Embedded Files
. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
ABC Sunday of the resurrection
Uhde, Fritz von, 1848-1911. Woman, Why Weepest Thou?, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, downloaded 20220405.
Paul Grandlund, "Resurrection". One of the editor's favorite depictions of the resurrection. Read more about Grandlund's work on his Wikipedia page.
Introduction
Introduction
Yes, Victory is ours. The Christ who loves us is not in the tomb, but is alive. It was a difficult time for us, and perhaps it's still a bit difficult to believe. You can't deny an empty tomb. Even so, notice that this is the present tense—Christ IS alive. Not "was" or "will be" but IS. I encourage you to look and see Christ all around you—He is there! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Comments welcome.
John 20:1-18
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
From sermon4kids.com: “You and I have reason to be happy today. We’re happy because we know that Jesus rose from the grave and that He lives forever. But we’re also happy because we know that the Bible tells us that "Whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life." Now that is something to be happy about, isn't it? ”
Scripture: April 20, 2025—The Sunday of the Resurrection—Acts 10:34-43 (image); Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (image); 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 (image); and John 20:1-18 (image). In Year A, the gospel may be Matthew 28:1-10; in Year B Mark 16:1-8; and in Year C Luke 24:1-10.
Collect: O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection: When Mary Magdalene first saw the resurrected Jesus, she did not recognize him, even though she knew the tomb was empty. Have you ever experienced the presence of the risen Christ, even when you were not expecting him? Are there times you have been in the presence of the risen Christ but have not recognized him? How would you know?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 1 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press)
Your video/audio journey.
Images enhancing
the scripture
"Resurrection" by Peter Koenig
"Flame resurrection" by Peter Koenig
"Mary meets Jesus" by Peter Koenig
“Resurrection” by Paul T. Granlund
“Women at the tomb”, unknown artist from Ottomon empire
"Noli me tangere [touch me not]", (1525) by Antonio da Correggio
"Three women" by Romare Bearden
“Easter morning” by James B Janknegt (scroll down)
Music founded
in the scripture
“On eagle's wings” by Michael Joncas
“Jubilate deo“ from Taize
“This is the day“, a happy song - listen and sing along
Other voices
about the scripture
"Who's afraid of an empty tomb?"by David Lose, "Maybe that’s why we’ve domesticated the empty tomb, why we’ve become almost numb to the word 'resurrection.'"
"Go and tell everyone" by John C Holbert, "what are we now to do with the Monday that is sure to come?"
“Deeper magic before the dawn of time” by Daniel B. Clendenin, "And when Aslan rises, the ancient stone altar on which the sacrifice was offered cracks and crumbles in pieces, never to be used again."
Movies representing some part of the scripture
"Salt of the earth" (1954, not rated), about Latino miners, Review
“Tree of Life” (2011, PG-13), story of creation versus story of one family, Review
For families: Study guide & activities (former guide); group activities; Snacks; Kid video
For children: See family activities above (another activity); Bulletin; coffee filter butterfly.
For middlers: See family activities above (another activity); Bulletin; tissue paper butterfly.
For youth: Our long (3-day) wait is over and we have seen the empty tomb. This is such a difficult thing to wrap our heads around. Our sadness has been so profound that it's hard to make ourselves believe that Christ is alive! But he is alive! Notice the verb tense—present tense, here today. Take time to see Christ alive all around you on his glorious resurrection day. Comments welcome.
Coloring pages: John, another John, Still John, He is risen
The walls of death are not strong enough to prevail against the power of God. Almost birdlike, the figure (see image on left) is breaking free of earth's gravity, no longer under the sway of ordinary time and space. This is the power of resurrection. The somber, contemplative emphasis of Lent culminated in the deepening gloom after the crucifixion and entombment of Jesus. Then so silently it came, Easter morn bathed in the soft light of dawn. Death could not contain him. Love incarnate is the victory, and history is forever changed because of God's gift through the Savior.
The liturgical color for the Easter season is celebratory white, and this mood permeates not only Easter Day but is part of the fifty days of Easter, culminating in the triumph of Pentecost. A quiet dawn issues into the great jubilation of Easter morning worship. The lectionary readings marking the continuing weeks of Easter initially possess a quieter pace of dawning. The followers of Jesus at first do not recognize him, or they require proof of this incredible event. They begin with a more gradual realization. The scripture readings of the season challenge Christians to live in a new and changed reality. This reality finally becomes the startling realization of the presence of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
From Imaging the Word: An Arts and Lectionary Resource. Copyright © 1996 by United Church Press, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, page 183.
Today the Church completes its three great days of celebrating redemption. Since Maundy Thursday, we have been involved in an extended liturgy which will be brought to its conclusion today.
This is the celebration of the Passover of Christ from death to life. It is also the celebration of our own Passover in Holy Baptism in which “we were buried with Christ in his death and raised with him.”
The first reading is Isaiah’s vision of the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom, when all of humanity gathers on God’s holy mountain in festivity as death is destroyed and the richness of eternal life is revealed. The second reading from Acts is the first in a sequence we will hear throughout this season describing the joy of the resurrection as it was experienced in the first days of the Church. Today we hear a portion of the sermon Peter preached to the first Gentiles to be baptized.
The women come to the tomb and find it empty. Then two men appear and tell them that Jesus has risen, just as he had told them he would.
As we rejoice in our new life in the risen Christ on this day, he comes among us and is made known to us in the breaking of the bread. We, like the women at the tomb and like Peter and the others, are sent forth to tell the world of his resurrection.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2009 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York
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