"Who Will"

So…

How good are you at keeping a secret?

I mean, have you ever been in the situation where you have discovered some really good news, and now you are like crazily waiting to tell it to somebody - but there is nobody to tell – yet?

You have to kind of sit on all your excitement!

You have to hold in all your enthusiasm because it’s all going to be revealed tonight or tomorrow, or soon, but you know it’s happening!

It is a unique way of suffering!

It’s not fear or dread that is pulling at your emotions, but rather joy!

I’ve been listening to the planning for the “Farley Farewell” reception June 15 in the morning, and the dinner and dancing later in the day. 

I understand that the dress code for the day is tie-dyed. And I just saw in the catalogue that Sue has for the tie-dyed t-shirt sale that are tie-dyed sweatpants. Just saying!

Now you get to wait! 

You know the possibility is that things will be crazy, but there is no much you can do about it! 

It’s kind of what’s happening to these poor women who went with all good intentions to anoint Jesus body.

They, like us, want to “make a difference”!

The task wasn’t going to be pleasant or fun. But it was something that needed to be done as far as they knew.

They were worried about the stone covering the tomb, something that turned out not to matter at all.

Because they find out he isn’t there. He isn’t in the tomb. The tomb is empty and he is gone!

Crazy anticipation and then a huge let down, a wild hope and a totally confusing reality!

I mean I’m sure the possibility had crossed their minds that someone took the body, maybe even that he wasn’t really dead and walked away, although crucifixion was a rather efficient, even if nightmarish, way of executing someone.

Those who were crucified didn’t walk away! 

So, the last possibility is that, as unbelievable as it sounds, somehow – Jesus who was dead – is alive! 

Risen, as the angel said.

I don’t know if in the time of keeping a secret you have ever experienced the additional anxiety that somehow you had the information wrong, or that you were getting punked.

You know that time when someone has told you they are having a baby, and so you go shopping for onesies, and then discover that the “baby” they are having is a puppy or kitten, or maybe a tarantula. 

We have all been there!

Or your best friend tells you they are proposing to their partner and you are like “you go dude” - only to discover that the two of them are pulling a prank on you! 

And here in this story, the women at the empty tomb, even with the information the man in a white robe gave them, were in a fix. 

They came to anoint Jesus, to do what is done in the Jewish tradition for someone who has died, only to find he wasn’t there!

And now this angel has told them to go tell the disciples, and especially Peter, that he was going to meet them in Galilee!

Okay! 

This is either the worst practical joke ever, or maybe, is the best news ever!

And why Peter, you ask? 

Because Peter was in deep - angry, sad, depressed, confused, and scared!
He had denied knowing Jesus!

And his heart - of all those disciples - was at the lowest. 

So Jesus, doing what Jesus always does - and as we are all supposed to do - made sure that the one in the greatest need, got the care they need!

We shouldn’t be surprised at all that the women who left that empty tomb, were afraid. 

Afraid that they would not be believed. Afraid that somehow, they had gotten it all mixed up and backwards and wrong!

Afraid that others knew what was really going on!

And perhaps even more afraid that what they were seeing – God having raised Jesus from death – was exactly what they were seeing!

An experience, a situation that was just beyond comprehension.

This good news is exactly that!

News beyond all understanding.

And yet news that changes everything!

He is risen – risen indeed!

Amen