Thanks to SHJ for the idea for the title. Jesus be no more dead and things!
Matthew 28:1-10; Colossians 3:1-4; Psalm 118:1-2,14-24; Acts 10:34-43
“He is risen!” “He is risen, indeed.” I think that’s my favorite part about the Easter season — seeing just how many times I can sneak a “He is risen” in there and waiting for y’all to notice. Maybe it’s a pastor thing, but it’s fun for me. But He is risen after all, and that’s a great reason to celebrate. Last Sunday, we both welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with praise, and then the mood shifted as we turn towards his passion and death. On Thursday we remembered the institution of His Supper, what we now call Holy Communion, and then, to symbolize the abuses Jesus’ suffered at the hands of the guards, we stripped the altar of all its finery, leaving only the bare wood and stone.
On Friday, we heard of the last hours of Jesus’ life, culminating in his death and burial. We heard the nails pinging as they were driven into the cross. We saw the light of his life going out. And then we were left waiting, wondering, on Saturday, as Jesus lay in the tomb.
But then, very early on the first day of the week — on this very day — we set off towards the tomb, looking for Jesus. But instead of finding a body, there was an angel saying, “You’re looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen […wait for it…], just as he said.”
Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but that doesn’t mean we should forget his death. Too often, especially in protestant circles, the resurrection is preached very strongly. In many places, it’s almost an afterthought that Jesus died in the first place. But in order to be resurrected, one has to die. And both Jesus’ death and resurrection should hold equal importance to us.
For a long time I was criticized by other Christians because I chose to wear a crucifix around my neck. In fact, I still do, evidenced by the rather large crucifix on my chest right now. But, I only wear this on Sundays. During the week I wear a much more simple empty cross. But that’s neither here nor there. People would come up to me and ask, “Why are you wearing a crucifix, Jesus didn’t stay on the cross after all.”
My response was always quite simple: “No,” I’d say, “He didn’t stay on the cross, but it was on the cross that he paid the penalty for my sin”. When Jesus died he took on the punishment that I deserved. Now, we can’t neglect the other half of this either. As Christians, we are raised with Christ from the dead in baptism. That’s why baptism is so important, and why I kind of like the visual associated with immersion baptism. When we are baptized, as we go under the water we die and are buried with Christ, and then when we come out of the water we are raised up with him. The visual effect is lacking when we just splash some water on the top of the head, but the event is the same.
Because of this, because Christ’s death and resurrection are tied together so closely, we can’t set one or another up as more important. Christ’s death paid for our sin, but His resurrection grants us eternal life. Without forgiveness of sin, eternal life has little meaning; without eternal life, forgiveness of sin has little meaning. The two are inseparably connected.
It’s one of the reasons I’m so glad to be Lutheran. The cross is central to our thinking: not just the cross with Jesus crucified on it, but also the empty cross. The cross is at the same time God’s glory and God’s shame. It’s at the same time an ugly thing and a beautiful thing. When we wear crosses, we’re not just remembering Jesus’ resurrection but also His death.
That is why Easter is so important. It is the day on which God’s promises came true. The day when the prophecy of Genesis 3 came true, though Christ’s heel was struck, the ancient serpent’s head was crushed. Sin and death no long have power over us, and we are set free, all because he died, and yet he is risen.