Easter Day 2017 (Mk 16:6)

April 16, 2017
Immanuel Lutehran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!

HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

INI + AMEN.

He was dead. Dead dead. Crucified dead. “Nails, spear shall pierce Him through” dead. Heart-stopped, last-breath dead. He was corpse dead. Signed death certificate dead. Not half dead. 100% dead. Call the coroner dead. Wrapped in grave clothes dead. Buried dead. Sealed in a cold, dark tomb dead.

Then, He wasn’t. He was alive. Alive alive. Nail prints and spear gash were only scars alive. “Just a flesh wound” alive! Heart-beating, breath-breathing alive. He was flesh and bones alive. Eat some fish alive. Not zombie alive. 100% alive. More than alive!—never to die again. Grave clothes left behind alive. No stench of death alive. Tomb opened to show He was already gone alive.

((2. One day, that’ll be you.))

One day, that’ll be you. You’ll be dead. Dead dead. Call it at 1326 dead. Heart-stopped dead. Breathe no more dead. Close your eyes for the last time dead. Seal you in a coffin dead. Put you in the ground dead. Bury you 6 feet under dead.

Wages of sin. That’s what that is. You sin. You die. There’s no other way. All are dead. Lost in sins dead. Short of the glory of God dead. Not half dead. 100% dead. Dead to God. Dead to those around you. Living only for yourself dead. Put God off dead. Dislike your neighbor dead.

Payment must be made. You can try to postpone it all you want, but just like the taxman always cometh, so also death comes. Because of sin, one day you’ll be dead dead.

We’re afraid of that day. We don’t want to think about it. Maybe you want me to stop talking about it! We plan and plot and scheme to avoid it. We try to feel alive. Live as if there’s no tomorrow alive. Eat, drink, and be merry alive. Myself first, then you alive. You could be dead tomorrow alive. So, really dead while you live.

Just think of it: your heart’s beating, you’re breathing, you’re alive, then not… Then what? Nothing? Darkness? God’s almighty throne of judgment where only perfection matters? No nice trys. Perfect love for those around you. Perfect love and faith and devotion for God.

Yep. One day, no more ticks on the clock. You’ll decay. You’ll be worm food. Turned to bones and dust, that’s how dead you’ll be. We’re afraid! Shaking in your boots afraid. Heart skipping a beat afraid. Hair standing up on the back of your neck afraid.

But Jesus upends all that. Third day. Raised again. Empty tomb. You don’t really need to be afraid of anything. Of the diagnosis. Of cancer. Of suffering. Of tragedy. Of heart stopping. Of dying.

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AFRAID: JESUS WAS RAISED.

He’s not dead anymore. He was. Then He wasn’t. That means something. Everyone dies. Stays dead. Dead people stay dead. Not Jesus. That’s earth shattering. Reality altering. Universe changing. YOU really DON’T NEED TO BE AFRAID: JESUS WAS RAISED.

((1. This Jesus is your Life.))

“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.” Jesus. Crucified Jesus. Dead Jesus. Raised again Jesus. Empty tomb Jesus. Alive right now Jesus. This Jesus is Your Life.

Yes, He was dead. Dead dead. Then He was alive. Alive alive. Really alive. It’s not just a nice story. No fairytales today. It’s fact. But not fact like WWI happened is a fact. Something to know. No, it’s real. Really dead. Really alive. FOR YOU. That’s why YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AFRAID: JESUS WAS RAISED—FOR YOU.

What He lived, He lived for you. What He suffered, He suffered for you. When He died, He died for you. When He came back to life—that’s right!—He came back to life for you. All that He did He did in your place—FOR YOU.

He was born. He lived. Perfect. Holy. Sinless. It counts for you. It was in your place. He died your death. You deserved it. Separated from God: forsaken. That was you. That was Him for you. He lived again. That was FOR YOU, too. To set you right with God.

He unites you to His life. No fear there. Only life. Empty tomb life. Brought back from the dead life. Alive toward God life. God first life. Alive toward your neighbor life. Them first not you life.

It’s all from the font: dead like Jesus dead, raised like Jesus alive. Holy Spirit dwelling in you alive. But not just Font—Supper, too! With angels and archangels life. With all the company of heaven life. Yes, they live with Jesus, too. When they died, the saints you loved, well they’re alive, really alive, alive with Jesus alive. Jesus and His Church travel together. They praise Him with you.

Life after life life. That’s what Jesus delivers TO YOU. Body and blood life. Given and shed for you life. Forgiveness of sins life. Faith toward God life. Heartfelt love toward one another life. “Eating My Flesh and Blood” life. “I will resurrect you on the Last Day” life.

He was dead dead. Really dead. That’ll be you, too, someday. Really dead. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AFRAID: JESUS WAS RAISED—FOR YOU. He’s alive. Alive alive. You already are in Him. So are those who’ve died already. They’re alive. Alive alive. You’ll be with them alive. The life Jesus washes us in, feeds us with is a life after life life, a Last Day life—eternal life. You’ll be alive. Alive alive. Walking, talking, breathing, rejoicing forever alive. Face to face with Jesus alive. Really alive. More than alive! You won’t ever die again. Just like Jesus.

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!

HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

INI + AMEN.