April 11, 2004
Easter Sunday

Luke 24:1-12

At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus.

The were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words.

They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn't believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.

But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that's all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.

[The Message]

= = = = = = =

1. Sometimes it is not our expectations that carry the day, but simply that we put in the time. The women weren't any more receptive than the men to the idea that what Jesus had said along the way would still hold after his death. They were, however, faithful to their tasks while the couch-potatoes couldn't be bothered (after all it was Final Four week).

2. Being prompted is a good thing for those of us with weak memories (both the process and the content of what is remembered). That is what we are constantly doing in the community. You remember for me and I remember for you.

When the future can't pull us into itself, the past can rise up to push us onward. Thanks be for prompters.

3. Once prompted we all become prompters of others. Colloquially this is the same as naggers of others. We have remembered something important enough to repeat and repeat until it is renewed in the lives of others. This is a pretty crass way of describing evangelistic energy but it seems fairly accurate in term of behavior.

Who have you nagged today? If not you are just one of the guy lazing around.