Unconditional Love Arisen

Clifford Ruritan, Central Baptist Church, Lowesville, VA

08 April 2007 Easter Sonrise Service

John 20:1-18

Thirty-some years ago, on Good Friday afternoon, I found my Papa lying dead in his yard.

I had lost a man I loved dearly. He was my hero. He had taught me so many of my early life’s lessons. But, most importantly, he loved me unconditionally, despite all of my failings, with many of which he was well familiar.

Mary also lost someone she loved dearly that Friday afternoon so long ago. He was her teacher, who loved her unconditionally, despite her failings, with which He was well familiar. But Mary didn’t find Him dead. She had to watch Him die a painful death on the cross.

On Saturday, my friends all invited me to go Easter egg hunting with them. I didn’t feel like it. I wasn’t really in the “festive Easter mood.” Mary probably didn’t feel much like worshipping that Sabbath day either. She must have been thinking about Friday’s events – her Master’s crucifixion – and the fact that he lay dead in a tomb.

In MY story, the time for my Papa’s burial came. While all the other family members and friends viewed his body, I played tag with one of my young cousins. I couldn’t face seeing Papa’s lifeless form, knowing that he would never hug me and say “I love you” again. After the funeral was over though, and everyone else was leaving to go home, I looked up at my Daddy and said, “Please, may I see Papa one last time. I want to tell him good-bye.” So they opened the coffin, and I looked in, crying, and said my last good-byes.

Mary also had to see Him one last time. So… Early in the morning, while it was still dark, she went down to the tomb, to say her last good-byes. But the tomb was open. The stone had been rolled away and Jesus’ body was not there. They – whoever they were – had won, and Mary wasn’t even given the chance to say good-bye. She ran to tell Simon Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved. They came back with her, took one look at the evidence and believed. But Mary, in her despair, continued to weep. Angels spoke to her, and she told them that someone had taken His body and she didn’t know where they had laid it. In her despair, all she could think of was that He was dead and she hadn’t been able to say good-bye. Even when Jesus was right in front of her, speaking with her, she didn’t recognize Him. She just said, “Please, if you took Him, tell me where you put Him.” Finally, Jesus called her by name. Peering through her tears, she recognized Him. They had not won. It wasn’t that Jesus wasn’t there… It was that He had risen. Just as He had said He would. Mary didn’t need to say her last good-byes because Jesus was right there with her.

Like He did with Mary, Jesus stands in front of us, calling us by name and waiting for us to recognize Him. If we answer, calling Him “Lord” we are set free to live in Him. The hope of the resurrection is that this world is not just where Jesus died – this world is where Jesus lives! And because Jesus lives, because God has broken the power of sin and death, we have been set free to live as well. Accepting the risen Christ as Lord, there are no more good-byes to speak, only a living Lord to teach us and love us, unconditionally, despite our many failings with which He is well familiar.

—©2007 Karen E. Goforth Harbin