John 20:1-18

Easter Vigil | April 8, 2023 | Jh 20:1-18 | Brad Everett |

Easter Vigil reminds us that Jesus shows up. Not necessarily how, when or where we had expected, but he shows up.

The uncertainty of how, when and where is often a case of misunderstanding, or misplaced expectations. How many times did Jesus tell the disciples he’d rise on the third day? But when that day came, none of them were looking for a resurrected Lord. In fact, his absence from the tomb initially caused more consternation than celebration. Even the other disciple who ran with Peter to the tomb, who it says “…also went inside. He saw and believed” (v. 8), didn’t seem to have it figured out as the next verse explains how they still didn’t understand the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.

The last time any of those mentioned here saw Jesus, he was dead. They saw him raise Lazarus from dead, but who was going to raise Jesus? The notion of resurrection was fuzzy for them, let alone the logistics real and imagined to have such an event occur. But it wasn’t up to them to help Jesus in some fashion keep his promise but to simply be looking for it—even in as haphazard a manner as they did.

Thanks be to God, Jesus keeping his promise to rise on the third day wasn’t dependent on the disciples’ ability to understand or comprehend every detail. It didn’t require magic or some formula that needed to be followed. Rather, the disciples and Mary Magdalene were simply looking for him. No matter how misguided the how, when or where of their search might have initially been, they did know who it was they were looking for.

This waiting and watching, lingering and looking for Jesus is part of our life of faith. It’s not that Jesus isn’twith us, just that we fail to take notice of his presence—an aspect of our human frailty and limitations we sometimes forget. Just because Jesus isn’t present in the fashion we expected, doesn’t mean he has abandoned us or reneged on his promise.

 This passage calls us to look for Christ’s faithful, promised presence, because not even death can hold him. There are any number of things (death included) that may prevent us from fulfilling the various promises we make, no matter how much we may desire and strive otherwise. But none of those apply to Jesus because nothing can prevent him from keeping his promises to his beloved people. The promises made to you in your baptism—to never leave nor forsake you, of forgiveness, of eternal life—nothing can stop Jesus from keeping those promises. They may not be fulfilled as anticipated or expected. We may not even be able to envision what those promises kept might begin to look like—but as the disciples that first Easter, our efforts and understanding are not requirements enabling Christ to keep his word.

Jesus keeps his promises because he made them and he can do no other. Our waiting for him is never in vain—not even death can keep him from us.

Brad Everett

Ascension Lutheran Church

Calgary, AB Canada