Gospel and Sermon     Luke 24.1-12

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.

10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

 

SERMON: Still Believing!

Pastor: Christ is risen!  Congregation: Indeed, He is risen!

 Pastor: Hallelujah!  Congregation: Indeed, He is risen! Hallelujah!

One of my absolute favorite things about living in southern California are the beautiful beaches. How blessed are we to have this majestic coastline to enjoy! It is indeed a billion dollars view!

One of my absolute favorite things to do is to be at the beach: sitting with a book, a cup of coffee, some snacks. Reading off course, and diving into a fine book, but also closing my eyes to listen and or closing the book to take in the views.

Listening to the waves crashing and looking out to the horizon.

Do not get me wrong! I do like the sun, the surf and the sand! I like swimming in the ocean, I like sand between my toes, I like the sun on my skin. I like to sit in my chair with my book and soak it all in….

But apart from the sun, the time of relaxation, the book, the swim … it is all about the view.

 

I love seeing the impossible blue, blue ocean and the pure white spray of the breakers. This grand living organism of change, life and power.

I marvel at the curve of the land looking south to Newport Beach, Laguna, Carlsbad, Encinitas or San Diego: or North to Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Palos Verdes Peninsula, to Venice, Santa Monica or Malibu. Just saying all these names, makes us realize how blessed we are to live here.

I marvel looking at the mountains, hills and land embracing the coastline in such a beautiful way.

I marvel as I literally or spiritually dive into that blue, blue ocean. So much surface, but even more so much deep deep blue under neath. Beautiful rolling waves, and yet so powerful and hidden forces under neath. As beautiful as the view of the blue blue ocean is, as wide and deep and hidden it still is. How mysterious.

I am not the only one being in love with the ocean. It is indeed a billion dollars view when you consider all the mansions and estates along the coast. But the beach is open for all of us. The ocean is ours to share and enjoy.

I also love people watching, when I am at the beach, at the sidewalks and piers. Observing people standing on the pier or at the shore, taking in the seascape. I always catch sight of people, who like me, are transfixed by the ocean.

Something about being in the presence of something so vast and deep just fascinates and draws people. I’ have heard it said that gazing at the ocean causes one’s soul to expand. The soul grows in response to what it sees.

Like van Morrison sang:

“Smell the sea and feel the sky,

Let your soul and spirit fly.”

 

That is how Easter is too.

Something about being in the presence of something so vast, so deep, so unbelievable, so divine just fascinate and draw us too – so we must come here to church on this beautiful easter Sunday and shout our unbelievable faith out!

I have heard it said that sitting in the church causes one’s soul to expand! The soul grows in response to what it sees, hears, and believes.

“Smell the sea and feel the sky,

Let your soul and spirit fly.”

 

SLIDE 19 On this Easter Sunday as we sing these wonderful, spirited Easter and enjoy the Beautiful Danish Song about the big feelings and words in life, and as we listen to the wondrous message from the empty tomb, we might ask: do we believe, do we dare to believe what we do not know? How do we dare to believe in a time and a world that contradicts our deepest faith and longing for peace, love and forgiveness? How do we dare to believe that there is more than what we see and so much more under the surface of knowledge, sciences and common sense?

 

This service is a sounding yes.

Yes, despite ourselves, we do believe!

Yes, despite our doubts and our longing for proof and evidence, we do believe, - as we are reminded that life is so much bigger than what we might see on the surface and might find proof for with our calculations.

Life is so much more under the surface, like the deep deep blue ocean.

 

We believe in the humble gracious man from Nazareth, not in war hungry rulers and haughty voices.

We believe in loving one another as Jesus taught to, and not to hate, condemn, judge or demand. But to give and forgive and be given and forgiven.

We believe in the grace of God and shared humanity, not in selfishness or loneliness.  

We believe in a living God transcending time and distance, transcending live and death, history and time,  like a breathing living big blue ocean, that reminds us of how we are indeed connected and how our life and our being indeed are more than what we see and calculate.

 

“Smell the sea and feel the sky,

Let your soul and spirit fly.”

That is why we are here this Easter Morning:

To smell the sea and feel the sky

To believe in light and love.

To hope for more and feel the peace

To let our soul and spirit fly.

That is why the women came to the tomb.

They peeked into that empty tomb with despair, doubt and disbelief, but then they heard a voice saying: “Why are you here… why are you looking for the living among the dead?

 “Look at the bulletin and say with me: “He is not here but has risen!”

Those words made their soul and spirit fly, so they could not stop talking about this unbelievable encounter at the empty tomb. They could not explain it, but the felt it deep deep in their souls. Their souls expanded.

The emptiness of the tomb filled with spirit and faith – and from there the Easter faith was born, changed the world, and make us still believe and come to church on an Easter morning in 2022.

That empty tomb and the Easter Story is the center of our Christian faith. This is a sacred space and sacred story where we meet the mystery and the power of Jesus, the son of man and the son of God. There is no proof, no evidence or no rational explanation. There is a strong invitation to dive into a deeper faith and a deeper love with the Living Christ, who is not dead, but risen. Like green in the Spring. Like daffodils.

 

On a grave at and old windy graveyard in Scotland it says: “To live in hearts, we leave behind, is not to die.”

 

Easter morning, the women felt that so strong. That Jesus did live in their hearts and souls as they were left behind, - and that is not death. But hope, life and love.

Easter Morning, we must be sure to get Jesus out of the tomb, out of the darkness and into the light and life again.

As we can be transfixed starring at the blue blue ocean and marvel over the power, the deep hidden places and the beauty, - in the same manner we can be transfixed and transformed by Easter, by the story about humans finding hope and way in unbelievable places, by the story about so much more than what we might see and understand, by the story about all the currents of life and hope that sustains us and surrounds us.

Easter morning is whispering to us as the hope expands our souls: To live in hearts, we leave behind, is not to die…. Those who live in our hearts, and left us behind, are not dead…. Jesus Christ who lives in our hearts, and left us behind, is not dead. Indeed, He is risen

 

SLIDE 20 Today we came to the church and to the empty tomb: we stop for a while, take our seats, listen and then we go out of church, hopefully amazed at what we have heard and dared to believe.

Filled with spirit and hope; unexplainable yet real and transforming. That life and light is always stronger than death and darkness. That God is always with us. Let that faith and hope color your living days and embrace our despair and fears.

“Smell the sea and feel the sky,

Let your soul and spirit fly.”

 

Looking at the blue blue ocean, taking in the views, marveling at the hidden mysteries of the deep blue, embraced by peace and wholeness, expanding your soul, - here in our beautiful church on this easter morning listening to the wondrous story, marveling at the hidden mysteries of life and death, embraced by faith and hope, expanding our soul, we dare to believe and we dare to live in that hope!

 

Pastor: Christ is risen!

Congregation: Indeed, He is risen! Hallelujah!