{"id":3237,"date":"2020-04-12T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2020-04-12T00:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3237"},"modified":"2020-04-13T12:31:06","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T02:31:06","slug":"happy-easter-christ-is-risen-13-04-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3237","title":{"rendered":"Christ is Risen! Sermon 13-04-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Easter!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Christ is Risen!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

He is risen indeed!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?\u00a0 He is not here, but has risen.”(Luke 24:5)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”(John 20: 28-29)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lost and Found<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

As we approached Jerusalem<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

the crowd stood at the gate<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

and cried in tear-choked voice”:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

“We are lost<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

in his death.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Upon the hill<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

the angels sang:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

“We are found<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

in his rising.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Ann Weems)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Just when I though<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

there would be no more light<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

in the Jerusalem sky,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

the Bright and Morning Star<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

appeared<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

and the darkness has not overcome it.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Ann Weems)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

My haiku for this morning:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

‘Angels fill the hole<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

with resurrection splendour.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Paradoxical!’<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We are Easter people!\u00a0 Sing your alleluias!\u00a0 Make a joyful noise!\u00a0 Dance, pray, smile, laugh.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter blessings and love,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Barbara<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Easter Sunday, 2020.\u00a0 <\/span>Rev Barbara Allen<\/strong><\/p>\n

[hymn suggestions: people can access some of these on-line, or read them in their hymn books.\u00a0 <\/span>These suggestions are from Together in Song<\/i> (TIS<\/i>):<\/strong><\/p>\n

365: Christ the Lord is risen today<\/strong><\/p>\n

720: Halle, halle, halle, hallelujah!<\/strong><\/p>\n

392: At the dawning of salvation<\/strong><\/p>\n

362: Jesus Christ is risen today<\/strong><\/p>\n

382: Now the green blade rises from the buried grain<\/strong><\/p>\n

242: I danced in the morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

228: Crown him with many crowns<\/strong><\/p>\n

380: Yours be the glory, risen, conquering Son<\/strong><\/p>\n

390: Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Call to Worship<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Mary, let us approach the tomb.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Mary, let our surprise and grief-be turned to joy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Mary, we hear Christ call our names.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let us give thanks to our risen Lord who has triumphed over death.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

O God, to you belong all praise and glory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter is a glorious season, a time to remember your power-and your love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The stone was rolled away, and our fears of death were rolled away as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You brought life out of death, and have promised that to us also.<\/strong><\/p>\n

God of wonder, that the tomb should be empty on that Easter morning is as unbelievable to us as it was to Mary; that one should die and be raised again for all, is beyond our comprehension.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yet though our minds be stretched beyond their limit, by the gift of faith we do believe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We praise the risen Jesus, alive and present in our midst.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because Jesus stooped to comfort the least of your people, those on the margin, the overlooked, we too have hope that you can lift our spirits, when we despair.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we face troubled times, you comfort us, strengthen us, and love us.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fill us with hope as we behold Christ\u2019s resurrection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The miracle of Easter shows us that nothing is impossible for you-and that nothing in life or in death can separate us from your love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bible Reading: John 20: 1-18<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sermon<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a picture of the empty tomb, with the stone rolled to the side.\u00a0 <\/span>The caption reads: Missing, presumed dead.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-missing, presumed dead.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter: the mood of the Easter Season is a rollercoaster of emotions: from grief and loss, to waiting-and patience-and finally it is Easter Sunday, the most important day in the church calendar.\u00a0 <\/span>Christmas is essential-we need the Son of God to be born among us-we need the death on Good Friday-but Easter Sunday is the most important-because if there was no resurrection-no empty tomb-then the baby Jesus remains just a baby, and Good Friday just a day of death.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We as Christians know that if there was no resurrection, we have nothing to stand on.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We worship a risen Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year, we cannot attend a church gathering, but the \u2018alleluias\u2019 still abound in our hearts. We are still the church.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He has risen!\u00a0 <\/span>Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

And yet, like the Christmas story, it is all too easy to rush through the Easter story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After sombre Good Friday-we hurry through Easter Saturday-eager to get to the good part.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BUT stop!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listen!<\/strong><\/p>\n

We know the quote \u2018take time to smell the flower\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Slow down-or you\u2019ll miss some jewels of the Easter story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In John\u2019s account, we hear that Mary came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The gospel accounts of the First Easter are, to a degree, so familiar that we tend to merge them together.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John does not say why Mary went to the tomb-but it was not in order to anoint the body (as in Mark and Luke).\u00a0 <\/span>In John\u2019s account, the preparation of the body -to mask the odours, and to show respect and devotion of family and friends-had already taken place-<\/i>carried out by Nicodemus.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary goes to the tomb- in order to grieve<\/strong><\/p>\n

