Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Think for a second of a momentous event in your life, something to which you looked forward for a long time, something that once you got to that event you wondered what was the big deal.

Twenty years ago, at this very time of year, I was getting anxious. Twenty years ago, at this very time of year, I was just about two months away from my 21st birthday. You already know where I am going with this.

Twenty years ago, at this very time of the year, I already had my entire birthday planned out. First would come the obligatory serenade from my Grandmother, my Mom’s Mom, Charlotte Thorsen.

For as many years as I can remember, my birthday always began with a serenade from my Grandmother. Whether she was living with us and you’d get it face-to-face, live and unedited, or, during the era that she lived in her own home or when we grandkids had moved away from home, birthdays always began with Grandma serenading us by singing “Happy Birthday to You.” She’d then break forth into a exciting rendition of “I Love You, a bushel and a Peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.” As a child and, especially as a teenager, that was the worst part of each birthday, having to listen to Grandma. Those of you who heard my Grandmother sing here on earth know what I mean. Today, I wish my telephone would ring early on my birthday morning and could once more hear her singing.

But I digress.

Twenty years ago, at this very time of the year, I already had my 21st birthday planned out. Doesn’t every 20 year-old? First would come the obligatory serenade from my Grandmother. Then, after a couple of hours, just enough time so that no one would consider me a lush, I would drive to the local Lucky’s Supermarket, made famous by fellow Lutheran Stephanie Edwards, and purchase some beer. I imaged getting carded and proudly presenting my driver’s license. That evening we’d go out as a family – as we always do for birthdays – and I’d order my first legal drink.

That day finally came. I woke up and realized I was 21! I listened to Grandma’s singing. I got into my Dad’s 1974 Plymouth Fury. I drove to Lucky’s. I purchased two COLD 12-packs of Coors beer. Why? Because I could. And because that was my Dad’s favorite beer..

Back in the day when you couldn’t purchase Coors east of the Mighty Mississippi River, we, as a family, had taken a month-long summer vacation in our motorhome from Illinois to California and back. As we were on Interstate 80 in the great state of Iowa, heading toward home, we had to stop at the last Iowa town before crossing the Mississippi. Dad literally stockpiled the entire bathroom in our motorhome with Coors beer to carry home for himself and for family and friends.

But, again, I digress. I promise that will be the last time.

On my 21st birthday – 26 June 1989 – after the obligatory serenade from Grandma and my momentous trip to Lucky’s, during which I, by the way, did not get carded, I sat in my bedroom with my 24 cans of COLD Coors beer and I had to stop and think to myself, “Is that all there is to turning 21?” After months and months of anticipation and planning, actually turning 21 seemed like a big let-down.

Some of us here today might feel the same way. We’ve endured six weeks of Lent – Sunday services as well as Midweek Lenten services. We’ve celebrated on Palm Sunday. We walked with Jesus and remembered the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We prepared ourselves on Holy Saturday. We repeatedly and joyously said “Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!” just one week ago today. Then, we went home and probably more than one of us asked ourselves, “Is that all there is to Easter?” Maybe some of us have even mulled over that question all week long: “Is that all there is to Easter?”

Maybe that’s why today is traditionally called “Low Sunday.” Compared with worship attendance last Sunday, today’s worship centers around the world seem empty – and, most likely, they probably are, at least when compared with last Sunday. Many people are worn out. They’ve experienced the build-up and the anticipation. They’ve experienced the let-down and many people are today spending the morning in bed, asking themselves, “Is that all there is to Easter?”

That’s probably exactly what the first disciples were asking as well [John 20:19-31]. Besides their understandable fear of the Jews, who had just killed their Lord and Teacher and would probably soon be directing their attention to them, the first disciples were probably experiencing a let down. Jesus had repeatedly told them about His death. Jesus had repeatedly told them about His Resurrection back to life. But as those days actually came and went, the disciples had to ask themselves, “Is that all there is?”

Last Sunday, you might remember that I asked all of you to take a moment and write down on a colorful little Easter grass green piece of paper in your bulletin some of your “stones” in life that you wished Jesus would roll away. One of you called me this week. You shared with me what your stone was and you gave me permission to share your stone in this week’s sermon. At least one of you told me that your stone was the personal loss of excitement about your faith in your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s a stone. That’s a barrier. I assured you then – and I assure all of you now who may have also written down that specific thing as your stone – that there is indeed more to Easter than just going through the motions.

That’s exactly what St. John conveys to each of us in our Second Reading today. Listen again to St. John’s words, paraphrased by me: “What we have seen with our own eyes; what we have 1st hand experienced; what we have touched with our own hands, that is what we share with you today” [1 John 1:1]. I suggest to you today that Easter obtains its full meaning and purpose when we share that message that “Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed” with others.

Imagine for a second that you had all the riches in the entire world. Would you be happy, simply and solely knowing that you were personally “set for life” – and many of you are.

Maybe a better thing would be for each of you to ask that question to Warren Buffett or Bill and Melinda Gates. Those are people set for life, but how are they finding happiness? They have acquired more assets in life than they could ever spend, but that doesn’t bring happiness. That doesn’t bring security. That doesn’t bring satisfaction. What they are finding that brings true happiness, true security, true satisfaction in life is giving away as much as they can.

I would suggest to each of you that the same is true concerning our personal faith in Jesus Christ, that it is in giving it away that you find excitement, that you find happiness, that you find security and that you find satisfaction. And I speak very personally here.

I consider myself very close to the great majority of you. You can’t help that after almost 15 years together as pastor and people. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I hope that pride is mutual. Yet, I experience particularly personal pride in those of you I have been able to lead to faith or strengthen in your faith through trying times. I take great joy in those of you I have been privileged to baptize or confirm. When I look at each of you, I am reminded precisely of St. John’s words: “What I have seen with my own eyes; what I have experienced in my own life; what I have touched with my own hands, that is what I share with you.” And, if you can’t tell, that brings me great joy, both in ministry and in life. That must have been exactly what St. John discovered that prompted him to write our Second Reading today.

The purpose of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not to hide behind locked doors, to keep that information to ourselves, to hoard it as if we may not have enough for ourselves. The purpose of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, where the Resurrection finds its ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction is in giving that message away to others.

That’s what the disciples – including St. John – discovered when they broke out of that locked room and began to tell others what they had seen and experienced and touched. They discovered that their experience was not unique, that the Person Who had changed their lives could also change the lives of others, that the One Who
died and rose again to forgive their sins had also died and rose again to forgive the sins of others, that their Savior Who promised them power here on earth and eternal joy in Heaven had also made those promises to others. All that was necessary was getting that message out and then deriving the joy and satisfaction that action brought.

Don’t let Easter be one of those momentous occasions in your life that quickly fades with the question, “Is that all there is?” No, that’s not all there is. Capture the Easter joy of the first disciples by sharing with others what you have seen, what you have experienced and what your hands have touched, even Jesus Christ, your Lord.

Easter Joy is found in giving away your faith.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena