LUKE 24:1-12 | THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD

THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD

LUKE 24:1-12

MARCH 27, 2016

BACK AROUND THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER I WAS TALKING WITH A 30-SOMETHING YEAR-OLD WOMAN ABOUT AN EVENT THAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE IN A PARK IN THE ORLANDO AREA AROUND HALLOWEEN.

IT WAS SOME SORT OF ZOMBIE GATHERING, NOT UNLIKE OUR OWN ZOMBIE BIKE RIDE HERE IN KEY WEST AROUND THE SAME TIME OF THE YEAR.

WHAT MADE MY CONVERSATION WITH THIS WOMAN KIND OF INTERESTING WAS THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY WAS SHE AND HER FAMILY PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE – DRESSING UP LIKE ZOMBIES AND ATTENDING THE EVENT;

BUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS OCCURRING IN A PARK THAT HAD BEEN A FAVORITE OF HER LATE BROTHER, A ZOMBIE ENTHUSIAST, WHO, AS IT TURNED OUT, HAD ASKED THAT SOME HIS ASHES BE SPREAD IN THAT VERY PARK.

SHE SAW IT AS SOMETHING OF A SIGN FROM THE BEYOND – A ZOMBIE EVENT – THE LIVING DEAD – SOMETHING HER BROTHER LOVED, TAKING PLACE IN A PARK HE FREQUENTED, AND WHERE SOME OF HIS ASHES HAD BEEN SPREAD.

SHE WOULD PARTICIPATE – SHE TOLD ME – TO HONOR HIS MEMORY.

NOW THIS MAY SOUND SORT OF STRANGE TO SOME OF US;

AND IS, IN FACT, A RATHER STRANGE WAY FOR ME TO BEGIN A SERMON, ON EASTER OF ALL DAYS – BUT IT SPEAKS TO OUR FASCINATION, EVEN TODAY, WITH THE LIVING DEAD;

OF THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD – THE VERY QUESTION THE ANGELS POSED TO THE WOMEN IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THE MORNING: “WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?”

DESPITE ALL OF OUR POST-ENLIGHTENMENT, POST-INDUSTRIAL, POST-SCIENTIFIC, POST-MODERN THINKING, THE FACT IS, THERE IS STILL A FASCINATION AMONG PEOPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE.

WITNESS THE NUMEROUS BOOKS AND MOVIES BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPOSEDLY HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES ONLY TO RETURN TO TELL ABOUT THEM.

THERE ARE TELEVISION PROGRAMS LIKE “TOUCHED BY AND ANGEL,” AND “THE GHOST-WHISPERER,” TELLING STORIES ABOUT THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH EACH OTHER AND THE BEYOND.

MOVIES LIKE “CITY OF ANGELS,” “ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD,” EVEN THE “TWILIGHT” SERIES OF MOVIES ARE ABOUT THE CONNECTION OF THE LIVING WITH THE LIVING DEAD IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

AND THIS DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE RELIGIOUS FILMS AND PROGRAMS OR THE LIGHTHEARTED COMEDIC FILMS AND PROGRAMS ABOUT THOSE IN THIS LIFE RELATING TO THOSE IN THE LIFE TO COME.

THE TRUTH IS, WE ARE FASCINATED BY LIFE AND DEATH AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS?  WHAT’S IT LIKE?  WHERE IS IT?  DO PEOPLE SOMETIMES LINGER HERE, BEFORE GOING THERE?

ARE SOULS RECYCLED?  REPURPOSED?  REINCARNATED?  RESURRECTED?

WHERE’S HEAVEN?  AND WHAT ABOUT HELL?  WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?  DO THEY EVEN EXIST?  WHO GOES WHERE?

WHAT DO CHRISTIANS, JEWS, MUSLIMS, AND PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS BELIEVE ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH?  AND WHAT OF THOSE WHO HAVE LITTLE OR NO FAITH, DO THEY THINK THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST THIS?

WILL WE RECOGNIZE OUR LOVED ONES?  WILL THEY BE WAITING THERE TO WELCOME US IN?  DO ALL DOGS (AND CATS) REALLY GO TO HEAVEN?  AND WHAT ABOUT LIZARDS?

WHAT ABOUT THE DYING – THEIR DREAMS, THEIR VISIONS, THEIR SEEING PEOPLE OR PLACES OR THINGS FROM THE BEYOND DURING THE DYING PROCESS?

WHAT ARE WE TO BELIEVE ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES, ONLY TO COME BACK TO TELL US ABOUT THEM?

THE QUESTIONS THEMSELVES ARE ALMOST ENDLESS, NOT TO MENTION THE WIDE ARRAY OF ANSWERS.

