Tragedy, Comedy, and Love Story

April 20^th, 2014       “Tragedy, Comedy, and Love Story”    Rev. Heather Jepsen

John 20:1-18

          He has Risen!  Thanks be to God!  I love all of the gospels’ Easter narratives but I have to admit that the way John tells the story is my favorite.  John’s story is so robust and real.  Tragedy, comedy, love story; plus great characters, John has it all.  The way he tells the story brings a smile to the lips and pulls at the heart strings, and what could be better on such a day of celebration?

          Tragedy of course is where we start as the scene opens in darkness.  Jesus has been unjustly killed.  His disciples and followers have been in hiding.  They have all been keeping quiet, keeping to themselves, staying out of the light, and waiting for the Passover to finally pass over so they can go to the body.  Tragedy is what sets the stage here in the gospel of John.

          But it isn’t long until we transition into the love story which is tied to the character of Mary.  Mary loves her Lord like no other and she struggles to wait until the Passover ends.  She can hardly contain herself, and when she can’t wait any longer, she is up before the sun, headed down the lonely path to the tomb. 

          She has come to pay her final respects.  Having anointed Jesus for burial while he was still living, Mary has come to attend to his body one final time.  But, upon arrival, she sees that the stone has been moved, and her heart is filled with dread.  It was not long ago that there was talk of removing the stone at her brother, Lazarus’ grave.  But this open tomb does not prompt faith in Mary’s heart, instead it prompts fear.  Tragedy is interwoven in this love story as Mary doesn’t dream of resurrection, but instead finds herself in a nightmare.  Her beloved Lord is missing and it is obvious to her that someone with malice in their heart has taken his body.

          Mary doesn’t even enter the tomb, but runs back to the disciples to report, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb!”  And now the comedy begins.  Two wonderful characters make their appearance in Peter and the beloved disciple.  Both hear the news of the empty tomb and immediately a foot race begins.  Imagine the scene, as the two men look at each other in wonder and then take off running out the door.  John makes a point of letting us know that the two weren’t simply running to the tomb, they were racing, running with energy and vigor like younger men in better times.

          What a scene!  Imagine these two very serious grown men, two of Jesus’ greatest disciples, running like children.  I see them with their robes flying behind them, sandals threatening to come off, sweat beading on their foreheads.  Here is the beloved disciple leading the way.  He is a special character in the gospel of John and right now he is flying to the tomb as fast as he can.  And here is Peter, who ironically has spent the past few days running away from the Lord.  Watch him hot footing it down the trail in pursuit of the mystery.  One can’t help but smile upon seeing them race down the road.

          I wonder if they were expecting to find Jesus there like Lazarus had been days earlier, waiting to have his burial cloths removed.  Or perhaps they were hoping that somehow Jesus hadn’t really died.  Maybe the beloved disciple was looking for one last moment with his master.  Maybe Peter was looking for a chance to apologize.  Either way they are filled with hope and excitement as they challenge each other to see who can get to the tomb first. 

           Upon arriving they find that yes, the stone is moved.  There continues to be a sense of comrade and tom foolery in the way John relays the story, as one disciple enters after the other.  The beloved disciple has won the race and looks in, but it is Peter who is bold enough to enter the tomb first.  Sometimes I imagine the beloved disciple giving Peter a jockeying shove so Peter ends up the first man with his foot in the door.  Both find an empty tomb, and instead of Jesus wrapped in cloth like Lazarus, they find the burial garments folded and put aside. 

John tells us that the beloved disciple sees and believes, but we don’t know what it is that he believes.   The writer of the gospel says that they still have not understood that Jesus was to rise from the dead.  It appears that these two don’t hang around long before they turn and head home, perhaps at a more melancholy pace, wondering what to make of the whole scene.

          And now we are back to our love story.  We see Mary standing outside the tomb, consumed by grief.  She is lost, confused, and weeping.  The men have come and gone and still no one knows where Jesus is.  She looks into the tomb and unlike the men who have gone before her, she sees angels in the tomb.  Yet, she does not seem moved by their presence, even when they ask why she is crying.  Her response to them is the same as it was to the disciples, “They have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

          Mary turns, and sees a man she assumes to be the gardener.  And he too, asks why she is weeping and who she is looking for.  She wonders if perhaps he has moved the body and asks, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Mary’s only desire is to care for the Lord that she loves and so even though she is in the presence of angels and the risen Christ, she fails to notice them.

          Finally, Jesus ends the charade, “Mary!” he calls to her, and at that moment, her world changes.  I love the way Henri Nouwen talks about the magnitude of this moment.  He says . . .

When Jesus calls Mary by her name, he is doing much more than speaking the words by which everybody knows her, for her name signifies her whole being.  Jesus knows Mary.  He knows her story: her sin and her virtue, her fears and her love, her anguish and her hope.  He knows every part of her heart.  Nothing in her is hidden from him.  He knows her even more deeply and profoundly than she knows herself.  Therefore, when he utters her name he brings about a profound event.  Mary suddenly realizes that the one who truly knows her truly loves her.

Imagine the way that Mary’s heart swells as she hears her name.  “Teacher,” she cries out in joy as she moves to embrace her Lord.  She must have really rushed to grab hold of Jesus for he responds, “Do not hold on to me.”  He still must ascend to his Father and our Father, his God and our God.  Jesus then sends Mary to go and tell what she has seen.  He asks her to take this love story and spread it.  The one who knows us best and loves us most has risen and conquered death forever.  Apostle to the apostles, Mary is the first one to share the message that will change the whole world.

          As I said earlier, I just love the way that John tells the story.  John has it all, expertly weaving together tragedy, comedy, and love story.  I think that this is such a fabulous text because wherever we find ourselves this morning, we can find ourselves here in John’s story.

          Although we are here to celebrate resurrection, the fact is some of us here are still in the tragedy part of the story.  This is the first Easter without a beloved family member or friend and though the resurrection promise rings true, our hearts are still raw with ache.  In Mary’s tears at the empty tomb we find our place in the story.

          And some of us here are in a more comedic mood, full of the infectious joy that loving our Lord brings to our lives.  We love Easter and it brings a smile to our face.  We can’t help but crack that joke around the table and rib our neighbor a bit as our joy is contagious. 

          And of course, some of us are simply wrapped up in that great old love story.  The one who knows us more than anyone, all our good stuff and all about ourselves that we wish to hide, the one who loves us more than we can even love ourselves, today we have gathered to celebrate him.  We have come together to celebrate the risen Lord who has given us the greatest gift of love in the history of the world in his death on the cross; and the greatest miracle of love in his resurrection that first Easter morning.

          Look around, for all the wonderful characters of John’s story are here.  Some are like the beloved disciple.  They have walked a long journey with Jesus and can’t contain their joy.  They are ready to race to church on Easter Sunday, to once again find that empty tomb, to see and to believe. 

          And there are Peter’s here as well.  Those who have let the Lord down, slipped a bit on the road of faith, and are eager to race to church and find the Lord; to say their apologies, to accept forgiveness, and to start afresh on the road of life. 

          And of course, there are Mary’s here.  Those who have been touched deeply by God’s love.  Those who have come to the tomb early in the day because nothing could keep them away.  Those who come to church every Sunday, whether angels are here or not, simply because they are looking for Jesus, the one that they love.

          On this special morning, in this special place, all of us are wrapped up in the tragedy, comedy, and love story of Easter.  We have come once more to the tomb.  All of us looking to find our Lord.  All of us listening to hear our name.  All of us here because the one who loves us fully, who loves the whole of who we are, has promised to meet us here when we gather in his name. 

          This is Easter morning.  The day we set aside to celebrate empty tombs and open doors, the arrival of spring and new life, family and friends gathered together to share in the hope of resurrection.  This is the story of our faith: tragedy, comedy, and love story.  As followers of Christ we are confident that if we come seeking, the resurrected one will find us.  Jesus will call us by name, and wherever we are in the story, we will know that we are loved.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.