Easter Sunday Notes
Scripture Reading: John 20: 1 - 10 (NIV)
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Notes: “Great Joy!”
Sense the Joy in the story
We would do well today to take in the joy that is portrayed in this Scripture reading…
Mary Magdalene, the woman who’s life was profoundly changed by Jesus, the woman who sat at his feet in awe, who poured out the expensive oil on his feet and dried it with her hair… she just had to work through her grief… going to the tomb early in the morning before sunrise… discovering the stone being rolled away… running back to bring the shocking news
Simon Peter and the one Jesus had loved (John - the author of this gospel), Peter the forward one, the who said he would never Jesus side, only to betray him the night before his execution three times before the crow of the rooster…
Again they run - the running here tells a story in itself (John being the faster one)
They discover the empty tomb - linen lying around Jesus not there - a great element of surprise
Volatile emotional state being ignited by extreme emotion when surprise and joy come together
Extreme emotion without fully comprehending what transpired, nor making sense of the magnitude of what just happened
But Joy none the less… deep, pure joy
Joy is at the centre of Christian faith - this is the most holy day for Christians - empty cross - our faith is all about joy, life over death, light conquering darkness, joy despite sadness
Access the Joy
Easter eggs: They bring so much joy to kids…
They are colourful and inviting - asking, calling to be discovered and opened
Great thing for kids to go hunting for Easter eggs
Perhaps we need joy much more than we realize?
Allow ourselves to be surprised by the joy of Easter
Perhaps we should seek the joy of this Easter Sunday more intentionally?
Art: Painting of Eugene Bernard - Peter and John (Yesterday’s Daily Bread)
Determined look on their faces - look of anticipation… ready to discover… ready to be overjoyed
Looking for joy - looking to access joy
Joy against the odds
Today is the day to access joy through our faith, despite where we might find ourselves
This is the day of turning emotions
Knowing that there is more to just what we find on the surface of what we feel
Knowing that there is hope in the darkest corners of our inner world
I’ve got joy, joy, joy - where? Down in my heart!
It is the joy I see when I visit someone in hospital after a prayer
It is the joy I see at the funeral of a believer
It is the joy I see in tear-filled eyes
A life of Joy
You have reason to celebrate today!
Take in the story of Mary Magdalene running with the news
Take in the story of the two disciples running in anticipation
See the art - hunt for the eggs - enjoy the chocolate - be with family and friends…
For we are people of joy - joy against all the odds - our life as Christians, is a life of Joy!
Let us celebrate, for our Lord is risen!
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