Simon Says ...

Acts 10.34-43 ; John 20.1-18 “We do not know there they have laid him”.   If the stories of Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection have anything in common, then one of the major common factors has to be that they are all surprises.   Mary is surprised by the gardener.   The eleven disciples are surprised to find Jesus inside a locked room.   The two walking to Emmaus are surprised by a biblical interpreted walking with them.   The eleven are again surprised as they go fishing in Galilee.   And St Paul is surprised (to say the least) by Jesus appearing on the road to Damascus.   Jesus turns up where he is not expected, and that seems to be common to all of the stories of his appearances. When Jesus turns up all kinds of things happen.   There is healing of people and relationships; forgiveness and the rebuilding of community; there are lives transformed by love; and hope and confidence is rekindled.   In the Go...

--> A sermon for Easter Day Song of Songs 3.2-5; 8.6-7; John 20.11-18 There is an episode of the cartoon series the Simpsons in which Homer becomes a missionary in the South Pacific.   In the course of this, he builds a chapel for the natives.   When it is finished, he stands back and admires what he has build.   “I may not know much about God,” he says, “but we built a pretty nice cage for him.”   As we mark Easter Day, and hear again the story of the empty tomb, we are reminded that we do not control God.   The empty tomb stands against all attempts to cage or to control God. We do not control God with our minds and our understanding.   The tomb was empty.   It has puzzled scholars and believers ever since.   Mary Magdalene, looking into the tomb, sees that the tomb is empty and doesn’t understand.   Some have looked to the empty tomb to provide proof that Jesus rose from the dead.   But the empty tomb is no k...