Sermon Audio: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ministrybymail

“And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. ² And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. ³ And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? ⁴ And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. ⁵ And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. ⁶ And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. ⁸ And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.”

Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The sermon this Easter morning is based on the discovery of the empty tomb. You will see that though the sinner embarks on many a foolish journey, the Gospel reveals God’s desire to ever guide you to and by the forgiveness and grace found in the Risen Lord. Again, from Mark’s Gospel: “The angel said to the women: ‘Be not affrighted! Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen! He is not here!’” O Risen Lord, bless Thy Word that we may trust in Thee. Amen.

For centuries on end, Christians have gathered each Easter morn to hear this lesson—the women’s discovery of the empty tomb read aloud—and the power of Jesus’ resurrection publicly proclaimed. The good news that on the third day, Christ rose from the dead just as He said He would… Yes, just as He said He would, though everyone else involved seems to wander about almost senselessly, as if He had never said it.

The Easter Gospel tells the story of three women who approach the tomb of Jesus at the crack of dawn: “…very early in the morning the first day of the week… at the rising of the sun.” To get there, the sepulchre as much as several miles outside the city proper, they had to leave well before early, as the Apostle John clarifies: “when it was yet dark.”

This isn’t the mild hardship of your crack-of-dawn journey to Easter morning service, or the zeal of getting into a chore well before anyone else gets up. Jerusalem after dark was a treacherous place—far more dangerous than any early morning drive with deer hopping across the highway or waking a sleeping spouse.

When the Scriptures warn of harlots lurking in the shadows and “those who get drunk at night,” the place to find them, if that’s what you’re looking for, was no doubt Jerusalem after dark.

Barabbas, just let loose, reunited with old cohorts, out there up to no good. And a crowd worked up to chant “Let Him be crucified” in staged protest, o’er and o’er, at an innocent man. That kind of hysteria doesn’t settle down easily, now does it? Which should lead any sensible person to ask: just what were these women thinking, venturing out and about in the middle of the night?

Mind you, just these women—no mention of husbands or children. No thought to bring anyone else along for safety. Why even let them know? They’d just try to stop you.

Have not you like them gone out on foolish, misguided journeys? Journeys you haven’t asked for permission or when you have been told “No” and gone ahead with it anyway? There are times you’ve ventured out into the dark or into danger under the noonday sun. There are times you’ve willingly chosen to do the wrong thing, hoping the end will justify the means. Then you discovered not till way too far in that you hadn’t thought through a thing… or deceived yourself that you had, blinded by overwhelming despair, impulsivity, or temptation.

Why, if you take a good look back on your earthly journey thus far and soberly reflect on the various twists and turning points where your life could have fallen into a disastrous turn—and still be stuck there—the near misses you really don’t know how you got out of, it should rightfully make you hold your breath.

Don’t dismiss it—that pause, that silence. Don’t keep running, but find your speechlessness given explanation in the silence and peace of the empty tomb. For what those women should have found at the end of their journey was a detachment of armed troops who, according to their orders and a night with no sleep—would have instinctively slaughtered anyone creeping up upon them in the dark… and asked questions later.

But what these women should have found—the disastrous end they should have received—is replaced. It is replaced by what they had truly not thought through: Jesus’ promise fulfilled. The guards scattered in fear. The seal broken. The stone rolled away. And in its place, an angel proclaiming, “He is risen; He is not here! …just as He had said!”

The real surprise here is the amazing grace with which the Lord had been guiding them. The Lord had been guiding them past every danger of the dark, despite each poor choice and disregard of sound advice. The Lord had been guiding them to the good news of the empty tomb so that all the forgiveness and eternal life found in the victory of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave might be openly revealed… even this Easter morning.

Yes, the Lord guided you also to the good news of the empty tomb this Easter morning. God did this so that you who shudder at the thought of your near misses—of every sad state and place your life could be in (but is not!)—might find the same amazement. The Lord in His grace has carried you through them all to bring you today before His empty grave and His amazing plan of salvation.

God has brought us here to hear how Jesus forgives all our reckless adventures, daily forgives all your sins. We who at times have thought that the end justifies the means discover that the way Christ’s journey ends now justifies us before the throne of God.

You see, the real cause of our foolishness—the real dangers of this your earthly life—are what Jesus came to conquer: sin, death, and hell. The power to save and carry you through and past what you deserve is the glory of how Jesus’ night of arrest and trial, treacherous journey on up to Golgotha, and the dark woes of hell He suffered on that cross all end in victory.

Every time Easter is prophesied or proclaimed throughout Holy Writ, the resurrection isn’t merely something that happens to Jesus. It’s something that happens to you. As the Prophet Hosea foretold: “In the third day God will raise us up.” That having died your death, Christ makes His victory—His life—yours, rescuing you from the doom our sin deserves—an end far worse than slaughter at the hands of Roman guards—replacing that eternal death with eternal life: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

The Apostle Paul also declares that Jesus “was raised for our justification,” raised to give you a righteous, good standing with your God. And the Prophet Job confesses that because your Redeemer liveth, you, on the Final Day, will stand up and out of your grave too. You’ll someday get to see Him for yourself: “Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold…” when breaks forth light eternal at Christ’s return.

All of which sheds new light on our dark wanderings here and now, doesn’t it? We are shown, until that day we see our Savior with our own eyes, how you and I should go about life. As the angel, lest they continue their aimless wandering, sends those women into the safe haven of the church: “But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter.”

This first gathering of the Shepherd’s fold is sent on a new journey to those hiding in fear, to bring His victory to others! This is your Savior’s commitment to seek and find you wherever you might roam—into sin or plain old doubt.

He seeks you, that having learned your lesson, God might keep you in His means of grace and by the work of His Spirit preserve you in the faith until life’s end. For as you grow in faith throughout your nighttime treks, so grows the ability to stop, pause, and listen now rather than later. You grow so that instead of slinking down dark alleys and thinking so lightly of this world’s dangers, His Word might evermore shine as a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. His Word equips you with the confidence that the Lord who has carried you thus far is committed to guiding you to an eternal home.

Thus, our God still performs the great Easter miracle among us today: that the empty tombs and caverns of mortal mouths like ours might echo with the angelic shout: “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” That whatever soul within earshot of this life-giving message might have their life of sin turned into an Easter journey too.

There’s absolutely no telling what more lies ahead for you—today, next week, next year—what you’ll encounter, what foolish path you might tread… but the end, your end in Christ Jesus, is certain and irrevocable!

So wherever you’ve strayed, rejoice that somehow—not somehow, but by the grace of God—you’ve found your way back to the Easter tomb. And find in this Gospel how, despite all your ill-advised adventures, your Easter journey ends with an empty grave too. It ends with all those sins forgiven, death defeated and life in heaven through Jesus.

For centuries on end, Christians have gathered on Easter morn for the story of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead to be publicly proclaimed, and this lesson—the women’s discovery of the tomb—read again for all to hear. Thanks be to God it is and will be, till you and I wander no more. Amen. Happy Easter.

—Pastor Timothy T. Daub

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Hecla, SD

---

Ministry by Mail is a weekly publication of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Subscription and staff information may be found online at www.clclutheran.org/ministrybymail.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version.