Ringwood Knox Lutheran Parish

where love comes to life

Year B – Easter Sunday – 4th April 2021

1 April 2021 - Year B-Easter Sunday

Text: John 20:1-18

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

New International Version - for other versions see BibleGateway.com

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Sermon - Year B – Easter Sunday – 4th April 2021

Pastor Peter Ghalayini

I will never forget last Easter Sunday. There were just 4 of us at Ringwood for that day. We had our organist playing the organ instead of recorded music. We had a member providing real flowers and reading the bible readings. And we had a third person who doubled up filming and reading the prayers  And myself.

It was the most difficult service I have ever had to lead – the most joyous day of the church year – singing all those beautiful hymns – and apart from the 4 of us – an empty church. Knox remained closed – completely empty.

Each week I recorded the service to an empty church. It helped me to understand the emotions that must have faced Mary as she went to the tomb and did not find Jesus there. She discovered an empty tomb – in a similar way that I encountered an empty church. But even though the tomb where Jesus body had been careful placed was empty, Jesus was present in a much more personal way.

We too have had to understand and experience Jesus in a different way during these past 12 months. It may have been by watching YouTube recordings at home on your TV. You may have participated in a live stream via Zoom You may have watched several different church services from around Victoria – Australia or even around the world – and they may not have all been Lutheran services. But what Mary would discover was that even though the tomb was empty – Jesus was very much present. Likewise, even though our church buildings remained closed and empty – Jesus was very much present with us And Mary’s experience reveals to us that Jesus is always with us and especially in those times when he seems not to be. When he is speaking with Mary she is so sad because she believes that Jesus is missing – and that she is speaking with the gardener. And then he becomes very personal with her and calls her by name – Mary!

Do you ever feel that Jesus is missing when you need him? Maybe in a time of suffering. Maybe in a time of confusion or despair. Or maybe in your everyday life where your prayer life or time with God just seems to struggle and it seems like God is just not there for you. Easter Sunday reminds us that God is nearer than we realise – as he was with Mary. Mary thought his body had been taken away to an unknown place only to discover that Jesus is there with her the entire time. Likewise Jesus is with you at all times and he calls your name. You don’t have to look for God – he has come to you.

At Christmas time we heard that promise when Mary and Joseph were told he would be called Immanuel which means “God with us”. In 40 day’s time when Jesus ascends to Heaven – it will look like it again that he is leaving, but he will assure his disciples and you – I am with you always till the end of the age. Last Easter Sunday was really difficult for me and I’m sure it was for everyone wondering where is God when our churches are shut. But remember, it was only the church buildings that were shut. God was with you in your lounge rooms – maybe not in your Sunday best but maybe still in your PJs – or maybe you watched the service the next day.

Easter Sunday means that Jesus is with us ALWAYS till the end of the age. And he knows your name just as he knew Mary’s name even though she did not recognize him. But the most glorious news of Easter Sunday is that Jesus promised that he is with us always until the end of the age – but when that end of the age comes it doesn’t mean that Jesus won’t be with us – no, Easter Sunday means that when the end of the age comes we will be with Jesus in Heaven – not till the end of the age because in Heaven life is eternal. And that’s what Jesus has won for us as he rose from the dead and just as Jesus rose from the dead so shall we.