Sunday Worship - Easter Sunday
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on Easter Sunday. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If your are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord"
Today's Gospel
John 20:1-18 The Resurrection
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Reflection
Quite often, when we read this Gospel passage, our attention is drawn to the encounters that Mary has, first with the angels and then with Jesus.
We can easily overlook the actions of Peter and John and the sense of urgency in the first section. When Mary discovers the stone has been removed from the tomb she runs to Simon Peter’s house. Remember, it was before daybreak and still dark, yet she still runs hastily to the disciples.
Although no one else is mentioned by name, it is clear that she was not alone as she refers to ‘we’ when she tells Peter, ‘we don’t know where they have taken him.’ It is also clear that at least one of them has seen inside the tomb as she knows that Jesus is no longer there.
Simon Peter and John also seem to be equally distressed and panicked as they both run to investigate, with John the younger of the two clearly getting there first. There is a palpable sense of urgency from everyone to understand what has happened to the body of their dear friend and teacher.
Although John gets to the tomb first he is hesitant to enter, and it is only after the impetuous Peter has discovered the empty shroud that John joins him.
We next have what, for me, is the most important and enlightening part of the story. “Then the other disciple (John), who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise from the dead”.
For most of the disciples we understand they believed in the risen Lord because they actually met Him, but here John appears to be the exception because He believed as soon as He witnessed the empty tomb and saw the graveclothes and neatly folded head covering.
But to us as Christians, believing in the resurrection of Jesus is not the most important element of this amazing revelation; it is the significance of what this meant and continues to mean for us still:
The resurrection means that we can be assured of our own resurrection when we believe and trust in Jesus.
The resurrection means that Jesus has a continuing ministry: He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them [Hebrews 7:25].
The resurrection proves that Jesus died on the cross as a sinless man, out of love and self-sacrifice to bear the guilt of our sin. The death of Jesus on the cross was the payment, but the resurrection was the receipt, showing that the payment was perfect in the sight of God the Father.
In John’s prologue he says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it”. Jesus is our light. Like Mary, we may not immediately recognise Him standing in our midst. Yet the risen Christ is standing there, showing that death is not the final word and God’s love embraces the living and the dead.
The intimate and loving presence of Christ among us is our comfort. What a wonderful thing to reflect on, this glorious Easter Day. Happy Easter!
Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty Father,
We give you thanks for sending your son, Jesus, to die for our sins,
and that you raised him in glory as a message to transform our lives
and give us hope in your glorious Kingdom
Thank you for the joy of Easter and our risen Lord
Who gave his life so that we can have eternal life.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Thine be the Glory"
Notices
Next week is our Annual Parochial Church Meeting, which follows immediately after a 10 am Parish Eucharist at St Thomas' Church, and there will be no service at St Agnes'.
