“There was a great earthquake"
Matthew 28:1-10
Easter 1A, March 23, 2008
A Sermon by Fr. James Haney V
I've only experienced one earthquake in my life. Luckily it was a fairly small earthquake. About 4:00 one morning I woke up with the bed shaking all around me. It was disorienting to wake up that way: the headboard and footboard rocking back and forth, the bathroom door banging against the towel rack. But after about 15 or 20 seconds, it stopped.
It was the last thing I expected, because I was not in a place generally associated with earthquakes. I have been in California, and Panama, and Italy, and Israel, all places that are seismically pretty active. Yet I never felt earthquakes there. My only earthquake was experienced in, of all places, Connecticut.
But, as I learned in my college geology classes, earthquakes can happen almost anywhere. American earthquakes are not restricted to California. In fact, the largest earthquake ever recorded in the contiguous 48 states was centered in southeast Missouri, the infamous New Madrid earthquake of 1812.
The New Madrid earthquake was so powerful that it caused church bells to ring in Boston, over a thousand miles away. The New Madrid earthquake caused the water in some parts of the Mississippi River to flow backwards, upstream. It caused other parts of the Mississippi to change course. Because of that earthquake, and because the state lines follow the old course of the river, you have geographical oddities. There are little bubbles in the state lines of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, little sections separated from the bulk of their respective states by the new course of the river. For example, little sections of Tipton County, Tennessee, were separated from the rest of their county and state. Today, you can stand on one side of the river and see another part of your county only a mile away across the river as the crow flies. But if you want to drive there, you've got an 80-mile trip on your hands, much of it through the state of Arkansas. The New Madrid earthquake changed the map forever.
Of course, that's what earthquakes do. They change things. That's why we often describe great changes as "earthshaking" or "earth-shattering." The Greek word for earthquake is "seismos," from which we get the word, "seismic." And yet, seismic has come to mean something more than just pertaining to an earthquake. We also use it to mean something that is strong, or widespread, or of a great impact. We talk about great changes in our society as seismic changes.
The word, "earthquake" or "seismos" appears only twice in the Gospels. Both times are in Matthew. One was in our Gospel reading last week from Mt ch27. One is in our Gospel this morning from Mt ch28; pp908 & 909 in the church Bibles. Matthew talks about two earthquakes, which happen during two events that are seismic, events that are earth-shattering, earthshaking in nature.
The first earthquake is mentioned in the context of Jesus' crucifixion. ch27, end of v51: At the moment of Jesus' death, the earth shakes, rocks are split. v52: Some tombs are split open. And, v54, when the Roman Centurion and his men see the earthquake, they say, "Truly this man was God's Son." This was no ordinary crucifixion. Jesus' death on Good Friday was something extraordinary, something earthshaking.
Flash ahead to Sunday morning. Matthew begins ch28 by telling us about Mary Magdalene and the other Mary coming to the tomb on Sunday morning. In the quiet stillness of a spring morning, they go to the tomb of their dead teacher to grieve in peace and solitude.
v2 "And suddenly there was a great earthquake." Literally "seismos megas," a mega-earthquake. "And suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow." So much for a quiet morning at the grave of your friend. If you start the morning with the appearance of an angel and an earthquake, you won't need coffee to get your heart going. The adrenaline will start pumping all on it's own.
And then Matthew adds, v4 "For fear of (the angel) the guards shook and became like dead men." Do you get the joke? The guards became like dead men? These were the guys who had been stationed at the tomb to keep Jesus' dead corpse in inside the tomb. They had sealed up the stone. And they were going to make sure that nothing happened to his body. And then, one mega-earthquake and one angel later, the seal is broken, the tomb is opened, and the guards are all so overcome with fear that they appear to be dead themselves. The irony is wonderful.
And think of the women. If the big burly macho guards are lying around in a dead faint in front of the angel sitting on top of the stone, the women have got be at least a little apprehensive themselves. But v5, the angel addresses them: "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."
That is earth-shattering, earthshaking news indeed.
The angel continues, v7, "Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.'" 'Tell his disciples to go and see him. Not in this empty tomb, because he is risen. But tell the disciples that he will meet them in their home territory, back in Galilee.'
That's a wonderful message to send via these women. And we get so taken by the message that we miss one astounding thing about it: two crucial words, "his disciples." Now, if we were really paying attention to Matthew, we wouldn't let that one slide by.
Disciples? What disciples? The last time Matthew mentioned disciples was on Thursday night when Jesus was arrested. He says, "Then all the disciples deserted him and fled."
Disciples? What disciples? By definition, a disciple is someone who follows a teacher. Well these guys ditched their teacher. One of them betrayed the teacher and hung himself. One of them swore that he didn't know who Jesus was. And the other 10 dropped out, turned tail, and embarked on an early and permanent spring break.
Disciples? By definition, Jesus had no disciples left. And yet, that's the word the Angel uses. What tremendous love and grace and forgiveness are implied in that word.
They dropped out. But God didn't drop them. "Go and tell Jesus' disciples that he will meet them." What a tremendous message of comfort for the women to take to those 11 men.
v8 "So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples." Notice those emotions. Fear, yes. But also great joy. Literally, mega-joy. Talk about a seismic change. Sadness and grief giving way to mega-joy.
And as if that's not enough, v9 "Suddenly Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings!'" What an amazing thing. They're heading off to do what they're told to do. And as they're doing it, Jesus comes to them. And what do they do? Middle of v9: they go to him, they take hold of his feet, and they worship him.
They hadn't worshipped him before. They had followed him. They helped him. They mourned him. But now things have switched. Their old behavior is no longer enough. The women fall at Jesus' feet. They grab onto him, they hug him as hard as they can. And they worship. They begin to treat him the same way they used to treat God himself.
And then Jesus has some instructions for them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Two wonderful things here in Jesus' words. First, "Do not be afraid." 'You had fear and great joy. Well, drop the fear. Hold on to the mega-joy.'
Second, notice what he calls the disciples. Remember, they didn't even deserve to be called disciples after the way they acted. But Jesus addresses them in a new way. He calls them by a new term: "Brothers." What amazing love and grace and forgiveness in that word. Brothers. They didn't even deserve to be his followers. And yet Jesus gives them a new status. Through his death and resurrection, they become adopted members of his family. His brothers. Children of God. Heirs of eternal life.
Matthew wants you to know that the cross is earthshaking in its importance. But the good news of Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is mega-earthshaking. It is news of mega-joy.
The New Madrid earthquake made the Mississippi River flow backwards. It made the Mississippi change its course. Jesus' resurrection reverses death, and changes the course of the entire world.
But will it change you? Will it change the course of your life? The question remains, how will you react to this news of mega-joy? Or to put it another way, who are you most like in this story?
Some of you may be like the guards. You may be operating under the assumption that God is something to insulate yourself from. You may prefer to keep Jesus cold and dead. You may do everything you can to keep that stone sealed up between you and him. Just know that God has the power to roll away that stone. Just know that God is alive and active. God has the power to shake your world. God has intervened in the world by raising Jesus from the dead. You can fall into a dead faint of indifference. But that doesn't change the reality of God's presence in the world. Ask him to roll away the stone in your heart, and he will.
Some of you may be like the disciples. Maybe you followed Jesus at some time during the past. But you haven't stuck with him. You abandoned him somewhere along the way. To you, Jesus says, "Go tell my brothers and sisters that I will meet them." The possibility for a new and deeper relationship with Jesus is always there. Through his cross, through his resurrection, he offers seismic change. He offers forgiveness. He offers his love. Open your heart to him. Seek him out. And he will find you.
Some of you may be like the women. Maybe you've followed Jesus for some time. But now, you have the opportunity to deepen your relationship with him. Maybe you've been living with fear. There are many kinds of fears in life. Fear of separation, fear of loss of control, fear of illness or injury. But they almost always boil down to one common denominator: fear of death. Hear the good news. Jesus is risen. And through his death and resurrection he has offered you eternal life. If death is factored out of the equation, there's no reason to be afraid of anything. Release your fear, and live into the joy of the new life that Jesus brings.
Or maybe you've just held Jesus at arm's length. If so, the women are a good role model. They fall at Jesus feet. They grasp him just as hard as they can. And they offer genuine and heartfelt worship.
The angel's earthshaking news of mega-joy is for you: I know you are looking for Jesus. He is not dead. He has been raised. He will meet you. Do not be afraid. Fall at his feet, embrace him, and worship him.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Rev. James P. Haney V
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Wichita
March 23, 2008
