Blogging toward Sunday

By Craig Kocher
John 20:1-18; Matthew 28:1-10
Easter Sunday, March 23

Encountering the Resurrection

The music is out in brassy force, the altar flowers are in full bloom, and the sanctuary is full of people not seen since December. Ironically, even the visitors know the story, or imagine they do, and the lectionary readings are always the same—Matthew or John. What does the preacher say in her second, or 22nd Easter sermon that wasn’t said before?

A sermon could be preached focused on one or all of the disciples in John’s account. The three types of discipleship will be represented in your congregation on Easter morning. I suggest that each of the following types represents one of the classic virtues of faith, hope, and love.

• the beloved disciple, the disciple of faith

The beloved disciple is the first of the three to believe. He pokes his head in the empty tomb and, as John says, “He saw and believed.” His faith is confident and secure. He does not wait to analyze the evidence like Peter, or see the wounds like Thomas, or hear his name called like Mary. He has walked the obedient road of faith alongside his Lord and his faith has made him well. He sees and believes.

These are the steady saints of faith sitting in the pews Easter morning.

• Mary, the disciple of love

Courageous Mary stood at the foot of the suffering cross while the male disciples were cowering from the Romans. She is the first to reach the tomb in the half-light of dawn, the first to weep over the body’s disappearance, and the first to proclaim the Risen Christ. Her grief is as acute as her love. Jesus gave her a place in community, valued her gifts and contributions, and showed her purpose. Her weeping comes from the place of shattered dreams and a bleeding heart. Then Jesus calls her by name, holds her in his arms and restores her to the newness of life.

Many of these disciples, whose lives are in chaos, who are grieving the loss of a loved one, who desperately need to hear the Lord calling their name, will be in the pews on Sunday.

• Peter, the disciple of hope

Peter is the first of the three to actually go in the tomb and look around. He is evidence driven: empty tomb, stone rolled aside, linen cloth, no body. Peter lives in a world of rationality, of cause and effect, with the laws of motion and mechanics soundly in place. Dead bodies do not disappear; somebody has to move them. Peter leaves the tomb unaware of the Lord’s resurrection. He doesn’t believe until much later when Mary tells him her story and convinces him that the good news is real.

Peter is the disciple of hope because he gives hope to the rest of us plain Jane and Joe disciples. Through all his smugness, his denials, his “just not getting it”; through his missteps and mistakes, and now through completely missing the central moment of our faith—he is still the one upon whom Jesus builds his church.

Not everyone has the beloved disciple’s faith, or the depth of Mary’s love. But all of us sitting in worship on Easter can find hope in Peter.

These three disciples will show up at your church this Sunday. The good news: Easter resurrection comes to them all.

Craig Kocher is associate dean of the chapel and director of religious life at Duke University.

Comments

[breadandbutter]

THANK YOU! HELPFUL. . .thank goodness its only Tuesday.

[Jim]

Of the beloved disciple you quote the verse (“He saw and believed.”) that let's us know that he was the first disciple to believe after the resurrection of Jesus. But as you refer to this as John's account you are clearly unaware that the fact that he was the first disciple to believe proves that the unnamed one who "Jesus loved" cannot possibly be John -- for the Bible makes it clear that "the eleven" (which includes John) did not believe until the end of the day AFTER THEY HAD SEEN JESUS.

www.TheDiscipleWhomJesusLoved.com examines the facts stated in the plain text of scripture on the one whom "Jesus loved" (including the first to believe evidence already noted). By comparing what the Bible says about "the disciple whom Jesus loved" with what it says about John it proves that whoever the one who "Jesus loved" was he could not have been John -- encouraging Bible students to take seriously the Biblical admonition to "prove all things", especially in light of Ps. 118:8.

The truth is there is not a single verse in scripture that would justify teaching the idea that John was the one whom "Jesus loved" and yet most simply assume that this man-made tradition cannot be wrong and then interpret scripture to fit this idea. But if one will heed Ps. 118:8 then the NON-BIBLE sources on which this man-made error is based will give way to the facts stated in scripture which prove that NO MATTER WHO this anonymous author was he most certainly was not John.

While it is true that the author of the fourth gospel repeatedly identifies himself with the anonymous terms “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, “the other disciple” and “the other disciple whom Jesus loved”, it is also equally clear that this author NEVER identifies himself as John. Yet we see John in Revelation exhibit a totally different behavior as he repeatedly identifies himself by name. So why not heed the Biblical admonition to “prove all things” when it comes to the question of the beloved disciple?

In order to show reverence for the word of God, certainly one should not be presenting an idea as if it were Biblical if they cannot cite even one verse that would justify teaching that idea. But sadly the urge to follow the traditions of men can lead many to present the ideas that they were taught AS IF THEY WERE BIBLICAL even though they have not searched the scriptures to see if these things are so.

[Linda]

I guess there is yet another kind of disciple in church this Easter, this time in the pulpit.
Lighten up, Jim. Don't forget - He is risen!
That's the message of this day.

[Craig Kocher]

Jim:
If you read my blog a bit more carefully you'll notice I make no claim about the identity of the beloved disciple. Rather, I'm lifting up the depth of his faith as an example of Easter disipleship.
Craig

[revroninterim]

I have been blogging and searching and guess what? Everyone struggles with Easter. I knew that before, and it happens every year. Finish Maundy Thursday on Thursday morning. Finish Good Friday by noon on Friday. Struggle through Saturday with Easter. Why is it so hard? He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Maybe we should make it short and let that message stand.

[Sungbeen]

I'm a chaplain of Korean Army.
This is very helpful.
Your view about the Easter text is so cool. thank you.

[Rev-Al]

What I find so helpful is the focus on personalizing the story. So often preaching seems to turn into just one more lecture and these comments open the door to a very personal sharing.

[reverend-rene]

i've been struggling to come up with a "fresh" word all week. thank you!!!!