It is cold in the Tomb, and we are afraid. We are deeply wounded, wounded unto death and we feel alone. The stone blocks out all light and warmth. Maybe we put the stone there, maybe it has always been there. Maybe it is prejudice or pride, vanity or the love of things; maybe it is ignorance and self-absorption. The stone is familiar to us, but it gives no comfort -- it is cold and hard and seals us up.

And yet, behold, in the blink of an eye, the stone is gone! We did not move it, but nonetheless it is moved. We were cold, and now we are warmed. We were wounded, and now we are sound and whole. The Tomb, which seemed so real and dreary, is not the final answer, and a new world of light, beauty and justice beckons, and joy and mirth as deep as the world are just outside the Tomb.

Christ is risen and is among us, as true today as it was that first Easter so long ago. We are grateful to our ever-present Lord for this signal event in all Christian life. Death has no dominion, and the proof is outside our self-made Tombs. Unseal us, Lord. Roll away the Stone. Call us by name. Bring life to us and bring us to life.

We know that there will be hard times. We know that there is pain and suffering and death across the world and in our homes. Children cry for hunger, people who seek work cannot find it, nations contend and war rages. We know that we await the final victory, Christ’s triumphant return, but we also know that this victory is even now breaking into our lives. We walk the road between “already” and “not yet.” Our world is not whole, but thanks to Easter, this is not the whole world and with God’s help we can change it. The Tomb is open and a new world is there for the making.

How many of us live in tombs of our own devising, waiting for someone, something to break in, waiting for the day of our release? How many of us live in tombs of bitterness and estrangement, waiting for reconciliation? How many of us live in tombs of fear or prejudice or isolation and can’t see a way out? How many of us have lived in tombs so long that we don’t even recognize them anymore, thinking that the tomb provides the boundaries of our world?

The Easter Victory offers a new way to live, a new relationship with God and with our neighbors, new priorities, new possibilities, new horizons. As Paul tells us, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” 2 Cor. 5:17 (NRSV). Seize this moment to make a new start with something or someone important to you. Mend a relationship and make it new. Take a chance and offer forgiveness and reconciliation to someone who needs it. Build a bridge where the road was washed out. Easter was and Easter is for us.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Greg