Think about the haste that the disciples had to go through when they put Jesus in the tomb. They had to quickly take him down from the cross and hurriedly wash him and then wrap him in linins before they could lay him into the tomb. This all had to be done by sunset before the Sabbath could begin. The normal preparations were rushed, and everyone was thinking: We’ll do the best we can and then go back home and hopefully on Sunday we’ll be allowed to go back and prepare the body.
From Friday night to Saturday at sundown, and then again for about another 9 hours the disciples, both male and female, are sitting in mourning for Jesus. All their hopes and dreams had been shattered. And they were probably scared to death. Just because Jesus had died didn’t mean that the authorities who had orchestrated his death would leave them alone. And then the final indignity: they had to bury their wonderful teacher without preparing him with the common decencies that his body needed.
So, before the sun rises the women wake up. They probably had everything ready to go, which they had put together after sundown on Saturday – they couldn’t prepare anything before then since you aren’t supposed to do any work on the Sabbath. And they couldn’t go before then because walking after dark would be too dangerous. So as soon as it was light enough, they left the house and made their way to the tomb.
The men stayed home. Don’t blame them – preparing a body was traditionally woman’s work, and the men were still hiding and trying to figure out what to do. The women were safe; enough people were out and about early, and unlike the male disciples no one probably noticed or could identify the women. They were still in mourning and worried if they could roll aways the stone.
And then suddenly everything changed. Jesus wasn’t there. There were angels who appeared to them and told them that Jesus was alive not dead. Instead of a dark day it was now a light day. Instead of a day of mourning and death it was now a day of rejoicing and life. Instead of a day of no possibilities there are now infinite possibilities. In fact, impossibilities have become possible because Jesus walked out of the tomb.
Now what if we truly lived as Easter people and saw every morning as a resurrection? What would our lives be like?
What if we had a really bad day, if we could wake up the next morning and believe that with this new day, we would have better possibilities?
What if we could open our hearts to all the good things God gives us?
So today with this sunrise, let us all open our hearts to the daily resurrection which gives us new life, hope, joy and possibilities, and be Easter people in our hearts from this day forward. Amen
pastorpeg 