Psalm 30: 1-5; Matthew 28: 1-15

This is the greatest day in the year for followers of Jesus Christ. Believe me, it is not Christmas. Without this day, there would be no Christmas! This year, the liturgical calendars of the Western and Eastern Churches coincide for Easter. Even more millions shout the glorious words: Cristos anestos - alosthos anestos; Christ is risen - Indeed!

I hope no one is here like one woman who showed up only at Easter. Indignant after church, she fumed at the pastor and gave herself away about her habits of attendance. She sputtered, "Why is it that when I come to church you only sing, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today!"? Some questions are best left unanswered. But I have two questions to ask you today. Your answers can make or break your Easter.

What did you come to see this day? What will you go and tell to others?

Believers are here. You know who you are! You know what to come and see. You are here, because you know that the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus is true. The cross- empty. The tomb - empty. Your life - once empty, now filled with Christ! Some time before, you welcomed Him into your life. He has worked in you, helped you, comforted and corrected you. It is like you received a new reality map for living your life- this map has a name: I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE! Jesus has become your new reality map EACH DAY! You KNOW: Christ lives! He lives in me!

Here might be one or two you might know who always come to church on Easter. It is what they always do. They are using the old reality map of life. They don’t really believe the story. They come, but they miss the joy. They judge all who come. Cynics. One such cynic, a 30-something father, tipped his hand about what Easter meant to him. "The music was bad. Singing was lousy. I barely stayed awake for the message." "But, Dad, you gotta admit," replied his young son, "it is a pretty good show for fifty cents!"

But sitting close to joyful believers and critical cynics, might be some honest seekers who come here today to see. They really want to know what this is all about. You see, their old reality maps to get through life aren’t working. Their worlds are crashing in upon them. They feel as low as the sky is high. They have no more answers. They need someone greater than they, who can solve their problems. Wounded believers are here, too. And sick believers. They need to re-find their new reality map.

Easter gives great opportunity for us who love our Lord, to point to the evidence in our Bible that convinces us: Jesus is alive! And He lives in us, too! This becomes our day, not only to come and see, but GO AND TELL. To anyone who is here for answers - to the seeker, the one who is wounded, to the one who wants faith for today - hope for tomorrow! COME AND SEE. Then, you might be ready to go and tell.

Go back to Friday. Roman soldiers whipped our Lord, opening up His back. Thorns plaited into a crown were jammed into His skull. Nails held Him to a cross, hands and feet. At the end, a soldier thrust his spear into His side, up into the heart where blood and watery fluid poured out. Dead! No doubt about it. If that were the end, the old reality map would still work: you are born, you live, you die, and that is it.

After Easter and Pentecost (Holy Spirit fills believers with power), we begin to see the true meaning of His death for us. He paid for all our sins that day. He was the Lamb of God for us and our sins. We deserve the cross, but receive His life as a gift, instead!

Move to the tomb. Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus mounts up quickly.

1- The feared power of Rome was ignored by the breaking of the Roman seal at the tomb.

2- Both Jews and the Romans admitted the tomb was empty.

3- A two-ton stone was somehow moved from the tomb entrance while guards were there.

4- A highly disciplined Roman guard fled their watch. They could have been put to death, but instead were bribed by the authorities to lie about what took place.

5- The undisturbed grave clothes no longer contained a body.

6- Paul wrote that Christ appeared to as many as 500 people in the course of His resurrection appearances.

7- Women, considered invalid witnesses, were named as the first to see the empty tomb and the risen Lord Jesus Christ. If the stories of the resurrection were made up, the writers certainly would not have included women. Especially as the first witnesses.

8- The Gospels were written during the time when the enemies of Jesus still lived. They could not produce a body. Their silence speaks as loudly: Christ is risen indeed!

1- Worship moves from the Sabbath to the First Day of the week, to remember that on the first day of the week, Jesus was raised.

