“What Will You Hear?”
Sermon Presented April 4,
2010
EASTER Sunday - Year C
John 20:1-18
Have you ever returned from a doctor’s appointment and been confused about what you heard? Have you emerged from prayer and questioned the insight that you believed was from God? Have you walked out of a final exam and had no clue what the professor wanted? Have you listened to your boss and later thought you must have misunderstood the instructions? Sometimes the problem in communication is with the speaker, but other times it is with us.
All of us have times when we can’t hear or comprehend a message, whether it is implicit or explicit. When the message is something we aren’t expecting, we question it. When we are afraid, we often lose the ability to think clearly. And when fear is compounded by grief, it can paralyze us. Rabbi Rami Shapiro put it this way: “There’s only one block to guidance: me. If I get in the way and try to hear what I want to hear, whenever my ego gets into the process, that’s the only block. Fear, anxiety, and lack of self-esteem are all derivative of the ego.” (Joan Borysenko & Gordon Dveirin, Your Soul’s Compass, p. 140)
When we look at the three disciples featured in today’s text, we see evidence of these ego blocks to guidance. Mary Magdalene was filled with grief and anxiety and when she saw the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb, she ran to the male disciples for help. She was a first-century woman, for heaven’s sake, and she couldn’t be expected to understand what was happening. Anxiety, fear and a lack of self-esteem plagued her.
John was a victim of pride – an inflated ego. Just think how many times he refers to himself as “the one Jesus loved” in his gospel. Sounds egotistical to me! John says he out-runs Peter in a race to the tomb, but only looks in. Peter, who is a little slower, but impulsive and daring, enters the tomb. None of the three is expecting what they see. Because they are mentally unprepared, they are deaf to the message of the empty tomb.
Let’s look at the text – probably the most familiar Easter story in the gospels – and the one that will be read in a majority of Christian services this morning. I’m reading John 20:1-18.
This Easter story begins in early morning darkness at Jesus’ burial site. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb with spices to anoint his body – a task that was hurried on Friday because of the onset of Sabbath. Now the Sabbath is over and daylight is approaching. Mary has no expectations for that morning other than to perform one last loving act for her beloved. She comes because of her love for him. She is grief-stricken after having watched the excruciating violence of Friday – his crucifixion, death and burial. Her mind is numbed to everything except her loneliness and grief. She isn’t expecting a miracle.
Mary struggles, just as we struggle because we live in a rational world and are limited by our understanding. We fail to see miracles because we don’t expect to see miracles. Last Monday at Rotary, Jeanne stood to tell of the miraculous healing of her husband. Two months ago, 51-year-old Michael was playing basketball with friends and felt pains in his chest. He had had previous heart problems and told someone to call 911. By the time the ambulance arrived, his heart had stopped beating. During the next several hours, he was coded more than 20 times.
Last Monday Michael went back to work in the construction business. Jeanne is convinced that he is a walking miracle – an assessment his cardiologist affirms! Michael listened to his body and recognized immediately that he was in deep trouble.
Mary struggled, just as we struggle because we live in a rational world and are limited by our understanding. The world teaches us that death is final; that some situations are hopeless; that death means separation; and that miracles aren’t rational. When this is our understanding, we only look for the obvious. We don’t see what we don’t expect to find. But God showed Mary, and shows us, that there is another way to look at the obvious. There is hope for life after death.
After Peter and John leave the empty tomb, Mary returns. She really doesn’t have any place else to be. She no longer needs the spices – that is, unless the body is found. Finally she decides to enter the tomb and see for herself. The rest of the story belongs to Mary.
Many believe they know Mary Magdalene because they saw Jesus Christ, Superstar or read The DaVinci Code. However, these are fictional accounts of this disciple who was close to Jesus. In our text, Mary is the one who sees the angels. The men don’t! She is the first to see the risen Lord, even though she doesn’t recognize him at first. Peter and John saw none of this. All they saw was a vacant tomb with two piles of clothes in it. They saw only emptiness and absence, and, even though the text says at least one of them believed, we don’t know what he believed. The text says neither of them understood the scriptures that he would rise from the dead.
Any way you look at it, this is a really fragile beginning for a religion that has lasted almost 2000 years. And still we try to explain the unexplainable – we try to explain what no human saw happen. The empty tomb was not the point. Jesus had business among the living. (Barbara Brown Taylor, Christian Century, April 1, 1998, p. 339)
What happened in that tomb was between Jesus and God. For the rest of us, Easter began the moment the gardener said, “Mary!” and she knew who he was. (ibid) However, the story doesn’t end there. It just begins to unfold. Mary mustn’t cling to Jesus and he directs her to tell his disciples that he is alive. She can’t hold onto the past, but must focus on the future. The truth she sees and hears isn’t for her alone, but is meant to be shared. (Gregory A. Robbins, Feasting on the Word Year C, Volume 2, p. 377) The light she sees must be spread!
When we are in physical darkness, we seek light. When we are depressed – in emotional darkness, we also seek light. When we are in spiritual darkness, we again seek light. I think it’s safe to say that all of Jesus’ followers needed light following his death!
Mary first sought light through remembrance. She went to the tomb to honor Jesus and remember him. She went in darkness, and when she met the risen Christ, she was filled with light because she heard and saw him.
If Mary hadn’t gone to the tomb, she wouldn’t have seen him. If she hadn’t gone, her darkness would have been prolonged. If she hadn’t gone, she would have had no message to give to the other disciples. Mary’s victory came because she sought Jesus. She was in the right place at the right time – looking for him, and her heart opened to receive the revelation – even though she didn’t understand it at first.
Mary also received light by asking questions – of the angels and of the one she believed to be the gardener. The root word of enlightenment is light! She received light when she probed the mystery. Then she enlightened others. When we affirm what Jesus has done in our lives, our lives are brighter and we help others out of their darkness. When Jeanne told Michael’s story, she did more than give me a sermon illustration. She brought light to all who heard.
We often hear things we don’t understand from our doctors, loved ones and ministers, and we fail to follow up with the right questions. Maybe our pride gets in the way. Maybe we’re afraid of what the answer might be. But if we don’t ask the questions, we will continue in darkness.
Many assumptions were made by the disciples in this story. Mary assumed the body of Jesus had been stolen because the stone was removed from the tomb. She also assumed Jesus was the gardener and that he may have removed Jesus’ body. We don’t know what Peter and John assumed because they went home. They didn’t understand the scripture. But what they saw and what they heard didn’t help them to understand what had happened – at least at first – because reality went beyond their expectations. The light eventually dawned on them when they met the risen Christ. Then they believed!
The idea of resurrection continues to hold mystery – both for believers and non–believers, alike. Therefore, Easter is for those of us who believe! We can’t prove what happened that morning anymore than we might prove Washington crossed the Delaware. It’s more about believing the way you might believe the words, “I love you!” Easter fosters hope in those who already believe. (Mike Graves, Hope through Dark Hours, Lenten Reflections for 1998, p.22)
On this Easter morning, I invite you to open your minds and hearts to the voice – the presence of the risen Christ. By removing our ego blocks, we may be able to hear God’s voice in the depths of our being, and then respond as God would have us respond. Why not give it a try?
04/04/2010
