Text:  John 20:18-20<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost every\nEaster, we focus on the tomb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We focus on\nthe women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spend all\nof our time and attention on that glorious moment when they discover the tomb\nis empty and Jesus is alive and they have a story to tell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this\nmorning, I want to focus on the rest of the disciples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As my\nfriend, Rev. Allison Lanza, reminded me a few weeks ago, the rest of the\ndisciples were not at the tomb.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were\nnot in the garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were\nnot taking risks and bringing oils to honor the body of their Lord. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Rev.\nLanza wrote, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn the very\nfirst Easter the disciples were locked in their house.  It was dangerous for them to come out\u2026 They\nwere living in a time of such despair and such fear.  If they left their homes their lives and the\nlives of their loved ones might be at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only a few\nof us are able to gather here at this empty church to lead worship for this\nmorning\u2026 just like only a few ever gathered to witness the empty tomb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rest of\nthe disciples\u2026 the rest of the church\u2026 the rest of the faithful\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, you\nare home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are home\nwhere you are safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are home\nwhere you are doing everything you can to protect your loved ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are home\nbecause it is dangerous not just for ourselves, but for our vulnerable\nneighbors as well, to go out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not\nirrational fear keeping you home\u2026 but very real concerns and worries and\nsensible measures that we need to take to care for one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year,\nwe may not be dressed up in fancy clothes and crowding into the pews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of our\nbiggest disappointments might be missing out on that beautiful and delicious\nEaster Breakfast put on by VIM.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We aren\u2019t\nwatching the kiddos squeal and run past each other finding eggs and crashing\nafter eating all the candy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But maybe\nwhat we are experiencing this year is a glimpse into what that very first\nEaster was like for those who followed Jesus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t\nabout candy or food or clothes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a\ngroup of people who were grieving and lonely and scared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were\nheartbroken and frustrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything\nthey had planned and all of the possibility vanished on the cross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were\ndesperate for a glimmer of hope, a hint of good news, a ray of possibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t\nhave to imagine what that was like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\nliving it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have\nloved ones who have tested positive for Covid-19 and you are worried about them\nand unable to go visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\nlonging for connection and know you shouldn\u2019t risk it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\ngrieving people in our lives that we have lost but have been unable to go and\nproperly mourn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the\nplans that we had for this spring\u2026 concerts, games, graduation, weddings\u2026 heck,\neven simply barbeques or camping trips or playdates\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the blink\nof an eye it was gone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Postponed\nindefinitely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\ndesperate for a glimmer of hope, a hint of good news, a ray of possibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have to be\nhonest\u2026 somewhere early in the midst of this crisis, I suggested that we\npostpone Easter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just\ncouldn\u2019t wrap my head around Easter with the church filled up with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I couldn\u2019t\nimagine laughing and singing and praising God and shouting CHRIST IS RISEN\u2026\nwithout having all of you shouting it back to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Easter\nis technically a moving holiday\u2026 we celebrate it on the first Sunday after the\nfirst full moon after the Spring Equinox\u2026 which is another way of saying, it\ndoesn\u2019t matter what day it is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I got\nthis idea that we should just wait and sit in Lent for a little while longer\nand postpone Easter until that Sunday when all of us could gather and hug and\nsing and shout and stuff our faces with food. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then I\nrealized\u2026 this was not going to be a delay of a week or two.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And maybe\nmore than ever we need a glimmer of hope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need a\nhint of good news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need to\nsee that ray of possibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter\nwasn\u2019t cancelled or postponed or forgotten because the disciples were huddled\ntogether, shut behind locked doors, closed off to the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter\nwasn\u2019t limited to the few people who were able to gather at the empty church\u2026 I\nmean tomb\u2026 on that morning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter\nwasn\u2019t simply a rumor or a story told by others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you know\nwhat, that first Easter wasn\u2019t even something the disciples had to risk their\nown lives to go out and experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, John\ntells us in his gospel account that even there amid the apprehension and\nuncertainty and fear, the miracle of Easter showed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nresurrected Jesus somehow slipped passed those dead bolts and latches and stood\namong them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right where\nthey were. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the\nsafety of their homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God-with-us\u2026\nImmanuel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Easter\nSunday, there were a few who were called to go out and proclaim the story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some\nways,  I resonate with Mary, tasked with\nbringing the news from the empty tomb to share it with all of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not\neveryone could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone\nwas safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter was\nfor them, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know\nwhat your Easter will be like this year, but here is one thing for which I am\ncertain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God is with\nyou.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord of\nLife is with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hope of\nthe World is in your midst. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when he\nshowed up with those first disciples in their homes, the first words he uttered\nacknowledge their\u2026 our\u2026 difficult reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeace be\nwith you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t\nscold them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t\nopen the doors and push them out into the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus offers\na word of reassurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He simply\noffers peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace unlike\nany else that the world gives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A breath of\nthe spirit that reminded them of the words spoken just days earlier as they\ngathered around the table in the upper room. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cdo not Let\nyour hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.\u201d (John 14:27 NRSV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the\nworld you have distress.  But be\nencouraged!  I have conquered the world.\u201d\n(John 16:33 CEB)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We sometimes\nthink about peace as a calm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or as the\nabsence of war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the\nHebrew use of peace was an all-encompassing word of complete and total\nwell-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It meant\nsalvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It meant\nbeing \u201cuninjured and safe, whole and sound.\u201d [1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus stands\nin their midst, wounds still visible, and yet he reassures them that all is\nwhole and well and that his earthly work among them is complete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is our\npeace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is our\nshalom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through him,\nwe are restored to God\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\nrestored to one another\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we are\nsent forth to restore the world\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My prayer\nfor you, today, is that that same peace would show up in your homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That the\nEaster blessing of peace might find you wherever you are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I pray that\nin spite of everything, you might be able to breathe in that gift of\npeace.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apostle\nPaul knew a little something about being under house arrest, imprisoned, unable\nto go out and visit and care for those whom he had grown to love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even in\na prison cell, the peace of Christ was with him.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so his\nwords to the people of Philippi, I share now with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

^{4 <\/sup><\/strong>Rejoice[<\/sup>c<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup> in\nthe Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.[<\/sup>d<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup> 5 <\/sup><\/strong>Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is\nnear. 6 <\/sup><\/strong>Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and\nsupplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 <\/sup><\/strong>And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will\nguard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n}

Wherever you are this morning, friends, let that\nEaster gift of blessed peace fill your lives. \n\nAmen.  \n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n