Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb,
taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone
rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not
find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly
two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The
women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men* said to them, ‘Why do you
look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6Remember
how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son
of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day
rise again.’ 8Then they remembered his words, 9and
returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the
rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of
James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But
these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But
Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen
cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
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Why look for the living among the
dead, indeed.
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The women came to the tomb on the
morning of the first day of the week to do what needed to be done to anoint and
prepare the body of Jesus whom they had seen crucified and buried. They were
not prepared for what they found.
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The stone was already rolled back and
the body was already gone. What they expected was a closed and filled tomb and
they were understandably perplexed when what they expected was not to be found.
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Even the words of the men in dazzling
clothes were not what they expected. Since the body was gone, perhaps they
hoped for news about where look for it. What they heard was ‘Why
do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.’
Despite all they had heard of Jesus’ preaching, to be faced with his
resurrection would be confusing and frightening. When they told the eleven,
their words were not taken seriously. Peter, as impetuous as ever, ran to the
tomb and saw that things were just as the women said, although he saw no men in
dazzling clothes. Luke says he went home amazed. He was still searching for the
living among the dead.
·
We don’t know who the men were in the
dazzling clothes; each of us is welcome to guess. However, what they said was
far more important than who they might be: ‘Why do you look for the living among the
dead? He is not here, but has risen.’
·
These words are now given to us. The
living Jesus is proclaimed and the question comes to us. ‘Why do you look for the
living among the dead?’
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Christ is alive and lives among us.
His spirit is given to each of us in our baptism. His living Word is heard in
the Scripture. In his body and blood, his very life is shared with us in his
Supper. He is present in the living, breathing reality of the church’s life and
ministry.
·
We can still look further to find him
among the living. In the church’s ministry to the forgotten and the outcast,
the refugee and the ones in need of healing, Jesus is present there. Where ever
there is need of a more abundant life, he will be found there, either in the
desire of those in need or in the words and work of those who answer that call.
·
Let’s go still further. The living
Christ can be found in our own families, among our friends and co-workers,
where ever our lives can be found. Where Christians live, Jesus is there among
the living. When we offer help, or words of encouragement or of comfort, Jesus
can be found in our living words. In truth, in whatever is truly live-giving
for us, Jesus can be found. We may remember that not everything we do is
life-giving. Those things and activities that bring joy and hope and new life
to us can be grace filled. Even a good night’s sleep can be an example of a
gift of grace.
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One more step – the living Christ can
be found in our living memories of those who have passed from our sight. Those
who have died in Christ live on in him. Although we are separated from them,
life in Christ is theirs and the promise of eternal life if fulfilled for them.
·
So where can the Living One not be
found? Only where we need not look. The women at the tomb were told ‘Why
do you look for the living among the dead?’ Where ever Jesus is,
there is life. To seek him we need not look where death still reigns and Jesus
will not be there. I say “still reigns” because Paul tells us that The
last enemy to be destroyed is death. Jesus has defeated death and
although we still might suffer death, it is not the end for us: For
as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
·
So as with the women at the tomb,
there is no need to seek Jesus among the dead. He is not here, but has risen.
We will find him where we are alive, because he has been there before us and
has made us alive.
·
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
And because he is risen, we also shall rise.
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