Sermon for Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is Here
By The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer -
I met Tony Campolo around 20 or more years ago when he spoke at an event I was planning. Campolo is a well-known Baptist preacher and, when we met, he who told me he likes Lutherans. Recently, now well into his 80’s, Campolo suffered a stroke from which I have read he is recovering.
This is one of Tony’s favorite stories.
The story goes like this: Tony Campolo was invited back to his home church for a Good Friday service. Since this was a Baptist Church, the service was scheduled to have seven preachers, all back to back. A little like our Good Friday community service but with longer and louder sermons. And lots of congregation participation, typical in the Baptist tradition.
Campolo took his turn. His sermon was very well received. Campolo basked in all of the hallelujahs and cries of joy. He was on such a high as he finished. “There is just not much more that anyone could say,” he thought to himself.
Then, the elderly pastor of the congregation took his turn at preaching. He started softly, slowly, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” He kept saying the same phrase, over and over, louder and louder, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” One of the deacons in the congregation yelled, “Preach brother, preach!” That was all the encouragement he needed. The elderly pastor came on louder as he said, “It was Friday and Mary was crying her eyes out. The disciples were running in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd.
But that was Friday and Sunday’s coming!”
By now, people in the congregation were beginning to shout along with the preacher, picking up his message. Women were waving their hands in the air and calling out, “Well, well!” Some men stood up yelling, “Keep going. Keep preaching.”
So, you guessed it, the elderly pastor just kept going. He picked up the volume a bit more. “It’s Friday. The cynics were looking at the world and saying, “All things have been, so they shall be. You can’t change anything in this world, you can’t change anything.” But, the preacher said, those cynics didn’t know that it was only Friday! And Sunday’s coming!”
The pastor grew more forceful as he went along. “It was Friday and on Friday Pilate thought he had washed his hands of a lot of trouble. The Pharisees were struttin’ around, laughing and pokin’ each other in the ribs. They thought they were back in charge of things, but they didn’t know it was only Friday! And Sunday’s coming!”
The pastor kept working that one phrase until he could not do it any longer, until the congregation couldn’t stand it any longer. At the end, he just yelled, “IT’S FRIDAY!” and all 500 people gathered for worship that day rose and yelled back with one accord, “BUT SUNDAY’S COMING!”
Sunday’s coming. And now, that Sunday’s here. Easter Sunday.
It was very early on a Sunday morning. The sabbath day was over. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Solome were heading to Jesus’ tomb, Jesus’ grave. They wanted to anoint Jesus’ body with some spices – he’d been dead for more than two days and his body would certainly not be smelling very good. And it was so beaten up by the crucifixion.
So, just after sunrise, these three women headed to Jesus’ tomb. As they walked the women wondered how they would get into Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body since they had been told that the Roman soldiers had sealed it with a large stone. However, as they got closer they could see that the stone was already rolled away, that the tomb was open. Surprised, the three women entered the tomb. Jesus’ body was not there. Instead, a young man in a white robe greeted them. “Do not be alarmed,” the young man said, “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He is not here.” The young man showed the women the place where Jesus had been laid. There probably was still blood all over the place, but no body. The young man continued, “Go, tell the disciples that Jesus is risen. Tell them that Jesus is already ahead of them in Galilee. There you will see Jesus. Just as Jesus told you.”
It was just as Jesus had told them it would be.
Good Friday happened. That is a fact. Jesus was killed, beaten and executed in public. But that was not the end of the story, for Jesus or for you and me. It was Friday, but Sunday was coming.
And now Sunday is here, for Jesus and for you and me. Salvation for humankind. Today. Here. Now.
We all have our personal Good Fridays. Thank God they are not as brutal as Jesus’ was that first Good Friday, but they can still be terrible and even life-threatening. But, even on those Fridays, even on the worst days of our lives, as Christians, we know that Sunday’s coming.
This year we cannot say it together in one place, but we can all still say it together - “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.”
It is Easter Sunday – Sunday is here. Salvation is here. Eternal life is here. Today. Every day. For you and me.
Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Hallelujah!
Amen.
The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer
Senior Pastor - Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
Santa Monica, California
Sermon for:
April 4, 2021
