Gillians Easter Sunday Sermon
Alleluia he is risen
May I speak in the name of the living God Father Son and Holy Spirit
Amen
I want to take you back to that first morning when the women weighed heavy with sorrow faithfully went to the tomb with their spices to anoint Jesus body.
The scene that met them was awesome; the huge stone that sealed the entrance of the tomb was rolled away.
No easy task and or course we have no idea how that happened and we are not told , maybe their first reaction would have been that someone had taken the body , if that explanation was correct then the authorities would have been more pleased than the real explanation. They wanted Jesus forgotten and the whole sorry episode wiped from history.
The women probably fearing what they might find ventured tentatively into the tomb to do what they came to do but there was no body, before they could gage their response they saw two men in dazzling cloths we assume they are angels, immediately afraid the women bow their heads, and here the first words are spoken and confirmation that Jesus has risen,
‘why do you seek the living among the dead’ they are reminded of Jesus words to them that the son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise again’
How their emotions must have changed, sorrow, grief, amazement joy hope!
The women unable to contain themselves ran back to the others to tell them but they met with a very Luke warm response, women were not to be believed!
How frustrating the greatest news that was ever given was looked upon as an idle tale.
It says so much about our own experience both individually and as a church. It’s a fact that when we find grace in our lives and spiritually we are in a growth time its hard to deal with negativity or apathy from others out side and inside our churches.
I can remember being laughed at by some well meaning friends when I tried to describe how it felt to be called, disbelief it’s hard to handle but all of us at one time or another have probably been in a similar position over something.
If those women who had seen with their own eyes couldn’t get the disciples to believe their story that Jesus had indeed risen then how much harder it is for you and me in our everyday lives.
But like the women we are called as Christians to live out a resurrection life and to tell others what is all about or to point them into the right direction.
When we live out our resurrection faith we begin to change and the question we must regularly ask is this
‘Can I sense a change here in this church and in my life’ if the answer is no then you must address that as an individual and as a member of this church.
It is a very encouraging sign that our church is slowly becoming a bit of a talking point in the community , just one example is the response to the newsletter, it has been so positive , a new baby for baptism, a new mum at praise and play, and an interest in coming back to church.
This is resurrection in one sense, this is the church growing not because of any one individual but because the church family are much more involved in its life and mission and as signs of new life are evident we also begin to have new life within us, a new feeling of ownership and belonging not only to St Johns but to Him the holy one.
Today we dedicate another project that has been a lot of fun and hard work particularly by Chris, a project that has reached out into the school, to our brownies, to praise and play, to our coffee morning. these wind sails say so much about the movement of the Spirit within St Johns and while they hang will give us all an opportunity to be still for a while as we pray and open up to God and thank him for this and everything he is doing here.
Good news is often met with disbelief and practically when for many of us we have spent years being told that the church is in decline, the writing s on the wall, the secular world has done its very best to strip the church of its importance in peoples lives, slowly Sundays have been taken over by hobbies, football, shopping and many other pursuits,
Is it even possible to buck the trend in the age we live, the evidence of the resurrection says yes it’s possible, but the Church has to be ever aware of what it’s up against. We can not stand still in time and expect people to just turn up at our door, because on the whole that isn’t going to happen, gone are the days when children were sent to church like it or not. No we have to love them back , we have to hold on to the wonderful news of resurrection and share it in any way we can, that might be in conversation at the golf club or the shop or anywhere were people go, don’t be afraid of owning your Lord. Its incredible that there are people out there who stand on the outside just waiting for a helping hand to come in, this was bore out for me on palm Sunday when some one came here for the first time and told me she had been thinking about coming for ages but just needed a friend to bring her. It’s a big thing to walk through that door and it’s our job to make sure we make it as easy as possible. So next time St Johns is mentioned tell them you belong tell them you believe and invite them to make that step towards a deeper relationship with the lord Jesus Christ.
It’s a bit like a tiny pebble thrown into the water its ripples go on and on until they reach the shore in other words you don’t know what you might be opening up in someone when you talk to them, what you say could have a huge effect.
Think of the birth of Jesus, born in a dirty stable no fuss, a young Mum and Dad entering parenthood unaware that they were part of such a life changing event.
The world had no idea the Son of God had been born, most of them would not follow his ministry or death or resurrection.
And yet that tiny life, like a small pebble is still sending not just ripples but waves across the world and changing people’s lives.
That is our God, a God that is so incredible that he would come to us, to conquer death our last enemy in perfect love so that our world would never be the same again.
And I pray God that we will never be the same again.
Alleluia he is risen, he is risen indeed amen
“So let us learn how to serve and in our lives en-throne him. Each other’s needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving.
This is our God the servant King. He calls us now to follow him, to bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the servant King” (From Graham Kendrick The Servant King)
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, GREAT MEOLS
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