Easter 2008

Jeremiah 31:1-6

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 28:1-10

I have some good news and I’m not going to tell anyone about it. I’m just going to keep it for myself. I’m not going to share it with you or anyone. It’s good news. If I share it, I’m afraid you might laugh at me. Or make light of it. You might try to talk me out of it. Or you might just ignore me. I’m afraid that if I share my good news, it might just, well, disappear, loose its power.

Yup, it’s good news alright. Life-changing stuff. But I’m afraid to tell anyone about it.

Really? You know, I could use some good news this morning. Ever since we got back from our Spring Break trip, it's been DEAD around here – especially since Friday.[1] This has been the longest, coldest, greyest winter I can remember, and frankly, we're a little stir-crazy around our place. Ainsley's teething, Kristin's getting to the point in her pregnancy where she's really miserable, and let me tell you, we had NO IDEA buying a house in Ames was going to cost this much!

So, this good news – are you sure I can't convince you to share?

Nope. It’s just between me and Jesus.

You know, my brother just got some good news. Last week he had a job interview with the elementary school in our hometown. He's a teacher and he's always wanted to return to our school and work there. Well, when I called him on Sunday to ask him a completely unrelated question, he HAD to tell me his good news: he'd been offered the job for which he was interviewed; he and his family will be moving to our hometown in early August.

Now, this was great news, and we were thrilled to hear it. It's great news for us, too, because now we'll be able to see my brother and his family and my parents when we go back home. But what if he hadn't told me Sunday night? If he'd kept it to himself it wouldn't have been good news because we wouldn't be sharing in it together. And if you keep your good news between you and Jesus, don't you think the one who winds up losing out is you?

Nope. Not gonna’ do it. Not gonna’ share.

Huh. Okay. Well, here’s the thing: sometimes we NEED to hear good news, don’t we? Imagine what life would be like if no one ever shared good news – wouldn’t that be just awful?

Think about the world we live in right now. There are wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, where people we know are being killed. Some of our friends right here at home are suffering; they’re sick, they’re in a tough financial spot, they’re wondering if they’re going to be alone for the rest of their lives, and those are just the folks I know about. People hear there might be a man with a gun on campus and everyone thinks it’s going to be Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois all over again.

Here’s what it all comes down to: we’re afraid. And maybe that’s the real reason why you don’t want to share this good news, Sarah – you’re afraid. Maybe you’re afraid that it might not be so good to someone else. Maybe, like you said, you think I’ll laugh at you, or think you’re being silly, or the good news will lose its power. But maybe you’re afraid of something even more scary: maybe you’re afraid I’ll believe you. Maybe you’re afraid that your good news will change my life, too, and then your life will change because my life is changed, and who KNOWS where it will stop?

I wonder if the prophet Jeremiah ever felt like this? He thought that he couldn’t possibly be the one to share God’s good news. He said, “Oh, now, hold on, God – I’m just a kid, and I don’t know how to say this stuff you’re telling me!” But maybe Jeremiah was most afraid of people believing him when he shared his good news. Maybe Jeremiah was afraid he’d be responsible for all kinds of crazy stuff happening.

I don’t know what Jeremiah might have been afraid of, but I do know this: Jeremiah shared his good news. He told the people of Israel that even though everything they once loved had been destroyed, God wasn’t abandoning them forever. Jeremiah told the people of Israel that they were going to be like a prostitute who had magically gotten her virginity back: they’d be pure and holy and they’d be God’s people again. That’s a pretty wild claim that Jeremiah made – but he made it, even though he was afraid, and it was good news to a lot of people who needed to hear good news.

Well, Maybe I’ll share some of it…later…

What if Peter had said, “Later” when he was at Cornelius’ house and seeing the Spirit at work in Gentiles who had no business being God’s people? What if Peter hadn’t listened when Jesus said, “preach to the people and to testify that [I am] the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead?”

Yeah, but what if I get laughed at…what if you make fun of me.

Well, think about the women who went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. They thought he was dead, and when the angel told them he was raised from the dead, and that they should go tell Jesus’ disciples he was raised, they “left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy.” Even the first people who knew Jesus was raised from the dead were afraid of what it meant for their own lives. But knowing what you fear is a lot easier than being afraid of something that might never happen, isn’t it? The women were afraid of the repercussions of the resurrection, sure, but they were also filled with great joy because resurrection had happened!

Oh, alright. It is good news. I’m not afraid anymore… Oh, alright. It is good news. I’ll risk it. I’ll take a deep breath and trust those stories you told me, Scott. I’ll try not to be afraid. (Deep breath). Actually, the good new is…I’m not afraid anymore. I used to be afraid of all kinds of things. Like suffering, like death. Like taking risks in loving people.

But I heard the story that the women told, about Jesus. How they were afraid he was dead forever. How the disciples were so afraid they ran and locked themselves in a room.

But again and again in the stories we are told, “do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid. Because even the great fear, that of dying…is not a biggie. Because? Because Jesus died, and didn’t stay dead. God won’t let death be the last word. God won’t let death be the end.

And those people who ran away? Jesus came to them and says “Do not be afraid. I still love you.” And those people who taunted him? Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. I still love you.” And Peter who denied Jesus three times, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. I still love you.”

And then, that’s not all, Jesus sends them out to share the good news! To tell others who are afraid of death, of being found guilty, of taking risks…we are sent out to tell others “Do not be afraid, God still loves you.”

We are to go out, right Scott? And share this amazing story…that the tomb is empty. That all the violence and hate the world can dish out isn’t enough to make God go away and leave us alone.

How am I doing?

I can do this. I can share the good news that God has taken away my fears. I am “fearless!” with love. And now I can tell others…about my own story of overcoming fear with the help of God. And how the good news that God is bigger than death has made me able to risk living without fear!

Hey, Scott, Thanks for not laughing at my news!

You bet, Sarah – it’s not the kind of news for laughing, but for celebrating.

And Pastor Scott,

I have something to tell you! Do not be afraid.

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia! (High five)