-away from others<\/strong><\/p>\n

-to weep in private.<\/strong><\/p>\n

She comes to the tomb while it is still dark.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John is the only gospel to state that it was dark.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matt and Luke say that it was dawn.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark-that the \u2018sun had risen.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

John may be using the word \u2018dark\u2019 to convey to us that Mary has not grasped what has happened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-she \u2018saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

-all that the empty tomb means to Mary at this stage is that the body of Jesus has been stolen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-she hasn\u2019t grasped the deeper significance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018She saw.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is believing<\/strong><\/p>\n

But not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How well do we see? Ever driven home-and you can\u2019t remember how you got home?\u00a0 <\/span>You were so intent on what was going on in your mind, that you weren\u2019t aware of what you were doing, or seeing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

How many of you have ever been on a familiar, maybe your daily, walk-and not noticed something that has been there for a long time?<\/strong>
\nWe see\u2026but not see.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary rushes back to tell the other disciples, Simon Peter and John.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018They have taken the Lord out of the tomb\u2026\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although we are not told whether she looked into the tomb-Mary has assumed, because of the removal of the stone-that the body has been taken.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Her concern was legitimate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emperor Claudius had issued a decree stating that anyone who removed a corpse or robbed a tomb was subject to capital punishment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Would the disciples then be blamed for the empty tomb?\u00a0 <\/span>For the removal of the body?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Her time of grief turns to shock; she rushes back to report to Peter and John.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is believing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Or<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is not believing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Or<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is not seeing!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The race between the disciples, Peter got there first-he didn\u2019t go in but he peered in and saw the linen wrappings lying there.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John wants us to look more closely-not to rush past.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter sees the cloth, the linen shroud.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The other disciple becomes a little braver, or more curious\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in and he saw and believed.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

He looked<\/strong><\/p>\n

He saw.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He believed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Believed what?<\/strong><\/p>\n

NOT that Jesus had risen from the dead.\u00a0 <\/span>Nobody thought that.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The text goes on to explain that they did not as yet know anything about resurrection:<\/strong><\/p>\n

V 9: \u2018for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, having seen, having believed that Jesus was dead BUT that Jesus\u2019 body had been stolen from the tomb, these two disciples returned home.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They came<\/strong><\/p>\n

They saw<\/strong><\/p>\n

They went home.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is not seeing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is believing one thing-but not another.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They return home-confused.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Confused-seeing the grave cloths still in their places where the body had been, suggests that the body had NOT been stolen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why would grave robbers strip the corpse, neatly fold the grave cloths in the tomb, and go off with a naked corpse?<\/strong><\/p>\n

They return home-confused.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think back to a time when you were grieving-you may be in that state now-think back to the beginning of your time of mourning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Often the most painful time is when you return home<\/strong><\/p>\n

-the funeral is over<\/strong><\/p>\n

-friends and family leave making sure you have enough food to keep you going (though you don\u2019t feel like eating and can\u2019t imagine you\u2019ll ever enjoy a meal again).<\/strong><\/p>\n

-all is quiet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-then you see it<\/strong><\/p>\n

-her favourite chair<\/strong><\/p>\n

-the unfinished book on the bedside table<\/strong><\/p>\n

-his work tools, not put away<\/strong><\/p>\n

-the clothes in the wardrobe<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s painful.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-like the folded linen<\/strong><\/p>\n

A reminder of their presence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

-of their earthly life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They returned home-confused<\/strong><\/p>\n

BUT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary stays.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary stays\u2026to grieve.<\/strong><\/p>\n

V 11: \u2018But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

She stayed-weeping at this final outrage<\/strong><\/p>\n

-Where have they taken the body of Jesus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Where can she find the body of Jesus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because that\u2019s a big part of our love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t love \u2018humanity\u2019- we love those eyes, that hand, that touch.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It hurts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

She wants the body, in order to grieve.\u00a0 <\/span>Not to be plagued by thoughts of it having been stolen-and what the thieves might have done with it-have they treated the body of Jesus with respect?\u00a0 <\/span>Or has it been tossed away somewhere?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The sight of the stone rolled away, the folded linen cloths, the absence of the corpse-did not move Mary to thoughts of resurrection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

She, like Peter-only knew of one possibility- that \u2018they have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

DEAD BODIES DO NOT SIMPLY DISAPPEAR.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Someone has to move them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary needs the body, to help her grieve.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We understand that.\u00a0 <\/span>Often after a death, a loved family member needs to see the body\u2026have a \u2018viewing\u2019 in order to believe, or see<\/i>, that the person truly has died.<\/strong><\/p>\n

