John 20: 1-18          Can it Really Be?         E/DC/GR sunrise April 16, 06

This morning we continue our journey with Jesus in his last week of life and death.  As we walk to the tomb, let us try to get the sense of being there on that first Easter morning.  Let us walk in silence, thinking of having just awakened, cotton-mouthed and aching head, aware too soon of a deep ache inside.  Grief.  With leaden feet, we drag ourselves around our home to find the spices, the oil, the strips of cloth.  We cannot put it off any longer and move slowly out into the street.  Oh, at least there are other friends who dare to come to minister to him. 

In the pre-dawn light, huddled together as we walk for warmth, huddled inside to try to contain the pain, we come to do the last loving thing for our dear friend.  Our minds can scarcely confront the horror of his brave death.  Or understand the courageous gift of this tomb for his final resting place.  Grief swollen eyes at first refuse to take in what is before us.  The heavy stone has been rolled away.

Somebody has to look.  It?s so dark.  Jesus isn?t there.  Only empty, rumpled grave clothes.  Who has taken him away?  Finally Peter and John come, in response to Mary?s insistent pleas.  They bend over and look in.  See the grave cloths.  John keeps saying, now I understand and believe.  And most of the people leave.  Let?s stay a minute a little distance from Mary, she was so close to Jesus.  At least we can be there to walk home with her.

Mary, the tears streaming down her face, falls in agony on the ground outside the tomb.  It seems her tears so obstruct her mind and sight, that when a man comes and says, ?Woman, why are you weeping?  Who are you looking for??  She assumes he is the gardener. 

?Sir, if you?ve taken him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.?  The man says, ?Mary?.  Then with and incredible look on her face, she turns to hug him, fairly shouting, ?Teacher!?  Could it really be Jesus?  This man, then says, ?Do not hold unto me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.  But go to my brothers and say to them, ?I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.?

She?s running back and sees us, ?I have seen Jesus,? and she tells the incredible words we heard him say.  We don?t even try to keep up to her, as she runs to tell the others, born on feet we?ve never seen her use.

We straggle along, with many questions, but there?s a song that keeps bubbling around the corners of our minds.  We want to sing our praises to the Holy One of Israel, Blessed Be.  Let us sing the Halle that we are so familiar with.

Before we go in for breakfast, let?s let in to our core, the enormity of what happens every Easter when we celebrate that just as death could not keep Jesus in its bonds, nothing can keep us in bonds.  As Jesus rose to new life, so we can participate in that new life today.  Let us wish each other Happy Easter in the joy of that knowledge.

After we go inside:

Sing 2 hymns

Share the Peace

Prayer of Thanksgiving

People get buns, juice, coffee

Now that we?re sure Jesus is alive in a new way, do you remember??