“Hidden With Christ in God”
Acts 10:34-43 [First Reading]
John 20:1-18 [Gospel Reading]
Colossians 3:1-4
I have a shirt that some of you have seen me wear that says on the front, “Ask me about my band.” At first, I think most folks assume that I’m in some kind of musical band. I’m not. The band I’m in is a discipleship band. There are four of us, from Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and of course, Georgia. Two of us are clergy and the other two are Lay. We meet every Wednesday morning on Zoom and have been for going on five years now. We ask each other questions like, “How is it with your soul? What are the scriptures saying to you? What are your challenges and successes? And we pray for each other. We also contact each other during the week when we are struggling. Like this week, one in our group was forced to make the decision to have his dog put to sleep. We have met in person once in those three years.
Last Easter, Bob, from Texas, and his wife Jean Ann were scheduled to be in Philadelphia over Easter. Their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren live there. Bob and Jean Ann have a condo in Philly so they can spend time with their kids, and they are trying to be a Christian witness to their grandchildren.
Well, last year in Philly, rather than being invited to church with someone they were invited to an Easter Brunch at the Country Club. Bob wasn’t sure about what he would experience and if he would have anything in common with the others there. So, we came up with a “Shibboleth,” a test that comes from Judges 12:4-6.
Every time he was introduced to someone, he would say, “He is Risen!” And if the person he was talking to responded, “He is Risen Indeed!” Bob knew that this person had some idea about Jesus and what we are celebrating today.
So, I say to you: HE IS RISEN
And your response: HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Note how St. Paul opens our text this morning from Colossians, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ.” My friends, on this glorious Easter morning you have been raised with Christ.
The story goes that a hip young man bought one of the best cars around: a Ferrari GTO. He took it out for a spin and stopped at a red light. An old man on a moped pulled up next to him. The old man looked over at the sleek, shiny new car and asked, “What kind of car ya’ got there, sonny?” The young man said, “A Ferrari GTO. It cost half a million dollars.” “That’s a lot of money,” said the old man. “Why does it cost so much?” “Because this car can go over two hundred miles an hour!” stated the young man proudly. The moped driver asked, “Mind if I take a look inside?” “No problem,” replied the owner. So, the old man poked his head in the window and looked around. Sitting back on his moped, the old man said, “that’s a pretty nice car all right!”
Just then the light changed, and the driver decided to show the old man just what his car could do. He floored it, and within thirty seconds the speedometer read 160 miles per hour. Suddenly, he noticed a dot in his rearview mirror. It was getting closer! He slowed down to see what it could be, and—whoosh—something whipped by him going faster.
“What on earth could be going faster than my Ferrari?” the young man thought to himself. Then, ahead of him, he saw a dot coming toward him. Whoosh! It went by him again, heading in the opposite direction—and it looked like the old man on the moped. Couldn’t be, he thought, how could a moped outrun a Ferrari?
Once more, though, he saw a dot in his rearview mirror, followed by a bang as the speeding object crashed into the back of his car. The young man jumped out and saw the old man lying on the pavement. He ran to him and asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” The old man whispered, “Unhook…my suspenders…from your side-view mirror.”
Yes, Paul said you have been raised with Christ, but because you are, he also wrote something that may be hard for some of us, “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” And if he was here with us this morning, the Apostle might also say, “Be careful what you admire,” or “Everything that glitters is NOT gold.”
Setting our desires on things above means striving to put heaven’s priorities into daily practice. We are to get our directions from Christ, not the culture around us. Setting our minds on things above means concentrating on the eternal rather than the temporal.
The Christian’s real home is where Christ lives. Knowing our final destiny provides a different perspective on our earthly lives. To set our minds on things above means to look at life from God’s perspective and to seek what He desires. It provides an antidote to materialism and by doing so our life will be “Hidden with Christ in God.” What does this mean? It means we are “concealed and safe” which not only ensures our future hope but also gives us security right now. All because of our faith in Christ and that we are risen with Him.
Max Lucado, in his book He Chose the Nails writes: “The question: How do you explain it? Jesus was a backwater peasant. He never wrote a book, never held an office. He never journeyed more than two hundred miles from His hometown. Friends left Him. One betrayed Him. Those He helped forgot Him. Prior to His death they abandoned Him. But after His death they couldn’t resist Him. What was the difference?
The answer: His death and resurrection.
For when He died, so did your sin.
And when He rose, so did your hope.
For when He rose, your grave was changed from a final residence to temporary housing. The reason He did it: the face in your mirror!”
The message of Easter is clear: Neither sin, nor hate, nor evil, and not even death will have the final word. God, in raising Jesus from the dead, was shouting to the human race: Love has conquered hate—grace has conquered sin—hope has conquered despair—and life has conquered death! Love, grace, hope, life—these have the final word because of Christ’s resurrection. This is our defining story as Christians.
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark. But the darkness was soon overcome with light. Maybe that’s the message you need to hear today. Perhaps for whatever reason you are in darkness right now. Family concerns—problems at work—anxiety about your health and your future—the loss of someone you love. Easter promises us that in the midst of our deepest darkness the Son rises to overwhelm the darkness forever.
HE IS RISEN—HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Not only do I believe this—I’m counting on it!
Eastman First Methodist Church 