EVEN when she looks into the tomb and sees two angels in white<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018She said to them, \u201cThey have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary is so consumed with grief-she does not SEE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the other gospels, the angels elicit fear or amazement from the women.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BUT HERE-we stand, looking on-with compassion at Mary\u2019s grief-which is so strong that she does not see the miracle in front of her<\/strong><\/p>\n

-she does not see the angels, or the significance of the moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And then that amazing meeting, when Mary meets Christ, whom she thought was the gardener.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before we judge her too harshly, haven\u2019t we all, at some time in our lives, mistaken someone for someone else?\u00a0 <\/span>Especially if we have been crying, or preoccupied, or the sun is in our eyes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus asks the same question that the angels asked: \u2018Why are you weeping?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the third time, Mary repeats her concern about the theft of the body, still not recognising Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When she hears her name \u201cMary\u201d the impossible, the incredible, breaks through.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now she SEES.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The one who had died -now greets her, calls her by name.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bringing the personal, her name-to this momentous event.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He knows our names!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Divine knows each of our names!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even when disasters abound around us, when we remain behind shut doors because of a virus we cannot see\u2026He knows our individual names\u2026because He loves us!<\/strong><\/p>\n

From the big picture-the universe-to the small-our own, individual name, our small lives\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is believing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary\u2019s need to pursue the body of her beloved Jesus does not have room for the miracle that has happened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The voice of Jesus has called to her, from across the gaping hole of death.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like the voice that shatters glass, the voice of Jesus has shattered Mary\u2019s world, called her forward to new possibilities, a new future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That same voice shatters our world\u2026if we let it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary is now able to obey, to tell the others, \u201cI have seen the Lord.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

She has moved beyond her preoccupation with the corpse, with the body, to an encounter with Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the other two, Peter and the other disciple-were the first to enter the tomb and \u2018see<\/i>\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

-it is Mary Magdalene who is the first witness to testify to the risen Lord, the first to testify to a new relationship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the gospel of John, the emphasis is upon the restoration of the personal relationship broken by the events of Friday, upon the way Mary Magdalene and later the disciples-are brought into a new and deeply intimate relationship with the risen Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seeing is believing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like Mary, when we encounter the resurrection-we see something- it might be the grave cloths, or we notice the stone that has been rolled from the tomb\u2019s entrance-or angels.\u00a0 <\/span>I think I would have noticed the angels!<\/strong><\/p>\n

-we hear something (footsteps, our name)<\/strong><\/p>\n

But nothing is explained to us.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The angels didn\u2019t tell Mary how it happened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus, as the risen Lord-did not tell her either.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Really, who CAN explain the resurrection?\u00a0 <\/span>Some things defy explanation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We just have to believe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We see<\/i> and believe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We follow in Mary\u2019s footsteps- for we come here to find Jesus<\/strong><\/p>\n

BUT we don\u2019t FIND Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No-instead-the good news of this Easter Day is<\/strong><\/p>\n

-Jesus calls your name, shatters the world, returns, intrudes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

WE are the ones who have been found,<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have been given \u2018new life.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are the ones who are to listen, to hear our names.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The caption: Missing-presumed dead has been rewritten.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now it reads: Found-Alive!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus is not missing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But there are some who miss Jesus, who do not see<\/i>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus breaks into the world, returns, intrudes, calls your name,<\/strong><\/p>\n

and FINDS YOU.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayers of Intercession.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Risen Lord, we bring before you the aches of our hearts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we pray, we are mindful that in a lot of cases, prayer is all we can do at the moment.\u00a0 <\/span>Remind us that this is important work, vital ministry.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We pray especially for those suffering from COVID 19, and for the doctors, nurses, health professionals, medical researchers, and others involved in caring for the sick, the dying, or searching for a cure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We pray for politicians, we know they are trying the best they can, in a time of uncertainty.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We pray for those on welfare, those on our streets, those who are finding it tough during these extraordinary times.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be with those near and dear to us,<\/strong><\/p>\n

In your name,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dismissal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let us go out to live as Easter people,<\/strong><\/p>\n

joyful that love and life have overcome fear and death forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alleluia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blessing<\/strong><\/p>\n

The grace of Christ attend you<\/strong><\/p>\n

The love of God surround you<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Holy Spirit keep you<\/strong><\/p>\n

