Easter Day (2)
Notes
Transcript
Opening Prayer
Abingdon Worship 2017 Invitation and gathering
God of mystery, God of wonder and love,
God of resurrection and new life; last night we wept, because we thought you were dead.
This morning, like Mary in the garden, we mistake you for someone else, and ask where you have gone.
But you have wakened us with sunshine, opening our eyes to daffodils and cherry blossoms, filling our ears with birdsong, filling our hearts with joy.
For you are not dead, but risen, and live among us now.
Christ is risen.
Christ is risen, indeed!
Alleluia! Amen.
Abingdon Worship 2017 Thanksgiving and Communion
Offering Prayer (Col 3)
God of love and grace, for the love and life that you give us in Christ, we offer you these signs of our gratitude;
for the compassion and mercy that you give us in the Holy Spirit, we offer you our thankfulness and praise. Receive these gifts in your holy name. Amen.
Easter Day
What was the only time in horse-racing history that a jockey, injured in a race, was pronounced dead, yet lived to ride again?
On May 8, 1936, at the Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California, jockey Ralph Neves was thrown from his mount, Flakakins, and trampled by other steeds during the fifth race of the program. He was pronounced dead by three different doctors and an announcement was made over the track loudspeaker, asking for a moment of silence. Placed in a nearby hospital morgue, Neves awakened less than an hour later while in cold storage. In a hospital smock and boots, he found his way out of the hospital and hailed a taxi back to the racetrack. Both officials and fans were shocked to see him alive. Neves rode mounts on the next day’s program.
How would you feel if you were there when Ralph Neves was pronounced dead. Then a friend of yours said he was down at the track racing again. Would you have your doubts? I would.
I would say, wait a minute, I was there when the doctors announced he was dead, not one doctor, not two doctors, but three different doctors. They agreed Ralph was dead. How could he be riding a horse today?
That is how people reacted to the news that Jesus was alive.
Can you blame them?
No one expect Jesus to came back to life. That was the last thing they expected.
Let’s look at the text that Howard read for us.
Mary’s Great Discovery
Mary’s Great Discovery
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
We discover Mary coming to the tomb of Jesus.
Who was Mary? First we know that she was from the village of Magdale.
When did she come there?
First day of the Week.
That is why we worship on Sunday and not on Saturday. Jesus rose on the first day of the week.
She also came while is was still dark. Romans divided the night into watches. The last watch was from 3-6 am.
That is early. Mary showed her devotion to Jesus by coming while early in the morning. This was as some as she could come to the tomb by law.
She saw the stone had been taken away.
Imagine a three ton stone that had been removed. But Mary does not seem to be impressed. I would be asking how did the stone move? Who moved it?
I believe that this should end one of the supposed argument about Jesus Resurrection.
Who could move a three ton, 6000 lb stone, while avoiding Roman soldiers who are defending that stone with their lives?
What does she do next? She wants to see Jesus.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.
So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.
Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,
and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;
for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Then the disciples went back to their homes.