Journalists are trained to ask 
When? Where? What? Who? How? Why What next?

ON WHAT DAY DID THE RESURRECTION HAPPEN?

On Sunday, called in other languages (French Irish) the Lord's Day.
No-one thought of setting Sunday aside as a special day until Jesus rose
In New Testament we see the disciples, all Jewish
starting to observe the first day of the week as a day to meet and worship.
For first 300 years after Jesus Sunday was a working day:
Christians met for worship early in morning or at night after work
When the Roman emperors turned to Christianity
Sunday then was institutionalised as the day of rest.
A rich privilege to have 'Sunday special'
fast eroding as Western society has abandoned Christian belief & heritage.
But Easter reminds us that
even if Sunday becomes for everyone else, just a day like any other,
Christians would still want to keep it special
to celebrate the amazing distinctive fact that Christ is risen.
A day of resurrection, ... confidence, .... Joy
Is our worship and all that we do on the Lord's Day
characterised by Easter good news?
If it is, won't that in itself persuade people
to make something special about this day
and to seek a change in their lives?
If our worship isn't different what's the point of keeping Sunday special?

Easter should mean that Christians have joy

AT WHAT TIME DID THE RESURRECTION HAPPEN?

In the deep darkness of the night
when all seemed black and hopeless
something happened that makes a huge difference to how we live our lives.
Mary Magdalene was coming to honour the body of her dead friend
something to do to express her grief and ease it
She was completely surprised by the empty tomb
It wasn't what she had been expecting.

Easter should mean that Christians have hope


WHERE DID THE RESURRECTION TAKE PLACE

in a cemetery, a burial ground
a dead end place a place of sadness and loneliness
Notice who it is who spend time and trouble and reputation in burying Jesus
two people who had been in the shadow 
Joseph of Arimathea who was a secret disciple of Jesus, 
out of fear of the Jews
Nicodemus who had visited Jesus by night, in case anyone saw him.
Something has happened to make these men brave and generous

Easter should mean that Christians have courage

This cemetery was also a garden a place of life and growth
Garden of Eden was a place of life 
where disobedience brought death to the human race

This garden was a place of burial of the dead
where the complete obedience of Jesus brings life

Alistair McGrath:
'The graveyards of the world are packed full of people who thought Christianity depended on them -- but the grave could not hold the one upon whom Christianity really depends'
(and the graveyards of the world are full of people who denied the truth of Christianity)

Easter means that Christians can have new life

HOW DID THE RESURRECTION TAKE PLACE?

Some say the Jews or the Romans stole the body
If so, why didn't they display it to disprove the claims of Christians?
Others say that Christians stole the body
but how come they would give their lives for what they knew to be a deception?
Some say it was all a hallucination
but the appearances of the risen Lord are too many and too various 
just to be dreamed up by the fevered imaginations of some people
More than one person has set out to look into all this and disprove the story
but the more they look into it the more convinced they become of its truth.
One such person Frank Morison wrote a book called 'Who moved the stone?'
to state that he had to believe that God moved the stone
on the first day of the week making it a day for joy
in the darkness before dawn bringing light and hope
in the graveyard that was a sign of courage
in the garden making new life to come forth

That's why we are here to day.

WHY DID THE RESURRECTION TAKE PLACE?

That like Mary you and I might meet Jesus

There she stands bitterly weeping, neglected by Peter and John
who once convinced that the grave is empty
seem to have no time to reassure her
But the angels have time and Jesus has time

When Mary looks into the tomb she sees what the men did not see 
Maybe the angels materialised there after they had left
Maybe they were there all the time but some people never see them! 
Angels ask caring but searching question which Jesus repeats 
Woman, why are you crying?" 'Who is it you are looking for?' 
Not wrong for her to show emotion- tired, grieving, confused, shocked, alone 
but this question indicates that we need to have a good reason for our tears>
If somebody just cries and cries without reason, we would be very worried.
What the stranger in the garden is about to show her is that 
because of the resurrection there is no reason to weep 
or no reason to grieve (as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians) without hope 

In the dawning of that spring morning,
dawned a light greater than the spring sun the light of the risen Christ 
that brings certainty, hope, life 
to people who otherwise would have every reason for confusion & despair 
As Edmond Budry wrote, no doubt with tears on the page for his dead wife 
"Lo Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb. 
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom"

It is Mary who is the first to be addressed by name, by her name in Aramaic 
the name Jesus would have used on the day he delivered her from demons 
the name he would used every time that they met
And she responds with a title that implies reverence Rabboni, 
she knows this is no ordinary teacher, it is a divine title
But she is not to stay with her experience, 
as if she could worship him for ever in the garden
'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father'
She is to cease from holding him 
because the new relationship between Lord and worshipper 
will not be one of physical contact just for Mary and Jesus in Palestine 
but for you and me and everyone who believes wherever they are 
in the joy of a personal faith encounter with the risen Lord by his Spirit 
For Jesus is saying gently to Mary that
Faith in Christ is very personal but it is not thereby private 
He is to be shared with others 
so that they may know that because of Easter
God is now their father as well as Jesus' Father


Living Lord we thank you for this day of good news 
Forgive us if our lives deny the truth we profess.
Meet us today risen Lord and may we be different in that meeting.

May this and every Sunday be different because of the joy of a living Lord
may it not simply be our duty to come together as Christians to worship
but our glad delight

Living Lord we thank you that Easter speaks of hope when all seems lost, 
of life out of death, of light dawning in darkness
We pray for those who need special resurrection comfort

because the bottom has dropped out of their world through bereavement 
a loved one has died or is near to death 
a marriage has broken up or is in deep trouble 
redundancy has come or is threatening 
cherished hopes and ideals have been frustrated

Living Lord we ask that any who are doubtful or uncertain
as were the disciples initially that morning 
will find this day that you are alive in the fellowship of your table
in reading your word in singing your praise and in talking to you
and walking with you.
and we pray for our Church's mission 
carried out in obedience to your command after the resurrection 
to go into all the world