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Easter 2007 4/8/07 Mount Pisgah Allen R. Hunt
Matthew 28.1-10 Easter People
I. We Are: Easter People ®
“Used Tombstone for Sale” – that’s what ad said – in Milwaukee newspaper
“Used Tombstone for Sale – Real Bargain for Someone Named Dingo – For Info, call…”
Seems obvious to me – Dingo must have been a Christian
Who else would not need a tombstone?
When you think about it, for a Christian, a tombstone is silly – what’s point?
No real use for it – services no longer required
Tombstones indicate the end – invested self in this life and now it is over
Church simply is not tombstone territory
Easter people believe death is not the end – why place a marker somewhere you’re not gonna be?
Really there are only two choices to believe – tombstones or Jesus

I learned that again this week
Holy Week has become very special to me over the years – have certain expectations for how the week will unfold and how I will encounter God
Love Maundy Thursday, yearn for Good Friday, excited about our immersion baptisms on Saturday, and then Easter – I mean, this is it!
But God had other plans – got a stomach virus on Monday – too many Gators around me during Final 4 – toxic – given my colon-less state, can mean trouble
I know very well that I need to pay attention to how my body responds – every few years I have to go to the hospital for dehydration – usually 2 IV bags, 12 hours and home
But I waited this time – kept thinking it would pass
Anita said, Go to the hospital I said, No because I am smarter than she is – and also because I really wanted to see American Idol
I waited and waited – until Tuesday night, I got so weak that she won – to the hospital
In ER, explained situation, took blood – doctor came in
File said in red letters ‘Renal Failure’ – he looked at Anita and began to speak to her
“You waited too long. Completely dehydrated. Kidneys are shutting down. Pulse rate is twice normal. We need to act now and it may take a while.”

So I spent Holy Week in the hospital – one of the toughest things you could do to me
But several things happened that reminded me that I am an Easter person
First, unique experience of having my wife kneel next to me on gurney, praying, as nurse begins treatment – situation worse than expected – but instead of fear, through prayer we had deep, odd, supernatural peace – God taught me again how faith conquers fear
And then with the time and the remarkable simplifying of life that occurs in the hospital, I had some time with God – where He could reveal to me some resentments and hurts I have been carrying toward people in my life – wrote every one of them down – long list – God let me sit in that list for a day – and then as I prayed, He released that baggage I was carrying and the list went in the toxic waste at North Fulton Regional Hospital
What looked to be a miserable Holy Week became a grace encounter with the risen Lord

II. But someone brought me a magazine in hospital – Newsweek
Cover story on Iraq soldiers – quoted one, “Any day I’m here could be the day I die.”
We chuckled – pretty well applied to me – then laughed – actually applies to all of us
Doesn’t it? I mean, we all face the fact that it is either tombstones or Jesus
What’s it gonna be?

Why this passage is so important this morning – look at it
Look at Matthew and notice just how much he has in common with Mark, Luke and John
Four different writers, different places and they all agree on same basics – no dispute
WHEN Early in morning on a Sunday
WHO Women go to tomb
WHAT Stone is gone
HOW Angels or supernatural encounter of some kind
DISCOVERY Tomb is empty
RESULT Fear and confusion
FACT Jesus is not there
All 4 gospels share those same basic 7 things – pretty remarkable don’t you think?
4 documents, nearly 2000 years old – all with same basic eyewitness testimony – strong
And that right there is the bedrock foundation of the Christian faith
We Are: Easter People ®

III. Easter people know that Faith Conquers Fear
Notice how Matthew adds detail get nowhere else
Guards at tomb – present when angel descends – become like “dead men” out of fear – then go report to Jewish chief priests what happened – only to be instructed to say they had failed at their jobs and disciples had stolen the body – cover-up by Jewish leaders to explain away the miracle they knew would change everything – they were afraid

And women who discover this are afraid – of course, expecting a tombstone not Jesus
Instead get an earthquake just like at the cross (again only in Matthew) – and meet an angel face to face – this was not going like they expected in the least
But notice the first words of the angel – “Do not be afraid”
Then they meet Jesus – again “Do not be afraid”
First things they are told both time – Do not fear
God’s answer to fear is faith – trust Him
In fact, if my count is correct, the words ‘Fear Not’ appear in the Bible 365 times – once per day of the year – might be helpful for Easter people to learn that
Faith conquers Fear because we don’t need tombstones – we have Jesus
We Are: Easter People

IV. Easter People also Believe the Good News
Resurrection lies at the heart of the faith
If you want to destroy the Christian faith, you have to attack the resurrection
That is why the Da Vinci Code and whole cottage industry has sprung up
Folks who want to rid the world of the Church – only way to do that is to show the resurrection did not occur - But Easter people know that it did

In addition, to four gospels’ agreement
Jesus then made 12 appearances over 6 weeks
Empty tomb Mary in garden Other women in Jerusalem
2 on road to Emmaus Peter 10 disciples in upper room
11 disciples in upper room 7 disciples fishing 11 on a mountain
More than 500 people James Disciples on Mount of Olives
I mean, Jesus overwhelmed them – gave irrefutable evidence
So obvious that no disciple could ever doubt – and not one ever did!
In fact, these 12 appearances so transformed a group of unreliable rag-tag followers into fearless evangelists that they changed the world and were martyred for their faith
Stoned, beheaded, tortured, even crucified because they could not deny it - fact
Conspiracies do not last 2000 years – and skeptics cannot pick apart the evidence
Easter People Believe the Good News and We are Easter People

V. And Easter People Know Where We are Going
[You may remember Dale and Kelly Clem – Kelly was the pastor of Goshen UMC
Near Rock Run, AL – 1994
Palm Sunday – in middle of worship – tornado ripped through area
Church collapsed on top of the worshipping congregation
20 people were killed – including Kelly’s 4 year old daughter, Hannah
I cannot imagine the horror
In the week afterward, Holy Week, leading up to Easter, phone rang
Someone from church asked Kelly, “Will we still be having Easter this year.”
“Yes, we most certainly will.”]

In 2000, Billy Graham was honored by hometown of Charlotte – all knew nearing end
Just not sure when – I mean, after all, every day I’m here could be the day I die
Told about Einstein being on train from Princeton to NY when conductor came down aisle asking for tickets – Einstein could not find his - looked everywhere
Finally, conductor said, “It’s OK, Mr. Einstein. I don’t need the ticket. I know who you are,” and went on his way
Still Einstein searched for ticket – conductor came back
“Don’t worry about the ticket. I know who you are.”
Einstein: “I know who I am too, young man. What I don’t know is where I’m going.”

Billy Graham then said, “Look at the suit I’m wearing. Brand new. My wife and kids kept telling me to dress more fashionably so I bought this suit for this luncheon and for one more occasion. This is the suit in which I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead. I don’t want you to think about the suit I’m wearing. I want you to remember this – I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.”

Good news: I know where I am going because I am an Easter person
He reminded me again this week that any day I’m here could be the day I die
I know where I’m going - hope you do too – because Jesus makes clear He is the Way
We don’t need tombstones – we simply need Jesus
Easter is the proof, and We are Easter People