EASTER DAY

Luke 24:1

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

There's no question who's the centre of attention on a morning like this. We have a resurrected Lord to celebrate. He's defeated sin and death, our sin and death.

But it's quite amazing, this risen Lord doesn't even make an appearance in this Easter Gospel lesson. We have the empty tomb and the two messengers of the resurrection who ask, "Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive?" The rest of the action belongs to the disciples. What's Luke trying to tell us? When it comes to the meaning of the resurrection are we important?

The reverse is true when it comes to the crucifixion. The disciples sort of disappear into the woodwork. O they promise to stay around, but when things begin get serious, off they go. Judas is the first one to make an exit. We last hear of him as he puckers up for a kiss.

The next to disappear are ten disciples. One minute they're there fighting for their Master with two swords, they even manage to dislodge an ear, but then when Jesus calls a halt, off they go merging into the shadows. Finally Peter makes his exit. He stays around just long enough and just far enough, to deny his master before he also heads out into the night weeping bitterly.

These hand picked disciples, these men who had been especially trained by Jesus, the disciples who Jesus expected to become his world wide messengers of the Gospel just disappear from Luke's account of Christ's death. And at the very places we might expect them to poke up their heads again, someone else appears every time. I wonder what Luke's trying to tell us about these twelve men?

Immediately the political and religious powers of the day have done their worst, Jesus is led away towards the cross. But it's not one of the disciples they find to carry Christ's cross. It's a foreigner, and unknown called Simon. I wonder what that means? Is Luke trying to encourage his readers to accept foreigners?

But then Luke mentions another group. "A large crowd of people followed him; among them were some women who were weeping and wailing for him." The disciples are still missing, but a group of women who followed Jesus get a special mention. I wonder why Luke mentions them?

And then after Jesus is hung on the cross we find this amazing sentence, "All those who knew Jesus personally, including the women, who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance to watch. Again no mention of the disciples, only more unknown people who knew Jesus, and they are behaving more loyally than the twelve, plus those faithful women yet again. Unless of course,... unless Luke does means the disciples but he just can't come at using the title of 'disciples' considering their undisciple-like behaviour? Either way their conduct is pretty disappointing compared to everyone else. I wonder?

Then when Christ's body is removed and taken to the tomb by another secret disciple, guess who Luke records as following, watching and working? "The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was placed in it. Then they went back home and prepared the spices and perfumes from the body." I wonder?

Then comes our text. And whose in centre stage? It's those women again. At first light they head off to embalm the body of their Master. Makes you wonder just who are the real disciples doesn't it?

These women had witnessed his death and his burial. They've prepared spices and perfumes for his body. They've even observed the Sabbath by waiting for Sunday morning. And now they set out to seek a corpse to embalm.

But they're in for a shock. At the tomb they find the stone rolled away and two men in bright shining clothes who ask a crazy question. "Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here; he has been raised." The natural response would have been, well stupid, we're not looking for one who is alive are we, we're after a corpse, and that's why we come to a tomb.

But that's not their response. It's much more remarkable. Again it's the response of a real disciple. "Then the women remembered his words." "Of course", they say, "didn't he say he'd rise. We heard him speak about this that but we didn't believe him." Who would? But now they do, and off they rush as Luke says, to tell "the eleven disciples and all the rest." Luke even gives these first witnesses of the resurrection names. "Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James." I wonder why Luke treats them in such a special way?

Could it have something to do with their acts of discipleship and God allowing them to be the first witnesses to the resurrection? I wonder? I mean they wouldn't have been good enough for the Jewish law courts. Women weren't accepted as reliable witnesses, and obviously they weren't acceptable to the eleven. "But the apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense and they did not believe them." Luke makes special notice that this is the first post easter decision of the apostles. They hear the testimony and make their declaration: the resurrection story is nonsense. I wonder how Luke got away with that?

The disciples as a named group, are finally back on the scene, but they're still not acting like disciples. Peter's also back. He goes off to check out the tomb for himself. The women's message isn't enough for this chief among the disciples? But nor is the empty tomb for these future leaders of the church! "Then he went back home amazed at what had happened." As one commentator says, "Wonderment here is not faith but it's opposite... Peter is guilty of unbelief." I wonder why Luke takes the time to specifically record this about Peter?

In the verses ahead Jesus does turn up, but not really to prove the resurrection event. He comes to teach his reluctant disciples so that they do believe. He comes to declare them to be his witnesses. He tells them exactly what to do. "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, 'This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from the dead three days later, and in his name the message about repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And I myself will send upon you what my Father has promised. But you must wait in the city until the power from above comes down upon you." It's almost as if Jesus isn't willing to be take any more chances with these guys. He clearly spells everything out! What to do, how long to do it and where to do it at.

While the resurrection is of course important, the disciples' response is also critical. Our response is critical. Yet God remains in control. When the designated disciples fail, God makes sure others step in to do the job. Whatever you do, don't leave the Easter message and life to the modern day equivalent of the slow to believe, reluctant, designated witnesses. After the resurrection all the neat orderly roles and categories seem to get a real shake up. Disciples act like useless unbelievers and people many would have categorized as unreliable, unsuitable, and inappropriate people actually become real Easter disciples.

I wonder what this means for our church. I wonder what this means for my life? I trust that as you live out your joyful Easter faith you will enjoy discovering what this means for your life?