“Do You Believe?” – Luke 24:1-12 – April 8, 2007

Two Women dressed to the hilt in their Easter finery were making slow progress in the crowd, headed for the church entrance. Finally, one of them burst out impatiently, “Now wouldn’t you think that these people who do nothing but go to church Sunday after Sunday would stay home on Easter and leave room for the rest of us?”

The women in Luke’s story of the resurrection weren’t wearing Easter outfits, but they did go to the tomb on that first Easter Sunday. They went to anoint the body of Jesus. When they arrived they found the tomb open and so they went inside. But, the body of Jesus was not there. Two men, apparently angels, said, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

After hearing those words the gospel goes on to say that the women were “perplexed, terrified and looked down at the ground.” How could this be? They were in shock, much like you would be after hearing tragic news or news that totally made no sense. Who can explain the resurrection? I would think it is easier to convince your children that the Easter Bunny exists, rather than the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead.

We know that the Easter Bunny exists since he brings presents and hides colored eggs. It’s a fun day filled with great food, family and everyone gets dressed up in new clothes. Easter must be real since it happens every year. We have pictures to prove it. Let’s be honest, Easter is definitely real because it’s a tradition. But, do you truly believe that Jesus was resurrected?

If you are having doubts about the resurrection, you are not alone. When the disciples heard that Jesus had risen from the dead they “thought it to be an idle tale.” Peter checked it out, but he went home, “amazed at what had happened.” He must not have believed since he did absolutely nothing about it.

Perhaps that is one key to the mystery of the resurrection. When you truly believe it, your life is different. You live a life of faith, spreading the good news, loving your neighbor and worshipping God. In other words, the resurrection is evidenced by followers who pattern their lives after the life of Jesus.

In April, 1973, the Park Center YMCA in Midland, Texas, asked for volunteers to help repair seventeen run-down homes in the city. The effort was so successful that Midlanders made it an annual event. After volunteers had completed repairs on one home, the owner opened her front door and exclaimed, “It’s just like Christmas in April.” The name stuck. “Christmas in April” has made hundreds of homes livable in Midland and it also brought the people together. Men and women, young and old, black, white, and Hispanic built a community spirit. The program became a tradition and one year they repaired 84 homes. Midlanders have learned that helping others benefits the whole community. All they had to do was rearrange their priorities, pull their resources and go to work.

The resurrection is believable anytime a group of people join together for the purpose of helping others. As long as love of neighbor continues in this world, there is evidence of the risen Lord. Do you believe?

There are other ways to pattern our lives after Jesus too, like; forgiving someone, being compassionate, caring for the sick and dying, giving aid, being charitable or through acts of worship. As long as these benevolent behaviors continue we can be assured there are folks who do believe.

Those who were motivated in the gospel of Luke were the women. Something inspired them to leave the tomb and spread the word that Jesus had risen. In the gospels of Mark and Matthew the women were told to go and tell the disciples that Jesus had risen. But here in Luke, they received no such instruction. Instead, the two men told them “to remember.” They were reminded of the time Jesus told them that he would be “crucified and on the third day rise again.” Apparently this stirred their subconscious since they did in fact remember what Jesus had said and that enabled them to leave the tomb and tell the disciples the good news.

It’s no accident that the women remembered. It has been my experience that women are far better then men at remembering details. My wife can remember what she wore last Easter. She can tell you what presents we gave the grandchildren, what the weather was like and who was there. Women also have an uncanny way of remembering conversations verbatim. The disciples, being men, never bothered to remember Jesus’ words, but fortunately his female disciples did.

Easter is the time for the Church to remember. We retell the story of the resurrection from scripture to stimulate our memories. The story is told also in song, in sermon and pictures. On the north side of the sanctuary you will notice a stained glass window that depicts the resurrection. The window includes a butterfly, a symbol of new life. The artist included it to remind us that just as a caterpillar entombs itself and is later transformed into a butterfly, Jesus was also entombed and then transformed into a living spirit. The window also includes two men and one woman. The men have looks of despair. The woman however is holding what appears to be a stone tablet or scripture. Perhaps the artist has portrayed her as one who listened and remembered. Do you believe?

We can also believe in the resurrection when we remember how God was there for us in some past crisis or event. When we experience Jesus’ amazing presence in our lives as hope, love or peace through the lives of others, the resurrection is real to us.

When I was a youth I liked to play basketball. But, I was never good enough to play on a varsity team. I had some friends who were just like me and we played basketball every day until the weather turned cold. My church had a youth minister who managed to get access to an elementary school gymnasium during the winter. He arranged for us to play basketball on Saturday mornings. The youth minister played too and he took an interest in each of us. I have great memories of those basketball games. Everyone played and there were no losers or winners. For me, the church was there for me in my youth.

Think about a crisis or critical time in your life. No doubt there were persons of faith who helped you through those times. People, sometimes complete strangers, appear in your life and they give you comfort and assurance. If you read on in the 24th chapter of Luke you will find two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were still in shock from the death of Jesus. They hadn’t heard or believed the story the women had told them about Jesus’ resurrection. They were grieving, very uncertain as to the future. Jesus appeared on the road with them and he said, “How foolish you are and how slow to believe.” Jesus was actually in their presence and they eventually recognized him during the evening meal. It took them awhile to get it but finally they told the other disciples, “The Lord has risen indeed.” Now they believed, do you?

Since it took time for the disciples to believe in the resurrection it will likely take time for us. Many of you will leave this Easter service with doubts. It will not be uncommon to hear words like, “The resurrection of Jesus is a great story, but I’m not sure I believe it.” Obviously you are in good company. Jesus had to remind the two disciples at Emmaus of the rest of the story. He recited all the scriptures. The resurrection can become real to you when you are willing to study and listen to scripture and be in fellowship with other believers. Anyone can believe when they read the rest of the story.

No one can prove that the resurrection happened. Each of you has to choose to believe or not believe. As for me, as long as people continue to love other people, I will believe. As long as the story is retold and the life events of Jesus’ life are remembered, I will believe. And, as long as others continue to give me assurance in difficult times as they have in the past, I will believe.

In a cemetery in Hanover, Germany, is a grave on which were placed huge slabs of granite and marble cemented together and fastened with heavy steel clasps. The grave belonged to a woman who did not believe in the resurrection. Strangely, she directed in her will that her grave be made secure so if there was a resurrection, it could not reach her. On the marker were inscribed the words, “This burial place must never be opened.” In time, a tiny seed, covered over by the slabs of concrete, began to grow. Slowly it pushed its way through the soil and out from beneath them. As the trunk enlarged, the great slabs were gradually shifted so that the steel clasps were wrenched from their sockets. I tiny seed had become a tree that had pushed aside the stones.

Likewise, faith is the risen Christ opens the door to eternal life. Do you believe?

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio