Sermon: "Christ Has Risen"

Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it. [John 20:25b]

I have to say that I find the resurrection difficult to preach about - this is not because I don’t believe it - I do! But it is difficult because it is so “fantastic” in all senses of the word.

The cross is, in this sense, easier to preach about because suffering and death are things that we can relate to - they are literally all around us - they are part and parcel of our existence - we know them to be true - we experience them ourselves.

But how often do we see people rising from the dead?  

If you have taken part in an Apha Course and watched the video where Nicky Gumbel, in his own polished style explains the basic truths of the Christian faith, you may recall that he quotes a professor of history as saying that the resurrection is the “best attested fact in history”. I have to say that I am always a little puzzled by this statement because it seems to me that the resurrection cannot be a provable fact in the same way as, say, William the Conqueror winning the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Of course, you don’t have to believe that this particular fact of history is true (I am sure there are some who would contest it!) - but whether you do or not is probably not going to make a great deal of difference to your life.

On the other hand, believing that Jesus is risen from the dead is going to make a difference to your life. In fact it is going to change it. The significance of Easter lies in the question: What difference does the resurrection make to me?

The resurrection is not so much about fact because how is it possible to prove conclusively that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead? After all, from our Gospel today, Thomas didn’t believe it to start with even with the evidence of the empty tomb! For Thomas “seeing was believing”. Thomas was, of course, privileged to have this unique experience of being able to see and touch Jesus risen from the dead. But, even for us who “have not seen and yet believe”, the key to resurrection faith can only be a personal experience of the Risen Christ.

When we consider the Gospel accounts - finding the tomb empty merely led to confusion and bewilderment. It was only meeting the Risen Christ that could lead to understanding and joy. 

Thomas, for example, was thinking back to Good Friday - he knew for certain that Jesus his friend and teacher whom he loved had died on the cross. He was a realistic man - he knew it to be true. The cross is the supreme symbol of suffering love. But, on its own it stands as a symbol of hopelessness - a sign of death and despair.

This is a criticism of many modern portrayals of Jesus – for example, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Jesus Christ Superstar, the TV drama Jesus of Nazareth and the gruesome Mel Gibson film The Passion of Christ – in all of these somehow the story told never seems to be complete. We are left with the image of a good man who died unjustly. This, of course, is true as the human story of Jesus.

Being humans we have difficulty in completing what is God’s story. When the tomb was found empty - there was confusion and bewilderment but the faintest spark of hope.

Just as we thought everything was despair God surprises us – as a beautiful Easter hymn puts it “Love has come again, like wood that springeth green”. From our human perspective the story seems to end - but God has other plans - his ending is far more wonderful and glorious because nothing can overcome his love.  

So in one hand we have the cross as a symbol of love and in the other the empty tomb as a symbol of hope. The thing that joins them together is faith. Faith begins in daring to believe in the possibility that Jesus rose from the dead. What enables faith to grow and mature is experience - personal experience of the Risen Christ.

All of the eye-witness reports were based on personal experience - generally occurring as part and parcel of the most ordinary things of daily living. Mary in shock and grief crying in the garden encountered the Risen Christ; Cleopas and another disciple walking together on the road discussing Jesus described how their hearts burned within them as the Risen Christ opened their eyes to his presence and they recognised him in the breaking of bread; the disciples were gathered together praying and Jesus appeared to them; and when they were out going about their daily business of fishing they experienced Jesus presence with them especially as they shared a meal together.

The experience of the Risen Christ changed them - and they were changed in ways that were particular to their own needs and situation.

Thomas the doubter was brought to faith through experiencing the Risen Christ.

Peter- racked with feelings of guilt because of his denial of his friendship of Jesus on the night he was betrayed - found forgiveness and reconciliation through experiencing the Risen Christ.

Mary grieving in despair found hope through experiencing the Risen Christ.

The two disciples walking together - not knowing what the future would now hold for them - found direction and meaning for their lives through experiencing the Risen Christ as their companion.

 We can see the difference the resurrection made to these first companions of Jesus and we can celebrate in recognising how their lives were transformed. But the heart of the matter is what difference does the resurrection make to me?

I am reminded of a Salvation Army Song which speaks so well of this personal experience of Resurrection faith: 

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me, he talks with me along life’s happy way.

He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart.

I tell you how I know he lives – he lives within my heart.

This song speaks of the joy of personal faith. But personal faith demands us to consider an equally important question – can others see in me the difference that having faith in the resurrection makes to the way I live my life and the way I treat those around me?

You see, Thomas the realist, was actually right all along – “seeing is believing”. If people can see something of the Risen Christ in us – because as the song affirms Christ lives within our hearts - then they are much more likely to want to experience resurrection faith for themselves. As people of faith we are called to live Christ’s Risen life – to be kind, gracious, welcoming, compassionate, honest, faithful, hopeful, loving. Let us, following the example of Thomas and those first eye-witnesses, strive to live out the faith we profess with the Risen Christ as our constant companion and guide that those around us may “see” and so come to “believe”.

Preached by: Reverend Huw Butler at Llanbedr Parish Church on Sunday,15th April 2007