Exodus14,8-14.19-23.28-30a.; 15,20f. Easter Sunday

Exodus 14,8-14.19-23.28-30a.; 15,20f   2521

Ostersonntag 034

Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Italy. ✠ 397 

4. April 2021

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, who did deliver Your Son for our offenses, and did raise Him again for our justification: We beseech You, grant us Your Holy Spirit, so that He may rule and govern us according to Your will; graciously keep us in the true faith; defend us from all sins, and after this life raise us unto eternal life.  Amen. (Veit Dietrich) 

2. »And Moses said to the people of Israel: „Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. Yahweh will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.“« 

  3. Perhaps the oldest Christian confession is: »Christ is risen!« (1. Corinthians 15,20), and another Early Christian confession based on it is: »Hallelujah! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!« This confession is the confession of Easter, the Four Gospels and the Epistles. 

4.The Psalmist beautifully typifies our Easter confession 1000 years before the actual event. »Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous.« Easter is a Church feast of salvation and righteousness. The somber moods of Maundy Thursday and Karfreitag yield to the anticipation of the Holy Saturday vigil and the joyous songs of praise we gladly sing this Easter Sunday. The Gospel according to Mark tells us that the women left Christ’s empty tomb trembling and astonished, but it did not take them long, lead by Mary Magdalene, to proclaim to the apostles what they had seen and heard: »His tomb is empty; Jesus is risen!« But what does this mean? A: Paul began his Epistle to the Romans, writing: »Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ« (Romans 1,1-6). St. Paul tells us that grace and faith are received through Jesus’ resurrection. Paul then tells us that faith reveals that God declares us righteous. »The righteous shall live by faith« (Romans 1,17). 

5. »Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will work for you today.« Moses said this to the Israelites after the Passover. Pharaoh had changed his mind and wants his slaves back. His army has trapped the people, and all looks hopeless. Yahweh opened the waters of the Red Sea: Israel crossed in safety but when Pharaoh followed his army was swept away in the waters. Jesus told His disciples that He will, suffer, die and then rise from the dead. Jesus was humiliated and dead as Friday drew to a close. He slept in the tomb on Saturday. On Sunday He burst forth from the grave alive. Jesus exercised His Divine authority when He rose from the dead. Jesus told John in a vision that the authority of His resurrection is »Fear not, I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades« (Revelation 1,17-18). 

6. »Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will work for you today.« Jesus has authority over Death and Hades. Those two are mankind’s oldest and indefatigable foes; Death and Hades strike fear in the hearts of all people. We cannot cheat death forever, and many fear they will be separated from God after they have died. Jesus comforts us by saying: Don’t be afraid; do not fear Death and Hades. See the salvation that I will achieve. I have died. I have been to hades. I returned. I am the Living One. You will live, too. You will live forever in My Father’s glorious presence. You see, this is what makes the gospel so extraordinary: We had severed our fellowship with God through our sin; we cast our lot to dwell apart from Him. Other religions then say: you must earn your way back to God. You must merit your own righteousness by being a good person and doing what God commands. Jesus entered our world and turned religion on its head. He tells us: „You do not need to do anything to merit yourself into My good graces; I will do something for you and in doing so declare you righteous. I will become your vicarious sacrifice; I will take your place under the law and suffer your punishment on the cross as payment for your sins; I will die and even travel to hades where I will proclaim My gospel and release all longing to see My Father. I will return from hades, rise from the dead and ascend into heaven where I will now prepare your place in My eternal presence.“ 

7. The cornerstone of our Christian faith is: Christ was raised on the third day; His tomb is empty (1. Corinthians 1,4; Mark 16,6). Easter Sunday is the cornerstone of our faith. Christ has been raised, and on the last day He will raise all the dead (1. Corinthians 15,14). »This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes« (Psalm 118,23). 

8. The Four Gospels give us a complete picture of the events that first Easter morning. Everyone believes Jesus is dead. Then women find the tomb empty. They are astonished at this news. They tell the disciples who don’t believe Jesus has risen. Jesus starts appearing to the women and the disciples so that unbelief yields to faith: Jesus has surely risen from the dead! 

9. Easter »Yahweh fighting for us.« Let us continue the proclamation of the women, and tell others that Jesus is risen, sin has been forgiven and salvation has been secured. Jesus is the Greater Jonah (Matthew 12,40); Jesus is the Greater Temple (John 2,19).  

10. Our faith is not in vain. Jesus’ tomb is empty. Christ is risen. Our sins are forgiven. The Gospel according to Mark is so compelling and powerful to us because in Mark 16 the women did not see the risen Jesus. The only evidence they have for His resurrection is that the tomb is empty and the angel (a young man) proclaims to them that Jesus is risen. Like those dear women, we are seated here this morning hearing that Jesus is risen. We have no tangible evidence before us save the 1991-year old empty tomb, the testimony of the women and the proclamation from the Gospels. The pastor preaches it. And like the women, you hear the gospel message and believe that Jesus is risen. Christianity grew from the words of three Jewish women: The tomb is empty; Jesus is risen. May that gospel console you and strengthen your faith. The risen Christ and His empty tomb proclaim that Jesus has triumphed over death. Pandemics and viruses cannot overcome Jesus. Sin and the Devil have also been conquered. Hell hath no fury for those who are in Christ Jesus. Believe it, and share the gospel. 

11. What John Chrysostom proclaimed 1600 years ago is yet true this very day: „O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? (Hosea 13,14) Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are falling! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the tomb! For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that have slept. To Him be glory and might unto the ages of ages.“  Amen and Amen. 

11. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou risen Savior, You hold the keys of Death and Hades so that we may fear death no more nor tremble at the thought of hades for You have redeemed us from both and given us eternal life in heaven.  Amen.