Second Presbyterian Church

"SHHHHHH!
(A Sermon in Dialogue Form)"
April 11, 2004

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2004 » Sermons for April 2004

2004 Easter Sermon
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
• John 20: 1-18

D: SHHHH! Don't make a sound! Somebody out there might hear us and think we are in here! So, please, be very quiet! I'll try to speak as softly as possible so that I don't give your presence away to the public.

M: What are you talking about? That's so absurd; what's the problem?

D: I'll tell you the problem! People might find out that we are in here and make fun of us; they'll ridicule us!

M: Why on earth would they do that! You are not making sense!

D: Maybe it'll make more sense when I explain it to you! Why have we gathered here today?

M: To celebrate Easter; this is Easter Sunday!

D: Indeed I DO know that! That is why I'm telling you to keep your voice down! Don't talk too loudly!

M: Okay, but you are definitely not making any sense. It's Easter Sunday; why do we have to be so secretive?

D: You know and I know and all these people here know that Easter Sunday isn't about what everybody talks about this time of the year. Everybody talks about Easter eggs and bunny rabbits! Easter Sunday is NOT about Easter eggs and bunny rabbits! Everybody talks about jellybeans, or spring flowers. Easter Sunday is NOT about jellybeans, or spring flowers. Everybody comes to church in their brand new, bright, pastel spring fashions! Easter Sunday is NOT about coming to church in our brand new, bright, pastel spring fashions!

M: Of course Easter is NOT about all those things! Of course it is not about rites of spring. It's about Easter; it's about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

D: (interrupting) SHHHH! QUIET! DON'T SAY THAT!

M: Have you lost your mind?

D: (hesitates) Maybe. Sometimes I wonder. You might find some who would think so!

M: At the moment, I'm not wondering; I'm convinced that you have lost your mind!

D: Let me explain; then I hope it will make sense.

M: Okay, I can't wait to hear this! I'm all-ears.

D: You were right. The point about Easter is that Jesus was raised from the dead. He died on the cross and early on Sunday God raised Jesus back to life! And that's why I want you to speak as softly as possible!

M: Please, why must we be so secretive about this?

D: Well, here we are gathered in this building to celebrate Easter. Here we are to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. People outside, out there who might happen to walk by are going to find out! They are going to find out that we have gathered to celebrate that a dead man and has come back to life! Uh oh, when people find that out, they will laugh us off the planet! The whole idea that we, as sane people, would believe something so absurd! Here we are, normal looking people, gathered together to celebrate what we believe: Jesus rose from the dead; he is alive today! Don't you think people are going to really think we are wacky?

M: Maybe. The fact that we believe Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today and forever is something that is, well, rather unusual! Yet, we are SUPPOSED to proclaim our faith! We should shout it from the rooftops! It is up to us to be very public about our belief in Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead. You DO believe it's true, don't you?

D: Yes.

M: So, what's the real problem? If you REALLY believe that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today, then why not shout it from the rooftops! He Lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today!

D: Aren't you worried what other people think?

M: Not really, there will always be those who cannot accept the fact that Jesus Christ is alive. Does that mean I have to go around cowering about, because some people won't accept the fact that I believe in a living Jesus? I don't think so! I believe that it calls us to be open with our faith, to LIVE our faith! Who knows, maybe someone will begin to wonder why we are so joyful!

D: I feel ashamed. I shouldn't have let my fears of what other people might think take over like they did! But I do believe that I better understand why we have so much hullabaloo about Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, jellybeans, ad nausium! They seem, at first, to be so much less absurd than celebrating a Messiah who rose from the dead! As if they are a way to help us avoid the real absurdity of Easter - The resurrection of Jesus Christ! But, I don't know, egg-laying Easter bunnies named Peter Cottontail never has struck me as very realistic either. That's about as absurd as decorating trees with Easter eggs! Have you ever heard of eggs growing on trees? I'm sure the chickens will be surprised to hear that one!

M: So, do you feel better about believing in the resurrection of Jesus?

D: Yes, I guess it's always going to seem a little absurd. But, you know, If God really is God, and Jesus really is the Son of God, then hey - WHY NOT? As the angel told Mary, "For nothing will be impossible with God." I believe in the resurrection for precisely that and one other, similar reason. I cannot imagine anything more impossible that life coming out of death. Only God could do that. Only a just, loving Heavenly Father would do that!

M: You know, too, that the church has proclaimed the Easter message for 2,000 years now. That seems like a long time for a false rumor to take hold and to be able to transform the lives that have taken place when people have come to believe in the resurrected Lord.

D: You're right. From around 70 measly Galilean followers, including a few strong and supportive women, to a world-wide religion that has spread to every inhabited continent does seem a bit amazing, unless - unless the proclamation Jesus rose from the dead is true!

M: It will never be proven, until Christ returns.

D: But we can live in faith NOW and experience the life of Christ in the love and forgiveness we find in the church. (PAUSE) There is an ancient Christian greeting; let's do it, let's get the congregation to do it! Here's how it goes:

THE LORD IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!

You, know, I feel like singing. Let's see if we can get this patient congregation to stand and sing a rousing, joyous hymn about Christ's rising from the dead.

(The Strife is O'er Hymn #119)

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.
Marcia L. Hale, DCE