by Marcia Mount Shoop
Psalm 118; John 20:1-18
“. . . Which brings us to us–to Grace Covenant, this Easter Sunday 2023.
When we may be struggling to recognize Jesus because “they” have taken him away yet again.
Jesus was taken by white supremacy. Jesus was taken by slave owners. Jesus was taken by domestic abusers. Jesus was taken by the morality police. Jesus was taken by legislators, judges, teachers, preachers, bankers, lawyers, doctors.
Jesus was taken and used to justify things that have hurt us–things that have threatened to break us, to shatter us–things that have conspired to steal our full humanity along with Jesus’ true identity.
. . .
Here we are – a bunch of Mary’s at the tomb–wondering what life can look like with Jesus taken away so violently. We can feel helpless to do anything about it. It can feel like we just need to give up on this Jesus thing. He’s too far gone for us to trust him anymore.
What is the reason to keep trusting God? To keep believing we are loved? To believe that love can really change anything at all?
Maybe we can’t learn to love again? Maybe its just too hard, maybe things are just too entrenched. Maybe we should just look in the tomb, say nothing, and go home like Peter did.
Or we can stick around for the hardest part–the part where Jesus appears in ways we had never expected and tells us we can learn to love again!”
Watch the full GCPC service on 4/9/23 here
(Scripture and sermon begin at 1:01)