Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I’m Jemima L. Yeggs, a.k.a. Stinker.  Pink Lady Apple Yeggs, my landlady and my auntie, wants to read about how younger people, especially couples respond to what the Bible says.  And she wants to know how God is at work at Lily the Pink.

B.B. and I were in our “green room.”

B.B. said, “Stinker, He is risen.”

I replied, “He is risen indeed.”

B.B. said, “I love it.  We get to talk about a risen Savior.”

I laughed, “B.B., we are always talking about a risen Savior.”

B.B. said, “I know, but we are talking about the rising part today.”

I asked, “What about you, Fireball?”

A familiar voice from the restroom door, “What about what?”

B.B. laughed, “Arabella, we were talking about our topic today.  We are talking about Jesus rising from the dead.”

Arabella shrugged, “Yeah, and we get to look for Easter Eggs this afternoon.”

I snickered, “Arabella, the Easter Egg hunt is for the little children.”

Arabella replied, “Yeah, little children who cannot find their own nose.  I am volunteering my services as a helper.”

B.B. said, “And who will you be helping?”

Arabella shrugged, “Whoever is way behind.  There will always be that kid that does not find anything and then starts to cry.  I volunteer to help to see that smile on that child’s face, but also to save my ears from the crying.”

She opened the door, and we went to the den.

Rev. Joseph was at church.  Emmett was there too.  Some of our class had just gotten back from the sunrise service, just to turn around and go back to church again after our lesson.  But on Easter, the early service had the full orchestra, and all associate ministers on duty.

B.B. led us in prayer.  She read something that her husband had written just for the occasion.

Darrell played the guitar.  Mike played the tubulum. They, and a sparse choir, sang Thine is the Glory.

I said, “Wow, Darrell, I have heard that hymn a lot, but not with a guitar.  That was great.”

Darrell said, “I sang it in our little church in Florida.  It kinda sums up our reason for celebrating Easter.”

Samuel asked, “Where are we searching for Jesus today, Aunt Jemima?”

I smiled, “We are talking about the resurrection of Jesus.  We will get back to Job next week.  Arabella, do you need Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella nodded her head, “Yes, Aunt Jemima, why is it called Easter?”

Without opening his eyes, Easy said, “The name ‘Easter’ is up for debate.  My name being Easter is that I was born on Easter Sunday, and my birthday will not be on Easter again for another forty years.  Passover is a date on the Hebrew calendar.  Thus, the lunar cycle determines when Passover, and thus, Easter, is.  My birthday, being on Easter, is interesting, but the name Easter has some background in pagan worship, in a backhanded kind of way.  A monk noted that the Resurrection Day occurred in the month of ‘Eostremonath’ or the month when the celebration of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre was celebrated.”

Arabella moaned, “Just like Christmas?  Is there any name for something in Christianity celebrations that did not have some kind of pagan origin?”

I asked, “Arabella, in what month were you born?”

Arabella smiled, “July!”

I asked, “Fireball, do you bow down to a statue of Julius Caesar?  July gets its name from him.  Any March babies?”  Thomas ver Waarloosd and Sophia Yeggs raised their hands.  I asked, “Do you worship the god of war, Mars, where March gets its name?  Now April?”  Easy and Joseline Johnson raised their hands. “Yes, dear, your birthday is not on Easter, but it is during the week after.  Do you or Jos worship Aphrodite?  Of course, some people think April comes from the Latin ‘to open’ as in flowers with buds that open in April, but Janus is the god of beginnings, thus January.  Why was June the month to get married for a long time?  Juno was the goddess of marriage and childbirth.  Our calendar was established by the Romans, so expect some Roman mythology in the names of the months.  Germanic mythology would affect the names of the months in Germany.  We do not worship the months of the year or the mythological god the month might be named after.”

Menzie asked, “What about September when I was born?  Those last four months end in ‘B-E-R.’”

I laughed, “Okay, before they settled on the present calendar, March was the beginning of the year.  The idea of ‘Beware the Ides of March’ meant beware the date where the new year was starting and the festival before the Spring Equinox.  Thus, September was the seventh month.  October the eighth.  Everyone was used to calling those months by their numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10, so why change when January became the beginning of the Julian calendar?”

