“Ye See Him, As He Said Unto You”
Saint Mark 16: 1-8
The Feast of The Resurrection of Our Lord: 21 April Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
Jesus lives. The Victory’s Won. Death no longer can appal you!
Today is The Feast of The Resurrection of our Lord. Today is The Feast of Sts. Norman and Myrtle, Nelson and Mariana, Bill and Opal, James, and a myriad more! Jesus lives why weepest thou? Why that sad and frequent sigh? He who died our brother here, lives our Brother still on high, lives forever to bestow blessing on His church below.
If we are terrified by death, our old sinful natures, frightened by final enemy, the last “earthly” battle, we are, it seems, equally scared by the Resurrection—at least so long as we are still here in the vale of tears. Re-animated corpses; the dead walking is portrayed by heathen “entertainers” as nightmarish at worst, impossible at best. The Greek Sophists at the Areopagus mocked Paul for this belief. But This Man is God in the Flesh! This Man did not stay dead to become a walking zombie. This Man/God took back His Living Life and Light and “I AM” alpha and omega-ness! But, one can sympathize with the Disciples being afraid on Easter evening when The Lord appeared to them in the locked room. And at the sepulchre, though bold enough to enter into it, The Magdalene, Salome, and Mary, the mother of James, “were affrighted” And that was just with a “young man sitting…clothed in a long white garment.” Oh, they knew. They knew that that “ain’t right,” they knew he was an angel. But even after His Gospel—Evangel—i.e. “Good News” “be not affrighted…Jesus of Nazareth…He is risen, He is not here…tell His disciples and Peter…shall ye see Him, as He said unto you.” That dear friends is the Good News delivered via the preached Word of The Salvific Event of Good Friday: Christ crucified for the forgiveness of your sins. That message from the spiritual Pastor in the long white robe was the Christ present in His Word. He would soon be present in His very Body and Blood—His resurrected and glorified Body and Blood. And oh, what a difference THAT makes to everything—literally everything!
The trio of women “went out quickly.” That was good. They “trembled and were amazed” that was understandable, and indeed, fills our own hearts with joy. But the last words of Saint Mark’s evangel (information given to him by His Bishop and mentor, Saint Peter) are troubling at first blush: “neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.” What does this mean? Well, we learn from other scripture that The Magdalene did indeed tell Peter and the others. They had all heard of their report by the time the Emmaus two returned in the evening. But why the delay? Why the fear? Why do you sin every day? Why are you afraid to let everyone you know, who does not have Jesus, hear about Jesus from your lips—from your lives? Sin. That’s why He died—to put to death sin—and to resurrect you “IN HIM,” in His Easter Newness.
“Therefore [you] are buried with Him by + baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of The Father, even so [you] also should walk in newness of life.” [Rom. 6.4]
Where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation. The Cross—the empty tomb—The Glorified Resurrected Body and Blood of Jesus forgives you—forgives you when you actually believe, i.e. when you receive the actual, bodily Jesus in His Word and Baptism and Absolution and most especially Sacrament. But the sins are forgiven and not obliterated completely; that will happen when you die, temporarily or when Christ returns; whichever comes first. So, you have newness of life now, but you’re still under “the cross” of sin and a decaying world. The Salvation you have is Gospel promise and Gospel earnest pledge, that What Jesus did for Himself, will be done for you and your believing loved ones. This is why Christians can look at cemeteries totally different than do pagans.
The same Apostle Paul who delivered unto you the Verba, The Words of Institution of The Blessed Supper, delivers to you “…that Christ died for your sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures; and that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve…” [1 Cor. 15. 3-8]
Fear not!
“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” [vv. 12-18]
But this day is The Feast, also, of Sts. James, and Opal, Mariana, Nelson, Myrtle, Opal, Norman and Mariana! Jesus lives. The Victory’s won!
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” [vv. 19-22]
As I speak, Jesus by the power of The Holy Ghost speaks through me—The Word…your beloved loved ones who have died, momentarily, their own “three days” in the earth which soon will be new again itself, are safe with The Magdalene, Paul, Saint Mark, Peter, the Blessed Virgin and all the host of The Redeemer’s flock—awaiting the Creeds’ Truth: “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [vv. 51-57]
Soon, very soon. But now, this morning “He goeth before you, there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you:” “This IS My Body, This IS My Blood of The New Testament.”
Jesus to you: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” [Jn. 6.54]
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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