resuscitated, to die again some years later. He is resurrected to new, eternal life.  And a second key moment is that those who witness his resurrection are to go tell others.

In John, the Risen Christ warns Mary not to grab ahold of him, since he has not fully ascended to God. Remember we are told in the first chapter, the One who is the very Word which is God has been enfleshed, pitched a human tent among us. Now at Easter, the One who has walked among us in the flesh, was crucified, died, and was buried, is ascending back into the full presence of God. The Christ has been raised to new life ascending into the very life of God. Stop now and read John 20:1-18.

People don’t always recognize Jesus. Figuring out where Jesus is present is tricky. Folks can sit in worship, desperate to connect with him and he seems completely absent. Other times he apparently is right in front of them but they just don’t see him. Like the woman who was late to an important doctor’s appointment, who called out to Jesus as she got near the office building. “Please God. Please Jesus. Help me find a parking place.” But then said, “Oh, never mind – there’s one.” Oh never mind? She prayed for one. One shows up, but she treats it as if the  parking place just happened naturally. Why then did she pray if she thought the place she found had nothing to do with God?

Or listen to people in the hospital. They pray together before someone goes into surgery. Then friends and family wander into the chapel to sit with heads bowed in prayer. Lots of people seem to spend lengthy time in prayer when someone is in surgery. But then when everything is done and the surgery was successful, we can hear person after person thanking the doctor for being so terrific. They share freely with each other what a great hospital this is and how amazing staff is. But no one seems to notice that God had a role to play. We act as if it’s only luck that finds parking places and the talent of physicians that brings healing. Few people seem to notice that the Spirit of Jesus was there the whole time. People so easily fail to recognize the presence of Christ Jesus.

But Christ is alive. Today’s opening call is correct. He is risen indeed! Scripture records the disciples experiencing the Risen Christ after the resurrection. Each of the Gospels reports the presence of Jesus, so does the Book of Acts. The earliest ending of Mark only has a promise of an appearance of Jesus, but later editors added several scenes of the Resurrected Jesus appearing to various believers. The reports cannot be harmonized, so we cannot treat them as historic events. What is clear, however, is that the earliest followers of Jesus experienced his presence among them after they had experienced his death. The early church records that sometime later the one we know as the Apostle Paul reported his encounter with the Resurrected Jesus. Then the earliest community of believers testified to how they experienced the Risen Christ every time they gathered at the Table to break bread and share the cup.

Through the centuries, people claimed experiences with the Risen Christ. Some simply become wrapped in his spiritual presence. Some people see a manifestation. Many people hear an internal voice guiding them through a difficult time or pointing them in a new direction. Probably more often, people experience the presence of the Risen Christ through an encounter with another person or a church or even some event.

In October of 1995, the Million Man March brought together close to a million Black men on the Washington Mall, crossing geographic, economic, and religious boundaries. Doesn’t such an event suggest the presence of God participating? They called for equality and justice, and an end to racist policies. They promised to treat women and children respectfully, and to support Black businesses in their communities. Organizers point to the 1.5 million Black men who registered to vote for the first time in the next year as evidence of the March’s success. But what struck some people as the holiest part of the event was that by the evening the March ended, the head of Black Social Workers reported they had received 900 information calls about adoption. And in the following days, about 2000 calls to adopt Black children. Call it whatever seems appropriate. I think it indicates the power of God is still among us. The Risen Christ is alive.

So, we can believe, too. Christ is still risen, among us! The resurrected Jesus is right here. Granted, maybe not in the way the Gospels report he appeared with the disciples. We don’t expect him to eat breakfast with us or pass through walls and then seem quite tangible. But the Spirit of the Risen Christ is absolutely available to us, empowering us to be who Jesus is calling us to be. I know this, because I haven’t heard a single person in the congregation say we should take certain words off our sign, even though we know some of our slides enflame opposition and make us vulnerable. I know Jesus is among us, because we received a phone call message this week from someone who said, “I was driving by your church and saw your sign, the ones that say ‘We say Gay’ and ‘Everyone is Welcome.’” And then the person began to cry. “I just want to thank you for saying that. Thank you so much. I can’t talk anymore but thank you.” She understood she is accepted by us and by God. She experienced the presence of Jesus and shared it with us. The Living Spirit of Christ continues to guide and empower us. The sign is a start, but where will the Risen Christ lead us next? Well, we have some models.

During New York’s Christopher Street Liberation Day March in 1972, Jeanne Manford marched with her son, Morty. She carried a simple sign “Parents of Gays Unite in Support for our Children.” Seems simple to us today, but it was an astonishing act in 1972. Her action was the beginning of the national support organization now known as PFLAG. One mother giving rightful support to her son and calling other parents to join her. Look what came of her solidarity: a national force to lobby, educate, and support the queer community.

Theologian Jung Young Lee points out, “Wherever there is a liberating event, there is the presence of Christ.” So St. Andrew, on this Resurrection morning, as Easter continues let us commit to listening for divine guidance to stretch us into new acts of generous kindness and braver stands against evil, because the empowering Risen Christ is present here. We believe Easter continues because the Risen Christ is now among us!