This day and forever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alleluia! Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter Sunday, Leighmoor UC and Heatherton-Dingley UC<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>12.4.20<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nVirus-free. www.avg.com<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! “Why do you look for the living among the dead?\u00a0 He is not here, but has risen.”(Luke 24:5) ‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”(John 20: 28-29) Lost and Found As we approached Jerusalem the crowd stood at the gate and cried in tear-choked voice”: “We are lost in his death.” Upon the hill the angels sang: “We are found in his rising.” (Ann Weems) Easter Just when I though there would be no more light in the Jerusalem sky, the Bright and Morning Star appeared and the darkness has not overcome it. (Ann Weems) My haiku for this morning: ‘Angels fill the hole with resurrection splendour. Paradoxical!’ We are Easter people!\u00a0 Sing your alleluias!\u00a0 Make a joyful noise!\u00a0 Dance, pray, smile, laugh. Easter blessings and love, Barbara   Easter Sunday, 2020.\u00a0 Rev Barbara Allen [hymn suggestions: people can access some of these on-line, or read them in their hymn books.\u00a0 These suggestions are from Together in Song (TIS): 365: Christ the Lord is risen today 720: Halle, halle, halle, hallelujah! 392: At the dawning of salvation 362: Jesus Christ is risen today 382: Now the green blade rises from the buried grain 242: I danced in the morning 228: Crown him with many crowns 380: Yours be the glory, risen, conquering Son 390: Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord. Call to Worship With Mary, let us approach the tomb. With Mary, let our surprise and grief-be turned to joy. With Mary, we hear Christ call our names. Let us give thanks to our risen Lord who has triumphed over death. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen Prayer O God, to you belong all praise and glory. Easter is a glorious season, a time to remember your power-and your love. The stone was rolled away, and our fears of death were rolled away as well. You brought life out of death, and have promised that to us also. God of wonder, that the tomb should be empty on that Easter morning is as unbelievable to us as it was to Mary; that one should die and be raised again for all, is beyond our comprehension. Yet though our minds be stretched beyond their limit, by the gift of faith we do believe. We praise the risen Jesus, alive and present in our midst. Because Jesus stooped to comfort the least of your people, those on the margin, the overlooked, we too have hope that you can lift our spirits, when we despair. When we face troubled times, you comfort us, strengthen us, and love us.\u00a0 Fill us with hope as we behold Christ\u2019s resurrection. The miracle of Easter shows us that nothing is impossible for you-and that nothing in life or in death can separate us from your love. Alleluia! Amen. Bible Reading: John 20: 1-18 Sermon There is a picture of the empty tomb, with the stone rolled to the side.\u00a0 The caption reads: Missing, presumed dead. -missing, presumed dead. \u2018Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.\u2019 Easter: the mood of the Easter Season is a rollercoaster of emotions: from grief and loss, to waiting-and patience-and finally it is Easter Sunday, the most important day in the church calendar.\u00a0 Christmas is essential-we need the Son of God to be born among us-we need the death on Good Friday-but Easter Sunday is the most important-because if there was no resurrection-no empty tomb-then the baby Jesus remains just a baby, and Good Friday just a day of death. We as Christians know that if there was no resurrection, we have nothing to stand on. We worship a risen Lord. This year, we cannot attend a church gathering, but the \u2018alleluias\u2019 still abound in our hearts. We are still the church. He has risen!\u00a0 Alleluia! And yet, like the Christmas story, it is all too easy to rush through the Easter story. After sombre Good Friday-we hurry through Easter Saturday-eager to get to the good part. BUT stop! Listen! We know the quote \u2018take time to smell the flower\u2019 Slow down-or you\u2019ll miss some jewels of the Easter story. In John\u2019s account, we hear that Mary came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. The gospel accounts of the First Easter are, to a degree, so familiar that we tend to merge them together. John does not say why Mary went to the tomb-but it was not in order to anoint the body (as in Mark and Luke).\u00a0 In John\u2019s account, the preparation of the body -to mask the odours, and to show respect and devotion of family and friends-had already taken place-carried out by Nicodemus.\u00a0 Mary goes to the tomb- in order to grieve -away from others -to weep in private. She comes to the tomb while it is still dark. John is the only gospel to state that it was dark. Matt and Luke say that it was dawn. Mark-that the \u2018sun had risen.\u2019 John may be using the word \u2018dark\u2019 to convey to us that Mary has not grasped what has happened. -she \u2018saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb\u2019 -all that the empty tomb means to Mary at this stage is that the body of Jesus has been stolen. -she hasn\u2019t grasped the deeper significance. \u2018She saw.\u2019 Seeing is believing But not yet. How well do we see? Ever driven home-and you can\u2019t remember how you got home?\u00a0 You were so intent on what was going on in your mind, that you weren\u2019t aware of what you were doing, or seeing? How many of you have ever been on a familiar, maybe your daily, walk-and not noticed something that<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Leighmoor.Master","author_link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/author\/leighmoor-master"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Sermons<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! “Why do you look for the living among the dead?\u00a0 He is not here, but has risen.”(Luke 24:5) ‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3237"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3245,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3237\/revisions\/3245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}