From my Easter Sermon: April 20, 2014

Easter Art by Brian Scheuzger

God calls us out of the tomb: the tomb of anger, or victimization, or hopelessness. On Easter, the stone is rolled away.  All we have to do is move toward the dawning light.

Today, we gather in an old church building as part of an institution that by many assessments seems to be at death’s door–an empty tomb, complete with shrouds.  This week, the copier broke, the organ spased out, the lights in the chandelier failed, the printer ran out of magenta ink, and God only knows where the small candle snuffer is.

Light dawned. David and Nick Wallace dropped everything to come on Good Friday for emergency organ adjustments. Ted brought his own candle snuffer; I changed the printer cartridge; Jonathan climbed up into the attic and hit the reset button for the chandelier.

Easter is God’s reset button.

No matter how bad it is. No matter how bad it has gotten, Easter comes and gives us another chance.

We are a resurrection people.

Let’s get out of the tomb and onto the street. The stone has been rolled away.  Move it.  Go with the light that is dawning. Soar.

Tell your own resurrection story. Live your own resurrection story. Leave the wounds behind in the tomb.

And next Sunday?  There will be an open mic for you to tell your story of meeting Jesus or of experiencing resurrection in your lives. Think about what you want to share. Where do you see the resurrection?  Where has God hit the reset button? Where is Christ’s light and passion here and now?  There are signs of the Risen Christ all around us.  Keep your eyes peeled.

Amen.