From Creation to Resurrection

God's acts of judgment and mercy throughout history point us to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Grace, mercy, and peace be with all of you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Creation

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

From the beginning, it was always His intention to love and redeem His creation.

Of course, it was no surprise to him that the first people, Adam and Eve fell from His grace. It broke His heart, but it did not catch Him off guard.

But in that first time, in that beginning, before sin had come into the world, the universe was filled with joy at the dance of the Holy Trinity. The Father presiding over the act of creation. The Word of God, God's Son, speaking creation into existence. The Spirit of God breathing life into the first man and his wife.

The Creation, God tells us again and again, was good. Indeed, the creation of human beings was very good.

But the creation fell. Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out. And from there, the universe began to spiral into devastation and decay. Entropy filled the universe. Things began to run down and stop working as they ought to. And of course, when living things wear out, they die.

This is the consequence — the natural next event — from an unwillingness to live according to the will of God. In fact, that unwillingness, that desire to please the human will and not to do God's will, led all creation (save for one small family) to willingly disregard the God who made them.

Noah

Until one day, God had finally had enough, and decided to make an end of all flesh. Their sin - their separation from a holy God was too great to bear, and so God commanded his one faithful servant, Noah, to begin to build a boat. And when it was completed he filled it with all he intended to show mercy to, Noah and his family and exemplars of each of the families of the animals on the surface of the earth. And then he sealed it up, and it began to rain.

The waters of the flood demonstrated God's judgment against sin. Sin was not merely some mild mistake, merely some indiscretion. To sin is to die. And most of mankind was wiped out on account of their sin.

Abraham and Isaac

Later, God chose a man named Abraham with whom to make a covenant. He would make him the father of many nations. Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. And thus, Abraham became the father of faith, of trust in God and his promises.

And eventually, God provided Abraham a son through his wife Sarah, who was thought to be barren. And though they were both quite elderly, they rejoiced, for God had done the impossible and had kept his promise in their son, Isaac.

But years later, God came to Abraham and asked of him something dreadful: "Take your son, your only son, whom you love, and take him to a place that I will show you. And there, sacrifice your son as an offering to me."

Abraham, trusting that God's promise would never fail, went as far as binding his son and raising the knife above him before God interceded, stopping him and providing him with an alternative sacrifice.

Crossing the Red Sea

Many years later, the descendants of Abraham were captive as slaves in Egypt. God raised up a man named Moses to lead them out of slavery into the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants forever.

But when they came to the Red Sea, they were cornered. On one side, they were hemmed in by the Egyptian army. On the other side, a broad sea that they could not cross.

Even when things seemed so bleak as to be impossible, God made for his people a way. He caused a strong wind to blow, and it caused the waters to pile up on either side, revealing dry land for the Israelites to cross. And then after each of them had safely crossed, God smashed the pursuing Egyptians and destroyed them utterly.

All these things, and many more, were done to demonstrate God's future promises. All these things demonstrated God's desires for humanity:

• His joy over creation
• The bare fact that to sin is to die.
• That God intended to provide an alternative sacrifice for human life.
• And that God will make a way when it seems impossible.

The Prophets

Then through his prophet Isaiah, he promises that his word will go forth from his mouth to accomplish the tasks and purposes for which he sends it.

And he tells us through his prophet Ezekiel that even dry bones can live and rise and praise the Lord.

And he shows us through his prophet Jonah that there is salvation for all who repent and turn back to God. Not just for his chosen people, but even for hated enemies like the Ninevites. And he gives us a little hint: because as the prophet Jonah is in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so too will the Redeemer be in the belly of death.

And then he promises us protection in the same way he protected Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego as they stand firm on the promises of God in spite of opposition that might cost them their lives.

The Resurrection

So that then it should come as no surprise when on the third day, as Jesus Christ, the beloved Son, sacrificed by the Father, dead on a cross and buried in a borrowed tomb, is found by the women who came to the tomb.

That third day, they look into the tomb expecting to find the body of Jesus' death. And instead, they find that the tomb is empty!

God's joy is still at work. Christ the Lord has risen from the grave!

The sin of humankind still requires a sacrifice. To sin is to die. But God has provided his alternative sacrifice, his own Son: the Word of God made flesh.

This Word has gone out from God and accomplished the task for which he sent him. He has also shown us now that the dead bones of Jesus can rise and live. And so we now can be confident that because he lives, so shall also we who trust in him live. And he shows us that all who repent can have forgiveness and eternal life with God through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.

And in bearing that message to an unbelieving world, he sends us out with his protection as emissaries of love and joy and peace.

So on this night of light, remember what God has done for you.

• He has defeated death for you!
• He has shut the mouth of hell for you!
• He has given you a new life and a new spirit!
• He has filled you with heavenly blessing and grace!
• He has made you his own son or daughter!
• And now, by his love, you shall live forever!

Rejoice in this night! For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Amen.