The Rolling Stone
Matthew 28:1-10
One morning, while out driving here in Littleton, I turned onto a residential street and came upon a frying pan that was lying smack dab in the middle of the road. This particular street was one of those newer developments, with large houses evenly spaced apart and all set back the same distance from the street. The lawns, while still frozen at this time of year, appeared to be immaculate and I often found myself thinking that it was such an orderly and calm neighborhood. It was a surprise to see the frying pan – just resting there. As I slowed down to maneuver my car around it, I got a good look at it. It was your typical 12” frying pan, maybe stainless steel with some kind of Teflon bottom, which was very beat up and had a very large dent on one side. It was also pretty disgusting - as it covered with dirt and gravel and was wet from the elements from this long winter.
It’s a curious thing – to see a frying pan in the middle of the road here in town and it was actually still there a week later, although somehow it had been moved to the side of the road. Therefore it got the best of my imagination and I tried to figure out how the dirty, stainless steel frying pan received the dent and was left in the middle of the road.
First I imagined that behind the doors of one of those stately houses – was a husband and wife who had a fight and the argument got very heated and out of control! Now what could they have been arguing about that got them into such a heated argument? Maybe they argued over money – about their bills – or about the cost of heating their house or of filling up their cars? Or maybe they were discussing politics and the Presidential election – or maybe they had a fight about their relationship? And the wife – I imagine - probably dressed in a blue, fuzzy robe with matching slippers and with pink curlers in her hair – grabbed the frying pan, chased her husband out of the house, down the street and was so angry that she wacked him over the head with such force – that it made the dent in the frying pan now lying in the middle of the road.
Or maybe it was really an intruder – that had tried to break into the house and was confronted by the family dog – a ferocious 35 pound Jack Russell Terrier by the name of Killer – and the man of the house grabbed the frying pan and they, the man and the dog, chased the intruder down the street and the dog grabbed the intruder by the heal and the man hit the intruder over the head with such force – that it made the dent in the frying pan that was now lying in the middle of the road.
Or maybe someone in the one of the houses – was trying to learn how to cook – and she had tried to cook and serve to her family – over and over again an endless variety of egg dishes.
Eggs Florentine
Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce
Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon and Spinach
Scrambled Eggs with avocado and caviar
And the family just got tired of it – so behind her back they threw the frying pan into the trash – and on the way out of the neighborhood – it fell out of the trash truck with such force - that it made the dent in the frying pan that was now lying in the middle of the road.
Or maybe some children were using it out in the snow and they used it as a sled (mused my husband) since it was Teflon coated and it would slide easily, or they were making a snowman and needed for a prop (suggested by Chris Raine) and they forgot it and somehow it made it to the street – where it was hit by a snow plow with such force – that it made the dent in the frying pan that was now lying in the middle of the road.
There must have been some true story behind this frying pan, but we weren’t there and we can only imagine these stories which might explain the force that made the dent and how it came to be laying on the street. It was evident that the dent in the stainless steel was made by some unknown net force.
Isaac Newton’s law of motion tells us about net forces. Newton said that in order for an object to be moved – it must be met with a net force equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. He also says that any object will just remain in its place or as is - happy or stuck or satisfied to stay as it is (which is referred to as inertia) unless it is met with a net force –which can be a combination of powerful things.
The force of the water and the wind together were the net force that completely destroyed the houses, trees and roads during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The pleasant sound that comes from a set of wind chimes hanging in your yard comes from a net force which is the speed and direction of the wind upon the middle clapper – which then strikes the outside set of tuned rods.
A net force caused the dent in the frying pan. On Easter morning – some kind of net force caused the stone to be rolled away from in front of the tomb. That net force was a tremendous, powerful, life changing, world altering force – and it is why we are here this morning – to celebrate the fact that that stone was rolled away - in order for us to see inside and see that the power of God triumphed over the power of death. This net force is something to be reckoned with and something we should joyfully include in our lives.
This net force is the power and the joy of God the Creator, Christ the Redeemer and the sustaining presence of the Holy Spirit.
We heard this morning the resurrection account from the Gospel according to Matthew.
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it” I love the imagine of the angel just sitting there on top of the stone. And this angel and the earthquake must have been quite a sight – bright and as white as snow – a series of events that were so shocking that the guards started shaking and then they fainted.
The women, however, did not.
The woman were afraid, but went inside at the invitation of the angel, still sitting on the stone, to see that it was empty. This boulder was rolled away so that the women could see that it was empty. The stone wasn’t rolled away to let Jesus out – because He was already gone. The stone was rolled away so that we might all see the power of the resurrection. The rolling of the stone – was the beginning of the telling of the Good News and the witnessing to the power of God. The women are then directed to tell others and they leave “afraid yet filled with joy.” They had witnessed an amazing display of the force and power of God. Imagine what it was like to have stood at the foot of the cross – and witnessed the crucifixion of their beloved teacher and friend Jesus – and then come out in the morning and witnessed this change of events. It is an amazing display of a tremendous net force –the power of God is something beyond our imagination and our explanation. William Willamon says “you can’t explain it. You witness it.”
“You can’t explain it. You witness it.”
The women were right to be filled with fear and awe. God the Creator is a powerful God – which we forget at times when we think we have God all figured out and placed carefully in our own comfortable little boxes. But that power is something we can rely on in tough times. Matthew reports that the women were also filled with joy. This is a joyous time – when we understand the message of salvation and discipleship. The women run to tell the disciples, on their way they meet the resurrected Christ, they fall down, grasp his feet and worship him. Jesus reassures them by saying “do not be afraid” and sends them out to go and tell the others. The women become the first witnesses to the resurrection – which is a demonstration that death is not the final world.
We are a resurrection people – this is something we believe and why we are here this morning. We are here to share how Jesus makes a difference in our lives – how he helps us, comforts us, holds us, teaches us, inspires us and gives us courage in tough times. It’s not about church - it’s about having this incredible presence in your life - a net force which brings you a peace that passes understanding and often explanation.
The two Mary’s, as well as his disciples and the early believers became powerful witnesses to something they saw and believed in on this morning on a hill so long ago. They experienced fear and joy –but also a huge measure of strength and conviction that they were right because they all gave their lives for that belief. Their life and their death – give witness to the resurrection.
Throughout the centuries millions of people have believed and invited Jesus to accompany them on their life journey – their stories give witness to the power of the resurrection. And there are people here today – who also would share stories about how life was hard and how they relied on their faith in Christ to get them through it.
And let’s be honest – these are tough times. Bills are hard to pay. The cost of heating your house, filling up your car, paying your taxes as well as the cost of food are only headed up – while the take home pay on your check - is only going down. That imaginary argument behind closed door – isn’t always just in our heads. Tears of fear flow easily – while depression and anxiety bubbly up on our insides and make us ill –but the Good News is that Jesus came for times like this. And we are witnesses to the power and hope of the resurrection and the belief that faith can and will carry you through it.
This morning at the sunrise service Cherie Trout shared a story of a net force which was present in her life at a difficult time – which became a holy time. God and the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit were present with her and the other nurses on her shift, when a 14 year old severely physically challenged girl passed away in their arms. Cherie shared the assurance she knew – knew was from God – at that moment of death and then new life for that young girl. Cherie was a witness to the resurrection.
We need to share more often our stories of hope and strength. Our moments of courage and resilience –where we dug deep inside ourselves and prayed “Lord I can do all things through you who has given me strength” and share those stories - because there are many others who need to hear that Good News and find hope for their lives.
And as you go forth on this Easter Sunday to enjoy your egg Benedict, eggs with champagne and avocado, hard boiled eggs or maybe even green eggs and ham - may we all share our stories more honestly with one another and be a witness to this life changing powerful net force – the redeeming love of God that we see this morning in the empty tomb.
Let us live as resurrection people….
For Christ is Risen
Christ is Risen indeed!
Amen
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