Easy sighed, “Can I finish?”  I said he could and patted his arm. “Good, another idea is that from Old High German the word ‘Oestern’ – Easter in English – had it’s roots in the ‘dawn’.  The empty tomb was discovered about dawn.  We anticipate the return of Jesus in the East.  Thus, from that origin story, East and Easter come from the same root.  I guess you have the month or the dawn, and you can pick which one you want.  But Jochebed, what is Easter in French?”

Jochebed said, “Pâques“

Easy nodded, “Thus, Easter in French has the same root word as Passover.  The Romance languages went in that direction.  But my name is Easter.  If I shrunk from people growing up, I would have been beaten up a lot more.  I learned the origin of the word, and I proudly say my name.  And somehow, the bullies back off.”

Arabella shrunk her head between her shoulders, “Thank you, Mr. Dictionary.  I meant no offense.”

Easy, with his eyes still closed, “I took no offense.  On this special day when we celebrate Resurrection Day.  In Spanish they add that to Passover. ‘Pascua de Resurrección.’  I enjoy telling the story of the etymology of my name.”

Penny (Matthew 28:2-4) “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.”

Penny said, ”There is an earthquake and an angel.  The angel rolled the stone away.  So, are you saying this started the events?”

I smiled, “Penny, I suppose you read the Scriptures in order.  The journey we are taking today is a chronological series that makes some sense out of the resurrection stories.  This is where eyewitness accounts start sounding strange.  After all, you start with intense grief, followed by joy, and somewhere in there you have confusion, disbelief, hope, fear.  All kinds of emotions that play tricks on your mind and your memory.  Yes, we will get to the women being afraid that the stone would prevent them from anointing the body with spices.  But is this the first thing that happens?  Where was Jesus at the time?”

Blake (Mark 16:1-8) “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”’
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”

Blake said, “I’m glad you asked me to read this.  I had so many questions.  I had to write them down.  Which James is Mary the mother of?  Who is Salome?  I’m sure it ain’t the girl that danced and wanted the head of John the Baptist. This covers the women worrying about the stone.  I suppose the man in white is really an angel.  Since Peter was a disciple, why tell them to pass the word to the disciples and Peter?  Why tell them to go to Galilee when Jesus shows Himself in the Upper Room?  And if the women never said nothing, why bother mentioning it?”

I smiled, “You really want to put me to work!  First, no one knows for sure who Salome was, but since Matthew mentions the mother of James and John at the crucifixion, they assume Salome is the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John.  That leaves Mary, mother of James, to be James Thaddeus, one of the twelve disciples.  Sometimes he is called James the lesser or the less to distinguish him from James, son of Zebedee.  We can assume the man in white is an angel.  They eventually go to Galilee and Jesus meets them on the shore when some of them go fishing.  That is in John 21.  And it is not in the canonized Scriptures, but in the Talmud and other places, it was written that a woman’s testimony could not be relied upon.  It was the culture of the day, but not prescribed in Scripture.  Paul talks about women not speaking during the worship service, but that was the quell the disruptions.  Paul praises women who are in active ministry. ‘I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.’ (Romans 16:1-4).  Paul mentions Phoebe and then he mentions Priscilla before mentioning Aquila.  But these women were afraid to speak.  They thought they would be dismissed as seeing things.  But at least with Mary Magdalene, that changed.”

Blake said, “You forgot about Peter.”

I gasped, “Yes, you wrote everything down, and I did not.  Peter denied Jesus three times.  He was ashamed.  You know the saying about the bigger they are, the harder they fall.  Well, Peter was always the loudmouth.  He was the spokesman for the disciples.  Yes, the others spoke and the Gospel of John gives credit to other disciples for having a voice, but Peter was probably a profound extrovert.  Talking without his brain in gear.  We would not know anyone like that in this class.”

Arabella said, “Don’t look at me.”  Wilma followed, “Me, either.”

I continued, “So, Peter had his mind on fishing.  Why would Jesus trust Peter to do anything else?  The drama along the shore of the Sea of Galilee re-establishes Peter.  But at this point, the disciples are hiding, and Peter was probably quietly sitting in the corner of the room.”

