LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

HUMANN: TWO EASTER HOMILIES 93
Death, not life, was obviously in charge and would have the last word. If
Jesus were the Christ of God, then quite evidently, God was defeated.
But Easter shouts, “No way!” “The right hand of the Lord is lifted
high.” Jesus lives! Death is not in charge. “The Lord’s right hand has done
mighty things!” God is at work and nothing can keep Him from
accomplishing His purposes of love and redemption.
That’s why we hear “shouts of joy and victory.” Jesus Christ was no
solitary soldier striving and succeeding for Himself alone. True, the battle
was single-handed, but the victory is shared. Sin, death, devil—defeated!
For us. His victory is our victory; the Lord’s Day, our victory day.
This is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord’s Day is a day of vindication. Easter assures us that our
trust in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ has not been misplaced.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone.
The Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes. (vv. 22, 23)
For three years Jesus had been scrutinised and evaluated. His
contemporaries observed His works, listened to His words, sat in judgement
and rejected Him. He was not relevant or suited to their purposes.
But note, it was the self-sufficient, self-confident, self-satisfied scribes
and Pharisees who would have none of Him, not the simple folk, the sinners,
the despised, the little people, the downcast and drifters—they all accepted
Him joyfully and gladly. They came to Him for help and healing. They
came for forgiveness and life. Jesus was the primary building block in their
lives, and His death called it all into question. But He rose again. Their faith
was vindicated. The stone the builders had rejected become the capstone of
the new building of God.
There are many “builders” in the world today who have no room for
Jesus. “Outdated”, “irrelevant”, “unnecessary”, “irrational”—are all terms
they might use. And they would make us feel naïve and ridiculous for
centring our faith and devotion in a crucified Jew.
The resurrection assures us that our faith is not misplaced but is right
where it ought to be. Our God may not have acted the way many think He
ought to have. He may not allow Himself to be squeezed and fitted into our
petty scheme of things. But the tomb is empty! That’s the point. It’s God’s
doing. It’s what gives our faith validity; our faith is not in vain. Our hope for
forgiveness, acceptance, life, is a living hope because Jesus lives!
Remember these things each Sunday, the first day of the week, the
memorial of the resurrection. This is the day the Lord has made, a day of
victory and a day of vindication—the Lord’s Day. Rejoice and be glad in it.