It Was Friday. Now It's Sunday. The Sunday

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

The thing about Easter sermons is that if you've heard one, chances are you've heard them all. As the saying goes, there's nothing that can be said that hasn't already been said before. I have heard some wonderful Easter sermons over the years and I am not ashamed that this sermon today was inspired by a sermon delivered several years ago, one that my former pastor borrowed one Sunday morning, titled, “It's Friday.” When you get home, take a moment and Google the sermon, and then you can email me and tell me how better this one was. Or that one.

The beauty about Easter is that it is really the one time of the year that you can get away with preaching the same sermon. There is beauty in something like that. Then again there's a danger in that as well. What starts off as a good thing: one could fuller enjoy the Holy Week; it slowly becomes a bad thing: the congregation is mouthing the words to the sermon. Eventually it all becomes mundane and the beauty of the day gets lost because this isn't just any Sunday.

It's the Sunday.

Today is the day we are supposed to be in awe at what took place 'cause it's Easter Sunday!

It ain't Friday.

On Friday, Jesus hung on the cross. On Friday, Jesus died and was buried in a tomb. On Friday, the disciples were gone, hidden, afraid. On Friday hope was lost. That was Friday.

Then Sunday came. The women are making their way to the tomb. They are carrying their perfume and spice bottles. They arrive at the tomb expecting the mundane. They forgot it's Sunday and the stone was rolled away. It's Sunday and they are greeted by two men in dazzling robes. They were terrified and bowed low to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? It was Friday when the Lord went into the tomb but today is Sunday and he is not here, he has risen!”

They remembered Friday. They remembered the betrayal, the desertion, the fear, the anguish. They remembered Friday. They remembered the beating, the death, and the burial. They forgot Sunday was coming. They forgot what he said, “It's Friday and I'll be dead; but Sunday's coming and I will rise again.” It's Sunday and they remembered.

It's Sunday and they ran from the empty tomb. It's Sunday and the women are proclaiming to the eleven, “We have seen the Lord!” It's Sunday and the men do not believe them because they forgot it's Sunday. Their words are nonsense to them because it was still Friday to them, and men can be idiots when they think it's Friday.

It's Sunday and Peter run to the tomb. It was Friday when he denied knowing Jesus. It was Sunday when he stooped and looked inside to see linen cloths in an empty tomb. It was Friday when he went out into the courtyard weeping bitterly. It's Sunday and Peter heads home, amazed at what had happened.

It's Sunday and the Lord has risen. It's Sunday and everything has changed. It's Sunday and the hymns are louder and livelier. It's the Sunday and the kingdom of heaven is being ushered in. It ain't Friday.

It was Friday and Jesus was crucified. That was Friday. Now it's Sunday and Jesus is alive! We're no longer ordinary people in ordinary place. That was Friday. Today is Sunday and we are celebrating. Friday we belonged to the devil. That was Friday. Today is Sunday and we are God's people.

It was Monday when we walked into our places of work. It was Monday when our bosses start complaining. It was Monday when the sequester kept sequestering. It was Monday and Garfield's not happy. It was Monday. Sunday's coming.

It was Tuesday when the doctors called with the bad news. It was Tuesday when we gather around and laid a friend to rest. It was Tuesday when the car broke down. It was Tuesday. Sunday's coming.

It was Wednesday when our spouse left. It was Wednesday when our parents were stricken to the bed. It was Wednesday when we finally put down the bottle. It was Wednesday when we begged for the weekend to get here. It was Wednesday. Sunday's coming.

It was Thursday when the overdue mortgage notice came. It was Thursday and the pastor got the time wrong for the Maundy Thursday service. It was Thursday and a freak snow storm hit. It was Thursday when the power went out. It was Thursday. But Sunday's coming.

It was Friday when school let out. It was Friday when the bus crashed. It was Friday when our neighbor's house caught fire. It was Friday when the dog got lost. It was Friday when we realized we were out of clean underwear. It was Friday when our child has his tonsils removed. It was Friday when the baby refused to sleep. It was Friday. But Sunday's coming.

It was Saturday when we looked at our honey-do list. It was Saturday when mom made us clean our rooms. It was Saturday when the kids refused to get out of bed. It was Saturday when we ran out of groceries. It was Saturday when we called the local church looking for food. It was Saturday when we ran out of gas on the side of the road. It was Saturday. Sunday's coming.

It's Sunday and our brothers and sisters in Christ are lifting one another up. It's Sunday and our church is bringing over some ice cream for our sore throat. It's Sunday and the church is feeding us. It's Sunday and our tank is being refilled. It's Sunday and a deacon is repairing the broken car. It's Sunday and we are being comforted. It's Sunday and the snow has melted. It's Sunday and the power's back on. It's Sunday and the church is providing shelter. It's Sunday and our church is singing. It's Sunday and we are alive. It's Sunday and the cross stands used. It's Sunday and the tomb is bare like ol Mother Huber's cupboard. It's Sunday and the kingdom of heaven has come. It's Sunday and Christ has risen!

It was Friday but now, now it's Sunday! Hallelujah!

It was Friday but now it's Sunday! Praise God almighty, Sunday's a coming! Amen and Amen.