Sent to Invite All People to a Life Transformed in Jesus Christ

Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Sunday
John 20:1-18

 "God's Vision for Our Future: A 3-Part Series on Vision & Mission for St. John's Lutheran Church

 Part 3: Sent to Invite all People to a Life Transformed in Jesus Christ"

"Bob and Janice" had taken seriously what their pastor said about inviting a friend or neighbor to the festival worship service on Easter Sunday. They had been thinking about this and praying about this, and decided to invite their next door neighbors, "Jeff and Carol." They agreed that they would all worship together, and then go out for Easter brunch. They drove together and found a place to sit in the crowded sanctuary near the center aisle. The service began, as ours did, with a big procession during the first hymn, led by the choir. One of the female choir members was wearing shoes with very slender heels, and without a thought for her heels, she marched forward, not remembering the grating that covered the hot air register in the middle of the aisle. Suddenly the heel of one shoe sank into one of the holes in the register grate. In a flash, she realized her predicament. Not wishing to hold up the whole procession and without missing a step, she slipped her foot out of her shoe and continued marching down the aisle. The procession moved on with clock-like precision. The first man after her spotted the shoe, sized up the situation, and without losing a step, reached down and pulled up her shoe. However, the shoe was wedged so tight into the grate that he pulled up the shoe along with the entire grate! Surprised, but still singing, the man kept going down the aisle, holding in his hand the grate with the shoe attached. Everything still moved like clockwork. Still in tune and still in step, the next man in the procession stepped into the open register and disappeared from sight. The Easter service took on special meaning that day. Just as the opening hymn ended with "Alleluia! Christ Arose!" a voice was heard from inside the dark hole of the register shouting: "I hope all of you are out of the way ‘cause I'm coming out now!" Jeff and Carol's 2-year old daughter shouted back: "Somebody help Jesus get out!" After the service was over, Bob and Janice had the feeling that their neighbors would never set foot in church again, but Jeff and Carol replied with enthusiasm: "This was the best service ever! We'll be back next Sunday!"

On this festival of Christ's resurrection, we rejoice that our Savior ruse up from the grave. The power of sin, death, and hell have been destroyed, and Jesus lives. Today's message is Part 3 in our 3-part preaching series on God's vision for our future. Two weeks ago we focused on how God gathers us around the cross. Last week we focused on how we are formed and fueled by God's grace, growing in discipleship and managing God's gifts. Today we focus on how we are sent by God to invite all people to a life transformed in Jesus Christ. Before we can be sent to invite others, we ourselves have to gather around the cross, so that we are discipled, learning to manage God's gifts. Today we'll look at an Easter invitation. May the Lord's rich blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word, for Jesus' sake.

Easter Invitation - Part I. On that first Easter morning, Mary went to the tomb and received the surprise of her life - the stone rolled away. She ran to get Peter and John (the disicple whom Jesus loved). She invited them - urgently requested them to come to the tomb. They did, and what was their response? Peter and John "... looked... saw... [and] went in" (John 20:3-8). We're also told: "They did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (John 20:9). Finally, "... the disciples returned to their homes" (John 20:9). Accepting Mary's invitation, Peter and John looked at the evidence, didn't get it, and went home again. Let's not be too hard on Peter and John. No doubt we would have responded as they did. In fact, we look an awful lot like Peter and John. How often do we give the evidence of Jesus' resurrection sort of a quick "once over," discover that we don't get it, and then just go home? Is our response to all that Jesus has done for us indifference and apathy - sort of a "So what?" Yes, sometimes it is. Peter and John needed help to grasp and understand what Jesus' death and resurrection meant. So do we.

Easter Invitation - Part II. After Peter and John had left the empty tomb and gone home, Mary received her own Easter invitation. Jesus meets Mary where she is: standing outside the tomb and weeping, lost in sorrow and grief. "Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" (John 20:15). The confusion and fear give way when the risen Lord speaks her name: "Mary" (John 20:19). Only then does Mary recognize Jesus, and she cries out in her joy: "Rabbouni!" (John 20:16). Jesus models for us some invitational behavior: 1) meet people where they are - like Mary, many today are lost in sorrow, grief, and confusion; that‘s where we need to meet people. 2) listen to their story - Jesus patiently listened to what Mary had to say; that patient listening is our calling today. 3) speak their name - like Mary, we need to hear our name, that Jesus died upon the cross for me and for my sins, and that he rose again from the dead to set me free. Only after these things were in place did Jesus then send Mary out with an invitation: "Go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (John 20:17). John 20:18 follows: "Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord...'" I think it was probably much different, something like this:

When Mary understood that Jesus was alive, and not dead, that He appeared to her and others, she hiked up her skirts and raced all the way back to where the disciples were. She ran at top speed, took shortcuts through people's gardens, and jumped over a couple of fences, and arrived breathless at their door. But the door was locked! So she pounded on it, and kicked at it until one of them opened the door a crack to see who this crazy person was. She burst into the room and shouted at the top of her lungs, "I have seen the Lord! He's alive! He's not dead! Everything He told us is true!" She jumped up and down and danced around the room as she blurted out her message. She gave the disciples a big bear hug as she shared this incredible news about their Lord and friend. She slapped them on the back, high-fived them, and shouted "Alleluia!"

That, I believe, is what John 20:18 is really all about.

Easter Invitation - Part III. So important is this Easter invitation, that we have included it in the new vision and mission for our congregation: that we are sent into the world to invite all people to a life transformed in Jesus Christ. Mary's life was certainly transformed by Jesus; so were Peter and John, and the rest of the disciples. In joyful obedience to the risen Savior, Mary shared Jesus' Easter invitation with the disciples. They, in turn, shared Jesus' Easter invitation with the world - see Peter's message in today's first Scripture reading: "They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and allowed him appear, not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses... He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10:39-43). We affirm that each believer is a witness, called by Christ to step out boldly in faith, inviting all people to a life transformed in Jesus Christ. Our mission field is our homes and families, neighborhoods and communities, schools, places of work and leisure. God's mission is at our doorstep with people of all backgrounds who are searching for purpose and meaning in life. We reach out to invite all people, but especially youth, seniors, and immigrants. We who have received Christ's Easter invitation to new life, are now called to extend it.

In 1990 I visited the Holy Land. One of the sights we visited was the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem - the sight that some believe to be the actual tomb of Jesus from which he rose from the dead. Our guide told us how carpenters at the time of Christ, after they had completed a job, would carefully fold their handkerchief or napkin, placing this on top of the work they had just completed. Our Gospel lesson tells us that the napkin that was on Jesus' head was "rolled up in a place by itself" (John 20:7), as if Jesus the carpenter was giving the message: "Job finished. Task completed. Salvation accomplished." Jesus' redeeming work is done, and now our inviting work begins. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!! Amen.