Sermon - 8th April 2007

Many people are fascinated by Jesus and his teaching. They like much of what they think he said and see him as a great man, a good teacher and someone whose example of how to live is to be emulated. Indeed the Islamic faith sees Jesus as a prophet, or messenger, of God.

This is all true, Jesus was a messenger of God, He was a good man with wonderful moral teaching. But Easter shows he was so much more than these things.

Easter is the culmination of the whole narrative of the life of Jesus. We celebrate his birth at Christmas now we celebrate his rising to new life. We give thanks that in Jesus God came to us, lived as one of us, suffered with us, experienced injustice and oppression alongside us. We stand in amazement and awe at the lonely gruesome cruel death he suffered and ache with the disciples and with Jesus' mother at the horror of Good Friday.

But today we find our grief is transformed into joy. Jesus' lifeless wounded body is transformed and raised to new life. He is still marked by all that has gone before but he is transformed and filled with life. It is the resurrection which makes our faith so special and so unique.

The resurrection shows there is hope. Death is not the end. Death, destruction, suffering, pain and despair do not have the last word - for Jesus or for us. Jesus was transformed by God's power and we too experience that transforming power when we come to faith in Him.

We are transformed, our lives are turned around by this resurrection power. We too are marked by all that has gone before, but through our faith in Jesus - symbolised by our baptism - we are changed as Jesus begins the work of bringing us to new life.

Our lives are lived in the light of the resurrection. We know there is hope - even in the darkest moments; we know that even when we journey to our own personal Calvaries Jesus is with us. We know that, at the end, we too will be raised, body and soul, into the new world, the new life that we long for.

For where Jesus has been we shall follow. Jesus is risen! Jesus transforms us! Jesus will come again and make all things new, all pain and tears will be transformed as this world is made new again in the light and power of the resurrection.

Amen.

This sermon was first preached in the Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester. Click here for further information.