"The Conjunction of Life"

Sermon 04.04.10
“The Conjunction of Life”

Preachers will step into pulpits on Easter Sunday in churches all around the world and try to say a new word about the ever ancient, sacred experience of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. They will talk about God's "yes" to Jesus and God's "no" to the powers that killed Jesus but failed in the end. It is clear that we can put very few spins on the story that is the foundation of our faith, but we can still find an element of surprise in the constant and consistent retelling of the single incident on which our entire hopes are pinned. And so we begin.

The account that we read from John is the passage that features Mary Magdalene. In the early morning hours she reaches the tomb and finds that the stone has been rolled away. She returns to where the disciples have been hiding in the upper room to relay the news. Peter, John and Mary make their way back down to the burial place, whereupon they enter the tomb and discover the empty linen clothes. The passage tells us that the men believed, and they return home. We do not know what they believed, to be honest, since the text indicates in verse 9 that they did not understand the scripture saying that Jesus must rise for the dead. They could have reported that the tomb was empty, that the burial wrappings were lying there, and that Jesus was nowhere to be found.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. “BUT” - this small word, this grammatical conjunction, is the key to life itself. The word but means “except for the fact”, and “not withstanding” and it is often used to express a contract between two actions. This is the essence of what John wants the reader to understand in his gospel story. Peter and the beloved disciple returned home, but Mary stayed. The contrast is between action and waiting.

Mary’s hesitation may strike us as non-productive, less proactive, and possibly timid as she stands crying beside the empty tomb. The other apostles have bustled away, leaving her behind. Her immediate response should have been to follow them, but she stayed. She experienced the emotions of the moment. She lingered with her sorrow. The others fled, but she remained.

Her reward was a vision of the risen Savior. Even though she initially perceived him as the gardener. Once again, the gospel author uses the word “but” to indicate a decision. After speaking to the angels and asking them where the body has been taken, the text tells us that “she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Another, but, another moment of hesitation, another moment of indecision. There is a time of wavering, a pause for the reality to sink in, an instant of faltering before comprehension of a miracle.

At the sound of her spoken name, Mary recognizes Jesus and becomes the first witness to the resurrected Savior. Because she stopped and stayed, even when her best instincts told her that it was useless to remain at an empty tomb. She could have chosen to return with Peter and Paul, she could have left to find the rest of Jesus’ female followers. But she remained.

In our lives, we encounter the word but in multiple situations. Many of them are negative: But if only we have arrived at the hospital on time. But when you get your act together, you are welcome to come back home. But now you are a nothing because no one loved you. These are the conjunctions of uncertainty, of fear, of failure, of dreams deferred or changed. These are the conjunctions of regret, of hopelessness and disappointment. These are the conjunctions of bitterness, envy and emotional pain. We convince ourselves over and over again that our lives would be different, but they are not because of a lack of resouces, an overwhelming sense of despair and a void that the material things of this world cannot fill. But if we had such and such, we tell one another, our lives would be complete and happy and carefree.

Mary’s story is different. But she stayed, and found what her soul was longing for. But she stayed and beheld the King of Kings. But she stayed and discovered the truth of Jesus’ promise that he would arise from the dead. The conjunction of life permeates her part of the gospel story. The doubt of the empty tomb loses its meaning as Jesus is manifested in glory. Because she but stayed.

This Easter season, let us embrace the conjunctions that define us as people of God, redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. But for the grace of God, go you and I. We have been given a Savior who loved us enough to die for us, but while we were yet sinners. But, God so loved the world that he sent his only Begotten Son that we would have hope. But, Jesus says, I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly. But I shall raise up this temple on the third day. But today you shall be with me in paradise.

Let us reaffirm that this small word has the ability to transform and empower, to change and reorder, to free us from our fears and anxieties about what is to come. Our Savior has not died, but has overcome the grave; not perished on a cross, but rose in glorious splendor; not gone from our midst, but present here in our lives this day.

May this conjunction remind you that there is always an alternative, always the prospect of a different ending, always another way to transcend the harsh realities of those things which hold us back. Jesus has come to us in the highest form as the conjunction of life and we celebrate this gift of the resurrection and give thanks for his promise of eternal possibilities for us, his children, on this Easter morn. Amen.