EASTER CHANGES EVERYTHING

Sermon Summary 4/21/19, “Easter Changes Everything” (Luke 24:1-12; John 14:1-3)

My first recollection of Easter was Yellow Marshmallow Easter Bunnies.  What I came to find out is that Yellow Marshmallow Easter Bunnies change nothing, but Easter changes everything.  I was away from the church for a while. I lived in a Good Friday world.  When tragedy came, I just as well have been depending on Yellow Marshmallow Easter Bunnies. They didn’t change anything.

Here’s what I’ve come to understand, When we believe in the resurrection, when we believe in Easter, it changes everything.  When we believe in the resurrection, we also believe all the things that Jesus promised us, and that changes everything. 

We’ve all encountered loss.  Remember the story of Mary and Martha when they lost their brother Lazarus?  Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died.”  She was living in a Good Friday world.  I can’t imagine a worse thing that losing one that you truly love.  But Easter says to us, “The worst thing is never the last thing, and Easter changes everything!”

Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live; and those who live and believe in me will never die.”  Then he adds, to Martha and to us, “Do you believe this?”  Do you believe this?

So what do you believe about Easter?  Does is have a bearing on how you live your life?  Does Easter change the way you love?  Does it provide meaning and purpose to your life?  Is Easter your defining story?

For the apostles, the answers to all four of these questions was a resounding, “Yes!”  They had seen the resurrected Jesus.  They believed in the promises of Jesus.  He had said to them (and to us): “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again to take you to myself.  So that where I am, you may be also.”  He is telling us, we will know him in the resurrection!  We will embrace our loved ones again.  Martha and Lazarus will be together again.  We will hold our loved ones again.  When we believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life, it changes everything. He said, “Because I live, you shall live also.”

He is telling us, the worst thing is never the last thing, and Easter changes everything!  So may it be for all of us!  Amen.