Brent Kuhlman

The women are off to the cemetery. To the graveyard. To the tomb. They witnessed where His body was laid. They expect to anoint Jesus’ dead body. We’ve traveled down that same road too. Go to the cemetery. To flower the grave of a loved one, friend or relative. To remember. To weep. To wonder what may have been if only . . .

When you go to the cemetery you fully expect to be among corpses. After all, the cemetery is the residence of the dead. Where we tuck deceased bodies into the ground.

But on this day, the first day of the week, one tomb is different. Whose? Jesus’. His tomb is open. The stone door has been rolled off to the side. The women go right in.

NO BODY! NO CORPSE! It’s missing! Couldn’t have decomposed already. That’s impossible. Grave robbers? A cruel joke?

No. Jesus is risen. Just the opposite of what the women expected. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” It is just as He told you. Don’t you remember? “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” Yes, that’s right. Now we remember.

And then the ladies are off to tell the Eleven and all the other disciples. “Jesus is risen! He is no longer in the
tomb! Don’t you remember what He promised? It’s exactly that!”

Can you believe it? The apostles had a hard time with it. Didn’t believe the women’s words. Peter hurries to the tomb to have a look. The burial cloths are there. But no body. He struggles with the meaning of this.

Do you? What does Easter mean? What does our Lord’s resurrection mean? It means that you are forgiven. Totally. It means that Good Friday counts for you. The Father is most pleased with His Son’s sacrifice on the Cross for you and for your salvation. Jesus rose from the dead and the grave for your justification. You are absolved.

Christ’s resurrection also means that you too will be raised from the grave on the Last Day. Jesus is the first fruits. In other words, He’s the first of more to come. That’s you and your resurrection.

You have been died for. Good Friday-ed. Jesus has risen for you. You are absolved. You are baptized into Christ’s Good Friday death. You have been raised with Him in the likeness of His resurrection to live the life of faith in Him today. You are given to eat and to drink His crucified and risen Body and Blood for your forgiveness. He will not abandon your body to the cemetery. For where there is forgiveness of sins there is life and salvation.

When Jesus appears in glory on the Last Day you will be raised from the dead. You will be called out of your grave. You will receive a resurrection body. Because Jesus lives you live. Both now and forever.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Remember and believe that the next time you visit the cemetery to flower a grave. Or as you prepare for your own date with the cemetery.

Happy Easter.

In the Name of Jesus.

Brent Kuhlman

Easter Main Service "C"