ALIVE: Easter Sunday Sermon

ALLELUIA

CHRIST HAS RISEN!

ALLELUIA

CHRIST HAS RISEN!

ALLELUIA

CHRIST HAS RISEN!

(pause)

Let THIS

BE

PROCLAIMED,

Unabashedly

For all to hear

(pause)

This may be for some

Just going through a ritual

Each year,

Celebrating Easter

With seemingly no resolve

Rhyme

Or Reason

Of the WHYS

We gather today.

(pause)

This may not resound for some,

Because it seems that

We are pushed daily

Back further into the tomb

By a collective humanity;

Further away

From the Light and Love of the Creator

Further away from Christ’s voice

Calling to us,

To

RISE UP

Further from Christ’s commandment

To Love one another,

For us to shoulder that responsibility

And Stewardship

Over one another’s lives

Further from the Holy Spirit

Who refuses to give up,

Setting fire

To our own dry bones

Turning us towards

Unity

Advocacy

And

Peace

(pause)

This may be for some,

A crossroads in their spiritual journey

A moment when they are

Questing,

Praying

For

A Holy miracle

A moment when Jesus Himself stands before them

Saying,

“Do Not be afraid”

That moment

When they can freely weep,

Knowing finally

It will be alright.

(pause)

This witnessing

Of the women,

What lesson can be learned

Watching these women

Who were not afraid to be at the tomb

A place that we as humanity equate with finality

A place of death,

And silence

(pause)

But they were not afraid!

They came

Having been in the presence of Jesus

They came

Knowing the power that Jesus held

In His hands

Knowing who He was

Waiting

For

A

RESURRECTION

TRANSFORMATION

That would change their identity

But not WHO they were

Beloved,

Because

Of

God!

(pause)

WOMEN!

So often women’s role

In faith communities

Is diminished,

But,

It was the WOMEN

Who came

UNAFRAID

To the Tomb!

WOMEN,

Who encountered

The RISEN CHRIST

WOMEN

Who are the ones

Dancing in the streets

Of Haiti

Of Somalia

Of South Africa

WOMEN

Who are the ones

Marching in the streets

Of Ferguson

Of Flint

WOMEN

Even in the midst of destruction

Because the Holy Spirit

Sets them aflame

To run

And tell

To Prophesy

And

Proclaim

To everyone

To never back down

(pause)

WOMEN,

Who ran in the streets

Shouting

Proclaiming

HE HAS RISEN!

(pause)

Can we join these women

In the midst of their dancing

Praising

The Creator God?

Can we join these women,

Rejoicing at a new day

Among the ruins of the tomb

Among the chaos of the slums,

And people long forgotten

Among the wastelands

Of Creation

That humanity has trashed,

And taken so much

(pause)

We should be REJOICING

Because today,

Someone needs to hear

The Good News of the Resurrection,

It’s not just about

The promise of eternal life

The Good News is being experienced

HERE AND NOW!

Why?

People bombarded with hatred

Pain

Illnesses

People worried,

Clinging to their beds

Because of burdens of bills

And financial struggles

People frightened,

Hiding in their homes

Trying to block out

All the escalating violence

And talk of war,

NEED TO HEAR

The GOOD NEWS

Of

EASTER!

JESUS,

Our RISEN SAVIOR AND LORD

Says,

DO NOT BE AFRAID!

(pause)

We are reminded,

Even in the midst of these days,

With how humanity has forgotten

To care for the lives of those,

That we have been called and commanded

By Jesus,

To Love one another,

Just as HE loves us,

PERIOD.

Because the Good News is

The Creator God

REFUSES

To give up on US

Regardless even when humanity,

Attempts to twist

Manipulate

The promises

That God gives to us

In a vain attempt

To shame who we are,

Our sacred bodies

Belittle our spirits

Or

Label us nothing more than lepers

God’s LOVE for us

CAN

NEVER

EVER

BE

SHATTERED.

NEVER!

(pause)

So I can come,

We can come

As Children of God

Join these women

Who welcome in this NEW DAY

Who embrace and humble themselves

Before Jesus Christ,

WHO HAS RISEN

Who follow She,

The Holy Spirit

In witnessing

Testifying

That

NO HUMAN

HAS ANY POWER

OVER ANY OF US!

(pause)

That the Creator

Has given us

Purpose in our lives

To turn over the tables

To fight for one another

To work towards LIBERATION

And that the Creator walks with US

Will never forget about US

And continues to TRANSFORM US

EMPOWERING US

To break the bonds of injustice,

To undo the weight of burdens

From our sisters and brothers in Christ,

In Faith

To liberate the oppressed

And to break every chain,

Just as Jesus broke the chains

Of death

As the end

Forever,

And Ever!

Thanks be to GOD