One of the most common experiences I have had since returning to Alabama after not living here since 1978 is to run into someone I knew years ago and not recognize them at first.
What makes it worse is when they run up to me and yell, “Paul, you look just the same as you did in…”
And I just look at them and think, “Who in the world are you?”
But then, they say their name, or mention something we did together, and suddenly the memories flood through. Bewilderment changes to joy.
My memory isn’t what it used to be. Have you ever noticed that for yourself? Some things are right there but some events from the past are either foggy or just vague impressions or non-existent.
But what a thrill it is when a memory suddenly bursts forth! What a joy it is when a name suddenly appears in your mind that you haven’t thought about in 30 years!
And what a shame it is when neither of those things occur and you’re standing there either trying to pretend to know what they are talking about or seeming like an uncaring lout.
That is my Easter “ah ha!” moment for this year. I hope that is profound enough for you. When memories are resurrected from the dark tomb of my mind and displayed in the full light of the present, there is an unspeakable joy – joy of a shared life, joy of recognition, joy of bonds that stretch back years, joy of something important that is mutually important.
Progressives are sometimes mocked for taking all the fun out of Easter. If we aren’t shouting alleluia for a resuscitated corpse (a la “The Walking Dead”) then we must not be good Christians.
The truth of the Christian story is that new life is always the gift of God for the people of God, and we experience resurrection in vastly more meaningful ways than old magician tricks. I know Jesus is alive when I look at you – when I think of who you are.
We are sitting in the reality of resurrection. When I lived in Alabama in the 70’s, Beloved Community Church did not exist. Your presence in Birmingham right now is an indication of resurrection. Your voice is needed in the religious dialogue that is happening in our city. The beauty of what you have created here is a statement of your faith in God’s steadfast love and it is remarkable.
This is resurrection. We are resurrection. Because you trusted God and live out your inclusive vision of what it means to be the body of Christ amazing things are possible in our community. I can tell you I am grateful that Jesus is alive in you. I celebrate our new life together. I am a recipient of your resurrection faith.
Luke’s version of what happens at the empty tomb embodies similarities and differences from the other gospel writers. Notice that in Luke’s version, the beings at the tomb (whom we presume to be angelic) speak to the women who have gathered to prepare the now missing body of Jesus, but they don’t tell them anything new. Instead they tell them to remember what they already know.
Jesus had talked with them about what resurrection meant. He had taught about what new life and new things looked like. As a result, unlike the story in the other gospels, the women don’t seem to be too freaked out about the experience. They go and tell the other disciples what has happened. And the other disciples also remember. And it is in the process of remembering the shared moments with Jesus and the impact of his life upon theirs that they have their “ah ha” moment.
This same “ah ha” moment would happen later in Luke’s gospel when two travelers on the road to Emmaus had a fuzzy memory experience with Jesus. It was in Jesus’ re-telling of the story that they already knew that their hearts were open to revelation and they remembered the importance of what was happening.
For Luke’s gospel, remembering is resurrecting – not just resurrecting old times but resurrecting shared relationship and moments of truth that transform who we are and how we live in the world.
And finally, in Luke’s resurrection story, it is important to note that what motivated the women to share their experience was not the fear found in Mark and Matthew’s versions but it was in the remembered power of relationship. The women didn’t flee the tomb in fear but left in wonder and shared joy with the other disciples about what happened.
There are a lot of things going on in our world that are depressing. I’ve got my list and I know you’ve got yours. Many of us spend much of our spiritual energy combatting the ignorance or fear or hatred or stupidity that passes as everyday life. We will continue to do that because we are here to make the world a better place for all of God’s children.
Today I want to encourage you to not let the troubles of our world be our only focus. We will never ignore the brokenness of our world but it is also not the whole story. We have energy and enthusiasm and creativity to address all of those issues and problems that we confront simply because we are able to remember what grace has done for us.
We are part of an extraordinary community of faith. Never forget that. We have a voice that our world needs to hear – a voice of hope and reason and compassion. Never forget that.
We are creating community that dissolves the old barriers and the old prejudices and the old ways because we remember when there was no community for us.
We stand at the empty tomb today not as those who perpetuate a myth but those who remember who we are – who remember being recipients of amazing grace, who remember when God touched our own woundedness and healed it, who remember being part of the transformations that changed who we are.
Like the women at the tomb, the angels aren’t telling us something we’ve never heard. We’ve been part of that story. When we remember who we are and to whom we belong, all things are possible because we know that the one who lives in us is greater than any evil that lives in our world.
-Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, Pastor at Pilgrim Community Church (Birmingham, AL)
Guest sermon preached Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016 at Beloved Community Church.