CAN WE LEARN ANYTHING FROM JESUS’ RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, HIS APPEARANCES TO HIS FOLLOWERS, AND HIS BODILY ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN?

DO ANY OF THESE THINGS SPEAK TO WHAT OUR EXPERIENCES WILL BE?  WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US WHEN WE DIE?  WHEN THOSE WE LOVE DIE?

WHILE I HAVE CERTAINLY PREACHED ON THESE MATTERS IN THE PAST, AND WILL LIKELY DO SO AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, THIS MORNING I WANT US TO FOCUS ON THE ANGEL’S QUESTION;

WHICH, BY THE WAY, RATHER THAN ALLOWING THE WOMEN TO ANSWER, THE ANGELS ANSWER THEMSELVES.

QUESTION:  WHY DO YOU LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?

ANSWER: HE IS NOT HERE, BUT HAS RISEN.

THEN THE ANGELS GO ON TO REMIND THE WOMEN THAT JESUS HAD PREDICTED ALL OF THIS; AND REMEMBERING THIS TO BE TRUE, THE WOMEN RUN OFF TO TELL THE ELEVEN REMAINING DISCIPLES, AND THE REST.

UPON HEARING THE WOMEN’S CLAIMS THAT THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THAT JESUS HAS RISEN JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD, JESUS’ FOLLOWERS FIND THE WOMEN’S STORY, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE TELLS US, “TO BE AN IDLE TALE, NOT TO BE BELIEVED.”

STILL, LUKE ALSO TELLS US THAT PETER RUNS TO THE TOMB TO CHECK THINGS OUT FOR HIMSELF, AND FINDING IT JUST AS THE WOMEN HAD DESCRIBED, HE TOO WALKS AWAY UTTERLY AMAZED BY WHAT HE’S SEEN, OR NOT SEEN, AS THE CASE MAY BE.

YOU SEE – THEY WERE NO DIFFERENT THAN WE; AND WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THEY.

TALES OF LIFE AFTER DEATH; OF DYING AND RISING FROM THE GRAVE; OF LIVING FOREVER, THEY MAY SEEM LIKE IDLE TALES TO US AS WELL; NOT TO BE BELIEVED.

AND EVEN BELIEVING IT; EVEN IF WE TAKE IT AT FACE VALUE, IT DOESN’T MEAN WE DON’T STILL HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WHO, AND THE HOW, AND THE WHAT, AND THE WHERE, OF IT ALL.

EVEN IF WE BELIEVE – BELIEVE AS CHRISTIANS – ALL THAT OUR FAITH HAS TAUGHT US – MANY OF US STILL HAVE PLENTY OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT THE ANGEL’S ANSWER STILL DOESN’T APPLY; AS WELL AS AN ANSWER JESUS HIMSELF ONCE GAVE.

FIRST THE ANGELS’ ANSWER: WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?  HE IS NOT HERE, HE IS RISEN.

PLAIN AND SIMPLE – IT JUST IS – BELIEVE IT OR NOT – WHETHER WE CAN EXPLAIN IT OR NOT – WHETHER WE CAN ANSWER ALL OF THE UNANSWERABLE QUESTIONS OR NOT;

AND THEY WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNANSWERED FOR THE MOST PART, AT LEAST THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN; LIFE AFTER LIFE JUST IS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

AND EVEN IF WE COULD ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS, IT STILL WOULDN’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT IS UP TO US WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE AND ACCEPT.

SO WHY NOT JUST START WITH THAT – WHY NOT JUST BELIEVE AND ACCEPT THAT THERE IS LIVING, AND THERE IS DYING, AND THERE IS LIVING AGAIN;

AND THAT THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE AGAIN ARE NO LONGER TO BE FOUND AMONG THE DEAD, BUT AMONG THE LIVING.

THE OTHER ANSWER OF WHICH I SPOKE, COMES FROM JESUS HIMSELF;

FROM THAT TIME WHEN HE CALLED A MAN TO FOLLOW HIM; A MAN WHOSE OWN FATHER HAD DIED; WHO THEN ASKS JESUS IF HE CAN GO HOME TO BURY HIS FATHER, AND THEN RETURN TO FOLLOW JESUS.

YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT JESUS, IN A VERY-UNLIKE-JESUS-WAY TOLD THE MAN TO “LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD, BUT AS FOR YOU, FOLLOW ME.”

THERE IS NO INDICATION FROM THE PASSAGE AS TO EXACTLY WHAT THE MAN DECIDED TO DO; NO RECORD OF WHETHER HE FOLLOWED AFTER JESUS RIGHT THEN AND THERE; OR WENT HOME TO BURY HIS FATHER; OR RETURNED LATER TO FOLLOW JESUS.

