Easter Sunrise

 

" ( Unknown Greek Author of the 5th Century)  Intro the Service - Mark 16:1-13

On Keeping Easter.  " This is the day which the Lord had made: let us keep it with gladness and rejoicing.  Why should we do so? Because the sun is no longer darkened; instead everything is bathed in light. Because the veil of the temple is no longer rent; instead the Church is recognized. Because we no longer hold palm branches; instead we carry the newly enlightened ...This is the day in the truest sense: the day of triumph, the day custom consecrates to the resurrection, the day on which we adorn ourselves with grace, the day on which we partake of the spiritual lamb.  This is the day on which milk is given to those born again, and on which God's plan for the poor is realized.  Let us keep it with gladness and rejoicing, not by running off to the taverns , but by hastening to the martyrs' shrines; not be esteeming drunkeness, but by loving temperance; not by dancing in the marketplace, but by singing psalms at home....This is the day on which Adam was set free and Eve delivered from her affliction . It is the day on which cruel death shuddered , the strength of hard stones was shattered and destroyed, the bars of tombs were broken and set aside.  It is the day on which the bodies of people long dead were restored to their former life and the laws of the underworld, hitherto ever powerful and immutable, were repealed. It is the day on which the heavens were "opened at the rising of Christ the Lord, and on which, for the good of the human race, the flourishing and fruitful tree of the resurrection sent forth branches all over the world, as if the world were a garden. It is the day on which the lilies of the newly-enlightened sprang up, the streams that sustained sinners ran dry, the strength of the devil drained away and demonic armies were scattered."

16:12 "  And after that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country."  ( Similar to the account in Luke 24)

Augustine , " Until the breaking of bread their eyes were obstructed not by the risen Lord but by their own lack of perception."

Unbelief seems predominant in these accounts.  vs 14 " He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen."

Bede , " He appeared in the breaking of bread to those who, supposing he was a stranger, invited him to share their table.  He will also be present to us when we willingly bestow whatever goods we can on strangers and poor people."

---What forms does Jesus come to us in the world in which we are now in?

We fail to recognize Him in the stranger, the needy and those who need Him in their hearts as well.  We are much like those on that Resurrection Day.

This is well relevant at the end of Matthew 25, "Lord, when saw thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

This reminded me of being at Wal Mart the other day and we were unable to find one of these wheelies that worked.  An unexpected thing happened .  An employee with gold chains and black skin came and asked what we needed.  He went to the other side of the store and came back a few minutes later with a cart that worked.  It was an unexpected good deed.  

Who can help us and who can we help in the spirit of the Helper and the Crucified ?

In the Army I was getting ready to leave the unit and turn my equipment in that anyone who has ever done this will tell you it is a hard task to get it up to turn in standard.  I had cleaned it all and thought it was right, but I was turned away because of some dirt and defect I did not see.  Some fine SSG in my unit heard I was having a trouble and assisted me in getting through the turn-in.  He gave from the Unit a knife that opened that had all the doo dads on it , the swiss kind worth about $ 60.00 .  In my sadness at leaving I smiled at his gesture of assistance and gift. ( Don't ever make the Supply SGT mad in your unit ---they can make or break you)

Who have you helped or been helped by in the person of another form?

In my sadness and grief at the loss of a relative I experienced goodness of others and it was the little things that made it easier to get through.  Who has done that for you in the spirit of Christ and in His giving love?

I was in the third floor of the Presbyterian Manse where my grandfather allowed us to live with him when my father was in Viet Nam .  I was acting the kid and playing, and jiggled the window opener on one window on the third floor and it cracked.  I had broken it.  My grandfather when I told him who I thought would get mad said, " oh that window is old anyways and was ready to break." I deserved punishment but got grace.

So today as we depart for other fellowship we remember He appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked, and went into the country.

Psalm 23.