The Resurrection of Our Lord 2023
Luke 24:5
April 9, 2023 + Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Alexandria, Virginia
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In Luke 24, the heavenly spirits ask the women caterwauling among the tombs, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” The same question is put to you: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Which is to say, ‘Why are you looking for life among things that corrupt?”
The Divine Service properly begins with the Introit – the Psalms that we sing back and forth with the Kantor. It sets the tone and theme of the day.
Normally it’s all Psalms, but today we get an announcement from heavenly beings: “He is risen! Alleluia! Why do you seek the living among the dead?” It’s a summons to trust in the resurrection of Jesus and leave your old life behind.
There’s a similar message in Isaiah, which we heard last night at the Vigil: “Come to the waters!” It’s a call to Baptism. Followed by a question. The question exposes the poverty of our priorities. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?”
You’ve doubtless had the experience of wanting something, ordering it, tracking it, waiting for it to arrive. And then it does! Excitedly you unpack it, delve into it. At last! I have my precious! Only to realize, perhaps quite soon, that you still lack something … something … an emptiness remains inside.
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
“Why do you spend your wages on that which is not bread?”
Solomon, who gained a kingdom, and renown, came to see the futility of all this vain world offers. He said, “All the labor of man is for his mouth [his appetites], And yet the soul is not satisfied” [Eccl 6:7].
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
“Why do you spend your wages on that which is not bread?”
Solomon also taught us that our loves are disordered: “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity” [Eccl 5:10]. That word vanity can also be translated meaningless. So long as we are disordered, our lives are meaningless.
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
“Why do you spend your wages on that which is not bread?”
All that is in the world ends in death. And death is final. Or rather, it was.
“Easter is about a risen body. If that isn’t true, then everything really is meaningless.”
Psalm 22 opens with Christ’s cry of dereliction from the cross: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” God the Son became man to suffer our abandonment, to enter our meaninglessness, to go into the place of the dead. His lifeless body is placed in a cold tomb. No Apple Watch, no Tesla, no oceanview villa can offer you safe haven from that. That tomb represents every human’s destiny.
By reciting the opening of Psalm 22 from the cross, our Lord Jesus invites us to read it to the end. There it says that those who turn to YHWH (“The LORD”), “all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive” [v29]. We cannot keep ourselves alive. We are going down to the dust. But did you see the move the Psalmist made? “Those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him.” Spirits can’t bow. You need a body to do that.
Easter is about a risen body. If that isn’t true, then everything really is meaningless. But the words, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”, those words were spoken to people who then saw the Lord Jesus risen in His body.
The resurrected Jesus was seen in His body by Mary Magdalene.
The resurrected Jesus was seen in His body by the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. He broke bread with them.
The resurrected Jesus was seen in His body by the Holy Apostles.
[Jesus] said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. [Lk 24.36-43]
The new human destiny is an incorruptible body. The new human destiny is to see with clear eyes; to hear with ears attuned to the Word of God and the glory of creation; to eat. Jesus is true God, and at the same time He is true man. His bodily resurrection is the beginning of the new human destiny: a renewed creation freed from corruption. The holy eucharist plants the seed of Christ’s resurrection into your body.
And now you are an Easter people, and Alleluia is your song. Away with the songs of the corrupt world! For your song is different, your life is different, your destiny is different! You are baptized. Your sins are left behind in the tomb. Today the words of Christ begin to come to pass: “Behold, I am making all things new!”
Spend no more of your time seeking life among dead things. Spend no more of your wages on that which is not bread.
For Christ is risen, and His body is the bread you need.
Christ is risen, and the clothes of death are folded and left in the tomb.
The wages of sin is death, but Christ is risen and He gives you wages you could never earn.
Christ is risen, and death is undone.
Christ is risen, and Adam and Eve are lifted up from hell.
Christ is risen, and you shall rise too.
Christ is risen, and the demons are put to flight.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
So sing and dance, ring the bells and blow the trumpet, for Jesus Christ is risen today!
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!