The Day of Resurrection: Sermon 2011

The Day of Resurrection: Easter 2011
April 24, 2011
Once, long ago in a kingdom far away, there was a most unusual custom. In most kingdoms, when the ruler dies, his son or daughter succeeds to the throne after him. But in this kingdom, when a king died, a special bird called the “bird of good fortune” was released. This bird flew around in the air above the subjects in the land and the person upon whose head it finally landed became the next king.
In this kingdom, there was a slave who worked in the king’s palace. He was a musician who entertained the king and his family and guests by dressing in funny clothing -- a cap made of chicken feathers and a raggedy belt -- and playing music on a drum. The slave was not happy about his lot. He felt that it was degrading, and he prayed to be a free man.
It came to pass that the king died one day, and the “bird of good fortune” was released. It circled the sky for some time, while the people of the kingdom watched in anticipation. Finally, it came to rest on the head of the slave, nesting itself in his hat of chicken feathers. Immediately, and to his great surprise, he was declared king of the entire empire and, in an instant, the slave was transformed into a powerful sovereign.
The new king moved into the palace, donned his royal attire, and sat upon his throne. As his first royal decree, he had a tiny hut built next to the palace. The only furnishing in this little shack was a large mirror. Early every morning the new king entered this little shack, disappearing behind the door for a short time. Then he would emerge, lock the door behind him, and return to the palace. His ministers and advisors thought that this was very peculiar behavior but, after all, he was the king now and who would question the king?
As the years went by, the king passed many laws aimed at reducing, and finally eliminating all slavery and suffering. The changes were made so gradually that no one noticed them. The king was known to all for his kindness, his justice, and his compassion, as well as his strange habit of visiting the odd little hut early every morning.
One day, his closest advisor asked, “Your Majesty, what is it that you keep in that hut of yours?” The king led the advisor into the hut and showed him a burlap sack containing the chicken feather hat, the ragged belt, and the drum. “These,” he said, “are my most treasured possessions.”
“But these are reminders of slavery!” the advisor replied in disgust. These are not the possessions of a king, Your Majesty!”
“Ah, but they are,” replied the king. “You see, once I was a slave and now I am free. When you made me your king, I promised myself and God that I would never forget that I was once a slave lest I grow arrogant and haughty, and treat people as I was once treated. Every morning, I come here and dress as I was once forced to dress as a slave. I stare at myself in the mirror until tears come to my eyes and only then am I prepared to leave this hut and rule as a good king should. It is this memory which makes me the king I am. These are the most treasured possessions I have.”
Wonderful story, don’t you think? It is a Passover Tale told by Iraqi Jews; the original source has been lost from memory, so it’s passed on by word of mouth these days. It’s the story of a people who remember life as slaves, life under Pharaoh all those years ago when Moses led them out. It’s about looking honestly at who you are, looking at where you have been, and taking that next step towards who God is calling you to be.
Today we come to church on this most holy day of our year to look into the mirror of our faith, and we remember that we are slaves no more.
This is important because there are so many ways that we might be enslaved in this world of ours. Some people are slaves of fashion—the latest clothes, gadgets, cars. Some are slaves to our work, to success. Some are slaves to money. And so very many of us are slaves to our fear.
So today of all days, it is important to look into that mirror and to remember that we no longer have to be slaves to anything, not fear, not even death.
In Matthew’s gospel account of Jesus’s resurrection, we see those sad, grieving women, slaves to their sorrow, who are headed to Jesus’ tomb, and suddenly they are shaken by a great earthquake and the appearance of a messenger from God, who gives them the news that Jesus is no longer in the tomb but he has been raised. As they race off to tell the rest of the disciples the good news, they run smack dab into Jesus. And he says to them: “Greetings! Rejoice!” and then “Be not afraid!”
When is the last time someone told you “Don’t be afraid!” and you were able to believe it? Have you really and truly believed it since childhood, held in the arms of a loving adult and comforted? As we grow older, we experience the reality that Earnest Hemmingway articulated when he wrote, “Life breaks everyone”; and even if we are not completely broken, we certainly get worn down, more and more, as the years pass.
But not today! For today we look into the mirror and what do we see? We see people who were once slaves—to sin, to fear, to death. And we hear the words of our risen Lord echoing in our Alleluias: “Do not be afraid! Rejoice!” And today, we can believe it. For on this, the day of the Resurrection, we can look into that mirror and see hope. We see the truth of the resurrection—that God’s love is stronger than anything, even death.
Some of us need to look into this mirror more often, which is what we do every Sunday when we gather to worship. Every Sunday, we celebrate the feast of our Lord’s resurrection, and we hold up the mirror for each other and help one another remember: no matter what you may be going through in your life, no matter what sorrows or grief or burdens you carry with you into this place, no matter how the bonds of slavery seek to entangle you, we will hold up the mirror in front of you and help you remember that through Jesus’s resurrection, you are slaves no longer; we will hold up the mirror and help you remember that nothing can separate you from the love of God, the love that is stronger than absolutely everything, stronger than sorrows or grief or burdens or frustrations. We will hold up the mirror and remind you that you are held in the love of God that is stronger even than death.
“Rejoice. Be not afraid.” Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Alleluia!