Easter Day

April 8, 2007

Victor H. Nixon

THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION

John 20:1-18

A documentary film, entitled "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" aired last month on the Discovery Channel, and sent a shiver through much of the Christian community by alleging that the bones of Jesus may have been discovered. After all, wasn’t Jesus bodily resurrected, bones and all?

The film was produced by the author of a book, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, with the ominous subtitle: "The Discovery, the Investigation, and the Evidence that could Change History."(1)

The claims about Jesus’ bones are based upon evidence that is not new. Archaeologists have known since 1980 about ossuaries (ancient burial containers) labeled "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" that were found in a Jerusalem suburb. According to one article, the bone boxes are part of a traveling exhibit now in the U.S.(2)

I tend to be skeptical of Hollywood produced religious films and traveling religious exhibits primarily because they are about making money, not biblical research, and this one appears to be no exception, according to reputable biblical scholars.

Yet, as an article in a recent issue of Christian Century noted, the movie and exhibit do raise a genuine question: If an archeologist did uncover Jesus’ bones would the reality of the resurrection be disproved and Christian Faith discredited?(3) Good question for Easter morning!

There are two basic answers. Some Christians distinguish between the resurrection and the resuscitation of a corpse. Jesus’ rising from the dead can’t simply mean that he had his same mortal body, else he’d have to die again. Resurrection isn’t the same as immortality. Bodies die and deteriorate. Jesus’ resurrection body was unusual, allowing him to appear along the road, inside a room, outside the tomb, etc. St. Paul called it a "spiritual body" not a physical body. His remains, his bones, could have been taken and left behind somewhere. This is a spiritual interpretation that leaves unanswered the question of what happened to Jesus’ body—but says it doesn’t really matter.

Another view is that physicality matters where resurrection is concerned. Some Christians insist on the tomb’s emptiness as part of their claim that the resurrection is not merely spiritual but physical as well. God can do whatever God wants to do. God parted the waters in Exodus and God can raise a physical body. A verified discovery of Jesus’ bones with DNA evidence would cause great difficulty among those Christians whose faith is dependent upon a literal, physical resurrection of Jesus.

Let me suggest to you that there is another perspective that doesn’t really depend upon believing in empty tombs or ancient bones, that is, where faith and science are adversarial. We need not separate Christian Faith and human reason, or "knowledge and vital piety," as John Wesley put it, where God’s truth is concerned. The account in John’s gospel of the resurrection suggests another perspective to me.

Close attention to John’s account reveals that the responses to the empty tomb are all over the place. Mary Magdalene discovered the stone rolled away on Easter morning and concluded that Jesus’ body had been snatched and ran to tell Peter and the Beloved, but unnamed, Disciple. "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him!" We aren’t told who "they" are, maybe soldiers or enemies of Jesus. Peter and Beloved ran to the tomb to investigate. They entered the tomb and verified that Jesus’ body was not there, just the grave clothes, neatly rolled. Peter doesn’t say anything, just leaves, evidently not knowing what to think about this unusual development. On the other hand, Beloved, "sees and believes" without evidence that Jesus has risen. All, says John, do not understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. Mary, meanwhile, is weeping outside the tomb.

So, one disciple is in grief over the disappearance of Jesus’ body. One believes in the resurrection on the basis of empty tomb and grave clothes. Another doesn’t seem to know what to believe and simply goes home. Other disciples aren’t in on the discovery of the empty tomb, but presumably will be told about it by the others. The variety of initial human responses to the discovery of the empty tomb seems rather realistic to me. All of us could probably identify somewhat with one of the three—Mary, Beloved or Peter—all of whom loved Jesus and were stricken with grief by his death. One was heartbroken. One was hopeful despite evidence to the contrary. One was confused. None recalled what Jesus had told them about his death and resurrection.

But—the story isn’t over yet! Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene, had returned and stood weeping outside the tomb. When she peered into the tomb, John says that she saw two messengers of God (angels) sitting where Jesus’ body had lain. The angels asked Mary, "Why are you weeping?" She repeated what she had told the disciples: "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." She hasn’t understood this yet—and neither have we.

Turning around she saw a person whom she thought was the gardener, but is really the Risen Christ, who also asked, "Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?" Obviously, a rhetorical question. We all know and surely the questioner knows why she is crying. She responds by saying, "If you have taken him away, tell me where you have laid him, so I can take him away." Jesus calls her name, "Mary." Immediately, she recognizes who is speaking. "Teacher!" she exclaims and must have moved to embrace him. Jesus stopped her by saying, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended. Go tell the others that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." So, Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord." And she told them what he had said to her.

Now, what distinguishes Mary from the other two disciples visiting the tomb is an experience with the Risen Christ who called her name, asked her not to hold on to him, and to tell the others about his ascension. Mary experienced the reality of Christ’s Resurrection. She ran to tell the others, "I have seen the Lord!"

The Apostle Paul experienced the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus.(Acts 9:1-9) Peter and Cleopas experienced the Risen Christ on the road to Emmaus and in breaking of bread. Huddled in fear behind locked doors, the disciples experienced the Risen Christ in their midst. The Risen Christ was and is available to human experience, to individuals and groups. The witness, both ancient and present, is a sense of Christ’s presence and grace, accompanied by renewed faith and changed lives, from huddling in fear behind locked doors to moving boldly into the world to share the good news of the living Christ who transforms human existence. People of faith, truly, become the living body of Christ.

The reality of the Resurrection is not in empty tombs or dry bones, but in the lives of people who have experienced the amazing grace of Christ. Like William Wilberforce, a Christian and Member of Parliament, whose decades long tenacity was responsible for abolishing the slave trade and granting freedom to African slaves in all British colonies in the early 19^th century—accomplishments he attributed to the presence of Christ in his life—and to all those followers of Christ since who have stood up for dignity, freedom and justice for all of God’s children.

Like Samuel and Susannah Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, whose faith and character were passed on to their children. John founded the Methodist Movement that became our church, and Charles enabled us to sing our faith with over 5,000 hymns such as "Christ the Lord is Risen Today." People of faith since have passed on the Easter faith to their children.

Like the 47 people who gathered in Hillcrest with Rev. H.F. Buhler in February, 1912, to organize a new congregation and in July that same year to lay the cornerstone of their first church building, now part of this sanctuary—and all those since who have experienced the presence of Christ here through the worship, education, ministries and missions of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church that now literally reach around the world.

Like the young person with whom I visited recently following worship who spoke of a life of emptiness and hopelessness and sorrow. "Somehow I ended up here," I was told, "where people welcomed me and seemed to care for me. This is where I met Christ."

Easter isn’t based on an empty tomb or ancient bones. Easter is based upon the personal presence of Christ who transforms our lives. Easter faith is what enables you and me to stand weeping before the empty tombs of disappointment and despair and find hope for tomorrow. Easter faith is what empowers us to move through moments of confusion and fear in the confidence that Christ will be with us and show us the way. Easter faith is what enables us to stand before the forces of evil, injustice, and dishonesty with courage and conviction in the belief that goodness, justice and truth will never die. Easter faith is about the One who lives on through you and me when we remember his message and attempt to live it.

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Thanks be to God! Amen.

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