Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Sunday Sermon: God Wins!

Have you ever looked into the face of despair? Have you ever seen the face of hopelessness? It is extremely unpleasant. Painful, to say the least. If you have an ounce of empathy in your body, you find it hard to gaze at the face of someone who is lost in thoughts of sadness, depression, anxiety, and pain. You find it hard to look at someone who sheds tear after tear after tear, and there seems to be no end of them. You find it hard to sit there with nothing to say. Their pain and suffering has made you feel inadequate and impotent. You want to help. You want to remove some of that pain, some of that suffering, some of that grief, some of that hopelessness, but everything seems inadequate. You don’t know what to do. You don’t know what to say. And if you are the one who is actually suffering from such hopelessness, you know the feeling is amplified a thousand times.

I wish I could say such feelings and such things are simply figments of our imagination. I wish I could say we have the ability to control ourselves and our emotions during such times. But I would be lying. I’ve encountered too many situations where grief is overwhelming and despair is tangible. I’ve seen it in couples who have had stillborn children. I’ve seen it in people who have gotten the dreaded diagnosis of terminal cancer. I’ve seen it in parents whose child has suffered a debilitating illness. I’ve seen it in people who have lost their jobs and ability to provide for their families. I’ve seen it in people who are undergoing family strife. I’ve seen it in people who have lost nearly all their possessions to fire or storm or other such tragedy. I’ve seen it in people who had dreams in life–dreams that were shattered by events that were out of their control. Their pain is real. Their hopelessness is tangible. Their despair is out there for all to see. Life stinks at that moment, and all seems lost.

You probably know someone to whom this has happened. You might even be such a person yourself. You know the reality of which I speak. You know the darkness that can be a part of this thing we call life on earth.

The disciples knew this darkness too. They knew depression. They knew pain. They knew suffering. They knew what it was like to have a dream shattered. For at least a year, all of them had tied themselves to a man named Jesus. They had watched and marveled at the things He did. They witnessed Him turn water into wine. They witnessed Him heal the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the sick. They saw Him walk on water. They saw Him calm the storm. They saw miracle after miracle after miracle. They knew He was a man of God–infused with a power that was beyond comprehension.

This Jesus spoke to them about the coming Kingdom of God–a kingdom where God’s goodness, mercy, and love would overflow. It was a kingdom where justice reigned and no one was in need. It was a kingdom where the wrong things were made right. And this Jesus was to usher in this kingdom. The disciples had their hearts set on this hope. They had their hearts set on this desire. Many of them had struggled to put food on the table. Others had struggled with being outcasts of the community. Jesus had brought them all together with a hope and a dream that was beyond anything they could have imagined.

But that dream was gone. It had been shattered in the space of a few days. One of their own had betrayed Jesus. They saw their leader arrested and taken to trial. In what seemed like a nightmare scenario, charges were brought up, and he was sentenced to go before Pilate. Pilate wasn’t able to do anything, and Jesus was sentenced to die a horrible death–a death by crucifixion. Impaled on a cross, the disciples watched in horror as the life blood drained out of their teacher, their leader, their friend. Adding to their misery was Jesus’ cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" His anguish became their anguish. Jesus was dead. He had been buried in a tomb. Sealed with a giant stone. Hope was gone. Despair reigned. For all practical, rational purpose, it was finished.

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Tremble. Tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

And we too tremble and shudder in our despair. In our hopelessness. In our darkness. In our depression. In our misery. Is there a word for us? Is there anything that can point us in a new direction? Is there anything out there to break the shadow and give us strength?

Shhh. Listen. Do you hear it?

It’s a small voice. I can barely make it out. Can you?

I think it’s saying, "God wins."

What?

How?

God wins?

Low in the grave He lay
Jesus my Savior
Waiting the coming day
Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a Victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign!
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Yes, and in that one instant, everything changed. All that had been done for evil, for despair, for darkness, for fear–all of it was undone. When it looked like there was no hope–God acted. When it looked like darkness would prevail–God acted. When it looked like death would win once again–God acted. Jesus was raised from the dead! The one who was crucified was now alive! Victory was snatched out of the hands of darkness, and now it burns with an unquenchable light. God wins!

And this is vitally important news. This is life changing news. Especially for those who have lost hope. Especially for those who are living in despair. Especially for those who will find themselves in such a state at some point or another.

The good news of Easter is that God wins! God has the last word! And God will make everything that was wrong, right! Oh, I know sometimes such words ring hollow for those who find themselves at the bottom of a pit. I know sometimes such words take a long, long time to sink in. I know such words sometimes sound like just that: words.

But words can have a powerful effect. Words, especially true words can change a person’s outlook. Words can lead us away from darkness, despair, and hopelessness. Say it to yourself. God wins!

Whisper it to yourself. God wins!

Say it out loud to your self! God wins!

Tell it to your neighbor! God wins!

Shout it to the heavens! God wins!

Jesus is alive! He has triumphed! Do not let darkness consume you! Do not let despair overwhelm! Even though you might think all is lost, the resurrection shows us the final outcome. GOD WINS! AMEN! ALLELUIA!

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