Easter Sunday 2014
Matthew 28:1-10

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had watched from a safe distance as the horrible events took place before their eyes. They had watched as the one they had followed and cared for was nailed to a cross just like the criminals who hung beside him. They had watched as the one they had grown to love uttered those words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” They had watched Jesus breathe his last breath. They had seen the earth shake and the rocks split after Jesus died.
They had been there at the base of the cross as Joseph of Arimathea had taken Jesus’ lifeless bruised, beaten and bloody body down. They had watched as their beloved Jesus was wrapped in a linen cloth. They had followed as they carried Jesus to the tomb and sat opposite the opening as Joseph laid Jesus’ body in his own new tomb. They had even watched as the great stone was rolled in front of the tomb closing off the opening.

The visual memories of what they had seen were surely flooding through these two women’s minds as they went to the tomb just as the sun came up on the first day of the week. Matthew doesn’t tell us why the women were headed to the tomb that morning. Other gospel writers tell us they were going to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body because there had been no time to do that before the Sabbath began. Matthew just tells us they went to see the tomb – perhaps to pay their respects. In the midst of the stillness of that early morning what did these women expect to see?

I would venture to guess that what they expected to see that morning and what they actually saw were two very different things! They didn’t expect to see Roman Soldiers guarding the opening to Jesus’ tomb. They didn’t expect to have the stillness of their morning visit to the tomb interrupted by the violent shaking of the earth and the sudden arrival of an angel of the Lord descending from heaven who proceeded to roll away the stone that had sealed their Lord in the tomb along their hopes and dreams. They didn’t expect to see Roman Soldiers frozen in fear at the sight of this angel in clothing white as snow seated on top of the stone.

What they saw that morning was a surprise… it was unexpected! Their heads must have been reeling with confusion as they tried to wrap their minds around what their eyes were seeing. In the midst of their confusion, the angel says: “Do not be afraid”. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” Come and see the empty tomb. Come and see that Jesus’ body no longer lay where they had watched Joseph place it just three days earlier. Come and see the fulfillment of God’s promises! Come and see the depth of God’s love!

Come and see, the angel says and then “go quickly and tell his disciples. He has been raised from the dead and he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” The women are not to linger too long at the empty tomb. There’s work to be done a message to spread to the disciples – Jesus is alive! 

Today on yet another first day of the week we answer the invitation to come and see as well. Today we “Come and see” once again that the tomb is empty. We hear the words of the angel as if they are spoken directly to us. He is not here, for he has been raised. We rejoice in Christ’s victory over death and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Not just on Easter Sunday but each week we are invited to “come and see” what God has done throughout history. Come and see the faithfulness of our God who would go even into suffering and death to show us a new way of life. Come and see the reality that the loving God who raised Jesus from the dead is the same God who gives us new life in the waters of our baptism. Come and see the reality of a God who loves unconditionally and accepts broken, sinful human beings like us as his very own.

It’s important to “come and see” Jesus in this place. To encounter him and be fed and nourished at his table, to hear the stories of God’s love and faithfulness, to be changed and transformed by the unexpected. But like those women the first Easter morning, we can’t stay here with our eyes fixed on the empty tomb. Jesus is going ahead of us to Galilee where we will meet him. He’s going ahead of us into the world in which we live and work and play. There we will meet him in the faces of God’s children. There we will find there is work to be done. So go quickly and tell everyone through your words and actions that Jesus is Risen!! He is risen indeed! Amen.