The Resurrection of our Lord 2018

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.

Text: Mark 16:6
Theme: Not There, But Here

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

Christ wasn’t there when the women arrived at the tomb. But He’s here with us. Jesus wasn’t there, that is, in the grave as a lifeless corpse on Easter morning. He strode forth as the Lord of Life. There is nothing some would like more-right here and now- than tangible eye-witness evidence that Jesus is back from the dead. Thomas wanted exactly that. He would not be disappointed. But, “Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."1 Faith is a venture into the darkness. God sees clearly things that are veiled to our sight. The Holy Spirit permits us to see through His eyes when we need to.

Today our deepest expressions of gratitude are in order. Our crucified Saviour is alive. Since artificial expressions of joy are hollow, we pray that the Holy Spirit would fill our hearts and minds with genuine joy and sincere peace. His resurrection means our lives have true meaning. Not one of us knows whether we have another day, another month, another year, another decade, or perhaps, for some of the littlest ones, even another century on this earth. It may be cliché to say that life is a gift, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was Russian writer and activist who was harshly critical of the communist party of the former Soviet Union. He was involved in active duty with the Red Army in WWII, being highly decorated. Later he was sent to the gulags- the Soviet labour camps- for his criticism of Stalin’s handling of the war. During his long stay in the labour camps he abandoned Marxism and eventually became an Orthodox Christian.

In the gulag was he on a program of hard labour and slow salvation. One day he felt like giving up. He felt his life could not make a difference. He sat down on a bench knowing that when he was spotted by a guard he would be ordered back to work and when he failed to respond the guard would bludgeon him to death. As he sat waiting, head down, he felt a presence. Slowly he lifted his eyes. Next to him sat an old man with a wrinkled, utterly expressionless face. Hunched over, the old man drew a stick through the sand at Solzhenitsyn’s feet deliberately tracing out the sign of the cross.

As Solzhenitsyn stared at the rough outline his entire perspective shifted.
In that moment, he knew that the hope of all mankind was represented by that simple cross - and through its power anything was possible. Solzhenitisyn slowly got up, picked up his shovel and went back to work - not knowing that his writings on truth and freedom would one day enflame the whole world.

Dear friends, the apostle Paul once described the importance of the resurrection in this way, “If the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”2 Now, think of what the apostle says here? If the resurrection hadn’t happened sin would remain un-atoned for. And, if the only reason we trust in Christ is to improve life in the here and now, then the situation is pitiable. Christ didn’t sacrifice His life to give us more creature comforts. The Bible says, “We brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”3 There could hardly be a more appropriate time to repent of our malcontent than Easter.

But we are more than content. He provides for our every need, and, promises us bodily resurrection to our heavenly home. Eternal life is a present possession. It’s mind boggling to even reflect upon a life that knows of no pain, that’s unaffected by sin and decay, that’s not subject to boredom, tedium, exhaustion, or fear. A life overflowing with joy, and peace and bliss. A life where there’s no deceit or tragedy or harm. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."4 All of the limitations of body and mind will disappear. In perfect clarity we will enjoy the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, saints and angels.

It’s certainly not the kind of world that’s tangible to us now. In what kind of a world do we now bear witness to the resurrection? It is becoming more like the First Century. The society is becoming deeply suspicious of Christian belief and practice. Faults and failings are held under the spotlight, contributions to the well-being of society are downplayed. Such suspicion is sometimes driven by ignorance, other times, by calculated bigotry. Christians should no longer expect to be respected by the wider culture.

Still, there are more differences between our current age and the First Century biblical context than there are similarities. The struggle for basic necessities is greatly relieved in the current culture of material affluence. “Time-poor” families still have more flexible time than ever to spend on recreation and personal pursuits. Few in the secular West literally live hand to mouth. Yet, many are stressed out, worn out, burned out, or otherwise fed up. Meaning and purpose seem elusive to many. The breakdown of family structure has left people searching for identity. In the mindset created by this environment the gospel is often a hard sell. The good news is often like the seed that fell on the rocky soil, like water on impervious ground, like audible words to the ears of the deaf, or printed words to the eyes of the blind.

The opportunities to be salt and light are becoming more clearly defined. Christians are a community of those who live through the One who died; and die on behalf of the One who lives. As the apostle says, “By the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”5 This is not some pie-in-the-sky religious jargon. It’s not some ideal for religious zealots that’s irrelevant to the average Christian. With the same certainty that Jesus is risen from the dead, and that we are flesh and blood, living and breathing beings, with that certainty do we know that we are called to reorder our priorities to be salt and light in a dark and decaying world. Dying to selfishness, we can see the world from a different perspective.

Dear friends, the resurrection doesn’t mean the trials of life cease to exist. You will have disappointments, heartaches, and pains. You will face testings and temptations. The Scripture makes this promise, “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”6 The first golf balls were smooth. It was soon discovered that a golf ball that was roughed up flew further than a smooth golf ball. In fact, a dimpled golf ball hit by a professional golfer travels twice the distance of a smooth one. Most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples. It’s the same in the Christian life. We accumulate “dimples” and scars in life, but God uses that to make us go further. Jesus emerged from the grave with the scars of our sins and He bears them for eternity.

Only the Holy Spirit can generate truly joy-filled Alleluias. Christ was crucified, but He lives. The same Christ who said, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”7, also says, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”8 Christ wasn’t there in the tomb on Easter morning. He was already filling the world with His love.

Life prevails! Darkness, doubt, and death do not have the final say. We must traverse the shadows. Sometimes they are long and foreboding. But Christ is light, and He cannot be extinguished. The rays of the Son will not fail to beam upon us. Jesus is risen from the dead. We join our hallelujahs with every believer in every place on earth and in heaven in symphony with those words with which enter the most holy place, “with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we adore and magnify [His] glorious name, evermore praising [Him]...”9

Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

+ In nomine Jesu +

The Resurrection of our Lord
1 April 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt


1 John 20:29 2 1 Corinthians 15:16-19
3 1 Timothy 6:7-8 4 Revelation 21:4
5 Romans 12:1 6 1 Corinthians 10:13
7 John 14:2 8 John 14:18
9LH, p.16 (communion liturgy)