BUT ONCE MORE, JESUS IS PRETTY CLEAR, AND WE ARE TOLD IN SO MANY WORDS, THAT THE LIVING DON’T HANG OUT WITH THE DEAD, AND VICE VERSA;

AND THAT IT’S BETTER TO GET ON WITH LIVING, RATHER THAN DWELLING IN THE PAST; DWELLING WITH WHAT IS DEAD AND GONE.

TO THAT END, LET ME READ YOU A POEM THAT I SOMETIMES USE AS A PART OF MEMORIAL SERVICES, WHAT I PREFER TO CALL: WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION SERVICES.

AND WHILE THE GENDER HERE SPEAKS OF “SHE” WE COULD JUST AS EASILY PLUG IN A “HE”.

SHE IS GONE

YOU CAN SHED TEARS THAT SHE IS GONE

OR YOU CAN SMILE BECAUSE SHE HAS LIVED.

YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PRAY THAT SHE’LL COME BACK

OR YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE ALL SHE’S LEFT.

YOUR HEART CAN BE EMPTY BECAUSE YOU CAN’T SEE HER

OR YOU CAN BE FULL OF THE LOVE YOU SHARED.

YOU CAN TURN YOUR BACK ON TOMORROW AND LIVE YESTERDAY

OR YOU CAN BE HAPPY FOR TOMORROW BECAUSE OF YESTERDAY.

YOU CAN REMEMBER HER AND ONLY THAT SHE’S GONE

OR YOU CAN CHERISH HER MEMORY AND LET IT LIVE ON.

YOU CAN CRY AND CLOSE YOUR MIND,

BE EMPTY AND TURN YOUR BACK

OR YOU CAN DO WHAT SHE’D WANT:

SMILE, OPEN YOUR EYES, LOVE AND GO ON.

PLEASE NOTICE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT FORGETTING AND MOVING ON, IT IS ABOUT REMEMBERING, LOVING, MOVING FORWARD, AND LIVING ON.

IT IS ABOUT MOVING INTO THE FUTURE BY CHERISHING THE PAST;

IT IS ABOUT LIVING IN THE PRESENT, AND BELIEVING, AS SCRIPTURE SAYS, THAT “WHETHER WE LIVE, OR WHETHER WE DIE, WE ARE THE LORD’S.”

DON’T YOU SEE – WITH GOD – IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD – THERE IS NO DEATH;

OR IF THERE IS, IT IS ONLY THAT SPLIT SECOND, LESS THAN A SECOND REALLY, BETWEEN THIS LIFE AND THE LIFE TO COME.

IT IS NOT LIFE AND DEATH, IT IS LIFE AND LIFE.

IT IS LIFE, LIFE ABUNDANT, LIFE ETERNAL.

WHY DO WE LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?  THEY ARE NOT HERE, FOR THEY HAVE RISEN!

IN WORDS VARIOUSLY ATTRIBUTED TO EITHER SAINT AUGUSTINE OR TO A 19^TH CENTURY PRIEST BY THE NAME OF HENRY SCOTT-HOLLAND:

LOVE NEVER DISAPPEARS FOR DEATH IS A NON-EVENT

I HAVE MERELY RETIRED TO THE ROOM NEXT DOOR.

YOU AND I ARE THE SAME: WHAT WE WERE FOR EACH OTHER, WE STILL ARE.

SPEAK TO ME AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE, DO NOT USE A DIFFERENT TONE,

DO NOT BE SAD.

CONTINUE TO LAUGH AT WHAT MADE US LAUGH.

SMILE AND THINK OF ME.

LIFE MEANS WHAT IT HAS ALWAYS MEANT.

THE LINK IS NOT SEVERED.

WHY SHOULD I BE OUT OF YOUR SOUL IF I AM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT?

… JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PATH.

YOU SEE, ALL IS WELL.

ONE NIGHT, AS PART OF OUR LENTEN BIBLE STUDY THIS YEAR, ELDER ROBERT CINTRON SHARED A VIDEO CLIP WITH US.

IT WAS OF THE OKLAHOMA THUNDER’S ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH MONTY WILLIAMS WHOSE WIFE ELAINE WAS KILLED WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO HER CAR, KILLING THEM BOTH.

WHEN HE SPOKE AT HIS WIFE’S MEMORIAL SERVICE MONTY WILLIAMS SAID HE DID NOT LOSE HIS WIFE; THAT TO LOSE SOMETHING IS TO NOT BE ABLE TO FIND IT.

“I DID NOT LOSE HER,” HE EXPLAINED, “I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE SHE IS;

SHE IS IN HEAVEN;

AND SHE IS IN MY HEART, AND IN THE HEARTS OF ALL WHO LOVED HER.”

THE LIVING AMONG THE LIVING – THIS IS THE MIRACLE OF EASTER!