2- Water baptism from the earliest moments always pictures a "death and resurrection" for the believer to follow the risen Christ.

3- The Lord’s Supper remembers the death of Christ, but anticipates His soon return.

4- Transformed lives of His followers are the surest signs that God raised His Son to life!

These people have something to say. And the world has never been the same!

Medical missionaries have gone and continue to go to some of the toughest places in the world. They build hospitals, clinics, train nationals, and preach Jesus our great doctor. Educators blaze trails into places where the languages are unwritten. They teach and train others. Linguists work with new believers to give the Bible in their own tongue, (2000 languages have the written word as of today). Technicians build houses, bridges, drill wells, teach better crop management. They build radio stations that preach Jesus Christ and give local information for the country.

That is just a sample of the many ways believers, who have Jesus and are filled with His Spirit do: they GO AND TELL WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN: CHRIST IS RISEN!

It is costly! These people face persecution, ostracism, and even death. But they believe their life small compared to His life writ large in them. Suffering for the love of Christ. Believers know how to die and how to live. Meet two of them. Be encouraged!

Sister Caroline came from a family of slaves. She knew what it meant to be pushed down in the world. But she knew Jesus. His grace and dignity moved through her to change her town, no matter their color. She died and a whole town wept. One man in poetry captured her great joy of meeting death.

Weep not, weep not, / She is not dead;/ She’s resting in the bosom of Jesus.

Heart-broken husband - weep no more; She’s only just gone home.

Day before yesterday morning, / God was looking down.../

Down on all His children, and His eye fell on Sister Caroline,

Tossing on her bed of pain,/ And God’s big heart was touched with pity./

And God called out to an angel, "Call me Death."/ The angel called/

It sounded like a clap of thunder, "Call Death!"/Death heard the call/ and came to God.

Go down, go down, Death, and find Sister Caroline,

She’s labored long in my vineyard and she’s tired.

Go down, Death, and bring her to me.

And Death didn’t say a word but went in an instant to Sister Caroline.

She saw what we couldn’t see/ She saw Old Death.

She saw Old Death coming like a falling star.

But Death didn’t frighten Sister Caroline;/He looked to her like a welcome friend.

And she whispered to us: I’m going home,/and she smiled and closed her eyes.

And Death took her up like a baby,/ And she lay in his icy arms,/

But she didn’t feel no chill./ And Death began to ride again -

On to the Great White Throne/ And there he laid Sister Caroline/

Weep not - weep not, / She is not dead;

She is resting in the bosom of Jesus. (Johnson, "Go Down, Death")

Death is conquered. We do not fear it anymore. So we live, because He lives in us!

A junior high boy taught his fellow campers how to live and go and tell.

"Everyone ought to be a counselor in a junior high camp at least once," said Tony the Counselor. "Their idea of fun is to pick on people." And they picked on Billy. He was slow walking - slower talking. His disease caused the others to pick on him, to mimic him behind his back. Tony was furious, but that did not seem to faze them. Then came the night when the cabin Billy stayed in was to give the devotion for the camp. Billy was chosen. And all were ready to laugh.

Billy struggled forward, each step seeming to bring giggles that rolled over the waiting campers. He finally made it to the front. It took five minutes for him to say seven words: "Jesus .. loves .. me .. and .. I .. love .. Jesus."

When he finished - dead silence. Then bawling and sobbing from boys all over the room. Revival broke out that night. In later years, Tony the Counselor encountered ministers and missionaries: "Remember me? I was converted at that junior high camp!" The power of the resurrection came in the simple words: I love Jesus and Jesus loves me. Those words still change lives and bring a new way to live! All the way to heaven!

Come and see - the evidence. The cross and tomb are empty. See those who were changed. They are filled with the love of Jesus Christ. See a world being touched for God and good. Only God can convince you. If He has, welcome Him to your life. Make Easter the greatest day of your life! Then you can join all of us and shout: