SERMON
ST. HILARY'S EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
REV. RICHARD GRADY
APRIL 16th, 2006
EASTER VIGIL
Mark 16:3-11
Hear
service music.
The Easter
Vigil is a service that is reflective of the ancient
traditions in the Christian church. In the early
days of the church, people who sought membership
would go through a time of training; sometimes as
long as three years. During that time, they would
attend church services, but were unable to participate
in the communion service.
The Easter Vigil service was an initiation service
for those people who had completed their initial
training in Christianity.
It was a service that traditionally began at midnight,
and ended after the sunrise. The major portion of
the service was the reading of the Holy manuscripts,
the history of God's relationship with His people.
There were also praises and testimonies from the
people in the community that reaffirmed the ongoing
blessings from God during the preceding year. There
was always a sermon.
As the daylight approached, the converts were baptized;
and they were then led into the church to celebrate
their first service of Holy Eucharist.
The contemporary church has changed the time a little
bit, and I for one am glad that we do not go six
hours any more.
I know some of my Baptist brothers that can preach
for two hours, but I can not.
The essentials of our service are still much the
same as the service was in the third century. We
still tell the story of God's redemption, we still
baptize, and we still celebrate the Eucharist. The
theme of this service is moving from darkness into
light.
So our readings reflect how God has carried His
people through the darkness and into the light.
In the story of creation, the void of darkness is
replaced by the light; and all of the plant and
animal life are created by that light.
In the story of the flood, God moves His people
out of the dark place of sin and judgment, and into
the light of a new beginning.
In our reading from Exodus, God removes His people
from the darkness of slavery, and prepares to lead
them to the light of the promised land.
That theme of darkness into life continues throughout
the scriptures.
It would be hard to find a major incident in Hebrew
Scripture that does not reflect the theme of moving
from darkness into light.
That theme of movement from darkness to light is
cumulated in the life, death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
Jesus Christ went from darkness to light this night.
The accounts of the crucifixion note that when Jesus
was put upon the cross, the sky grew dark for three
hours.
I do not think that the darkness was an accident.
Then we read that Jesus was taken from the cross
and laid in a tomb with a large stone rolled over
the entrance.
I do not think that there is any light in a tomb.
We read tonight that On Sunday morning, when the
women were on their way to the tomb to anoint the
body of Jesus, they didn't know what to expect.
They wondered, "Who will roll away the stone?"
They had confidence that someone would be there
to help them move the rock. And they stepped forth
in that confidence.
And when they arrived at the tomb, the stone was
rolled away.
Darkness in the tomb had turned back into light.
The empty tomb is the lesson of Easter, but the
women at the tomb have something to show us also.
The women at the tomb show us what it is like to
step out in faith.
They believed that the tomb was sealed. Yet they
set out on their mission, even though they didn't
know how they would accomplish it.
They had the confidence to believe that God could
make a way out of no way.
I think that they knew, deep in their spiritual
hearts, that if God called them to perform a task,
then God would remove any obstacles that blocked
their ability to perform that task.
They knew that Jesus was in a tomb, with a stone
blocking the door.
They knew that they didn't have the ability to move
the stone.
But they didn't just stay home. They knew that God
would provide.
They believed that God had a job for them to do;
and God already had the details all worked out.
They did not know that God had rolled away the stone,
but they knew that God would provide what they needed.
My brothers and sisters, God has already worked
out the details to roll away the stone from your
tomb.
In the tomb of our relationships: when the ones
we want to draw closer are being driven farther
away. God is rolling away the stone.
In the tomb of our finances: when the bills are
plenty and the dollars are few. God is rolling away
the stone.
In tomb of our health: when the body seems to break
down long before the 60,000 mile tune-up. God is
rolling away the stone.
How the stone gets rolled away is just a detail.
Believing that we serve a God that is in the business
of rolling away the stones in our lives is an essential.
At the time of the creation, the plan for the empty
tomb was in place. The plan for the Savior, Jesus
Christ, had been working its way to maturity throughout
the history of mankind.
In terms of human history, the stone that was rolled
away from the tomb was bigger than any stone that
we can ever imagine.
God's plan for creation has been fulfilled.
I think that the women at the tomb realized that
they were a witness to history; they were witness
to a work of God.
When the stone was rolled away their world was uplifted.
When the stone was rolled away their hearts were
gladdened.
When the stone was rolled away, all things old became
new.
The stone that was rolled away from the grave of
Jesus Christ means that mankind is no longer a slave
to sin.
Whatever evil we have done, whatever evil we have
feared, whatever evil we have thought about has
been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.
There was a Christian rock song many years ago with
the verse: "Jesus Is The Rock That Rolls My
Blues Away." (Phil Driscoll)
I like the idea that I don't have to be sad when
I am with my Lord.
In Christ there is no condemnation. In Christ there
is no judgment.
The stone is rolled away!
Hallelujah!! Christ is Risen!!!
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