Dunbar United Church of Christ - April 4, 2010

I. Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was the gardener -- she thought he was the grave-digger. Isn’t it strange how after Jesus was resurrected, people who knew him before he died didn’t recognize him. His appearance changed -- and then -- he had to do something to the people before they knew it was him. Jesus has to open our eyes before we see him. But we don’t see him with our physical eyes. Something has to happen in our heart -- something has to happen to us spiritually. Because only the eyes of the soul see Jesus.

II. That’s why our religion makes such a big deal of the Resurrection. The resurrection isn't about something that happens to us after we die. It’s about something that happens to us now. Our soul wakes up, and we begin to see things -- differently. Over time, our behavior changes.

When people told the apostle Paul how impressed they were with what he was doing, he said. “I can’t take credit for it. I’m not doing these things -- this kindness, this patience, this concern for people I don’t even know. It’s not me -- it’s Jesus Christ living in me.

III. That’s what the Resurrection is about -- it’s about the spirit of Jesus Christ finding a place in us, and settling in. And if we can find a way to cultivate this spirit -- it becomes stronger -- it will even push out our demons, the forces in us that make us mean and selfish.

People said to Paul -- “Wow -- dude -- it’s awesome how you just healed that man, and how kind you are.”

Paul said, “Not me! Remember when my name was Saul? I was the guy “breathing threats of murder. I was violent. But that man is dead now because I’ve been resurrected with Christ. He lives in me.”

IV. We are all dead, in some way -- not fully alive. Like Lazarus in the tomb. There’s a part in each of us that waits to be awakened. So we wait for the

Resurrection -- Christ’s spirit -- to renew our souls. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we have to be born again.

And how will we know when this happens?

We will see differently. We won’t make distinctions between people -- “Oh -- he’s black. Oh -- she’s a whore. Oh -- look at that poor, filthy homeless person. Better walk around him.” Paul said in Christ there are no more distinctions -- Greek, Jew, Muslim, friend, enemy, American, Mexican..... He said when we are raised with Christ, then we see with Christ’s eyes, and each person is our brother and sister. We discover that we’re all family here -- and we become free to love and respect every person.

That’s real freedom -- that’s the real “family values.”

In Christ, we are all family. That’s what the Resurrection means. That’s Easter.