Fred (Luke 24:9-12) “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.”

Fred said, “This has the women returning, and Mary Magdalene seems to be the spokeswoman.”

Wilma (John 20:1-10) “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.”

Wilma said, “I always thought it was funny that only John believed at that point.  But here we go again, another person that we don’t know.  Who was Joanna?”

I said, “Joanna was the wife of Chuza, the steward for King Herod Antipas.  She had followed Jesus ever since Jesus healed her, and she was a woman with means.  She often offered what she could to keep the ministry going.  But the two disciples were not the only ones who went back to the tomb.”

Menzie (John 20:40) “Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:  ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Menzie said, “Okay, Mary Magdalene is with the other women.  They get around to telling the disciples about the empty tomb.  Then, she follows Peter and John back to the empty tomb and she sees Jesus.  So, the women discover the empty tomb.  Then Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene alone.  When do the other women see Jesus?”

I suggested, “We are getting there, but some scholars think Jesus appeared to Peter.  They are trying to account for what Paul said. ‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.’ (1 Corinthians 15:3-5).  It seems that Jesus revealed these details to Paul.  It could have been common knowledge, but it did not get into any of the Gospels.  And now…”

Samuel (Matthew 28:8-10) “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’”

Samuel said, “Okay, so what Blake read about the angel.  If Mary Magdalene ran ahead and told the disciples, the other women could have cowered behind a rock until after Jesus showed Himself to Mary Magdalene.  So, now Jesus repeats what the angel said about going to Galilee.”

I said, “Errr.  My bad.  Maybe those verses belonged just before yours, but you did a good job of tying their fear into them hesitating.”

Blaise (Luke 24:13-32) “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’
“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke It and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’”

Blaise said, “This is the story of the two men on the road to Emmaus.  And then the two men go back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples.  But we still have not gotten to the disciples as a whole.”

Marguerite (Luke 24:36-49) “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Margie said, “Both Blaise and I got the mouthful passages.  Are you picking on us, Aunt Jemima?”

I replied, “Why would I do that?  Besides, the two of you have perfect scores in all your courses since you started high school.  I trusted that you could handle a passage longer than a few verses.  But what about your passage?  Who was missing?”

Margie shrugged, “How would I know?  The men from Emmaus came back and talked to the disciples and Jesus showed up.  There could have been any number of people there.”

I snickered, “I did not ask who was there.  I asked who was the one missing?”

Easy grunted, “Yeah, and he doubted the whole story when he got back.”

Margie blinked a few times, “Oh!  Thomas was not there, and Jesus returned after Thomas said that he would not believe unless he touched the wounds of Jesus.  But here is one question for you.  What is the Scripture that speaks of Jesus suffering, dying, and rising on the third day?”

I snickered, “Sorry!  Out of time this week.  Marguerite, that might take an entire class. … Oh!  I see steam coming out your ears.  Okay, for the three days part: ‘After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence’ (Hosea 6:2).  And as for Jesus being at the right hand of the Father:  ‘The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath’ (Psalm 110:5).”

Aunt Pink said, “I have an announcement.”

I jumped out of my skin, “Aunt Pink!  Do not sneak up on me like that!”

Aunt Pink laughed, “Everyone should return after their worship service, sometime between noon and 12:30.  I am having a big dinner in the conference center.  It’s a surprise birthday party for someone in this room who was born on Easter.”

Easy groaned, “Aunt Pink, I am right here, and my birthday is at the end of the week.  And you announced the party with me sitting here.  How can it be a surprise?”

Aunt Pink said, ‘How better to surprise you than to not have it on your birthday?  Your parents and your wife can have whatever kind of birthday party for you on your actual birthday, but I cleared it with your mother.  We will have a nice meal, a birthday party, and then an Easter Egg hunt for all the preschool children.  Kindergarten through fifth grade will have a party with games and such.”

Lauren ran over and gave Aunt Pink a hug around her legs.  “Will the birthday party have cake and ice cream?”

Aunt Pink leaned down, “Of course, Lauren, plenty for everybody.”

Lauren turned to the other children, “Cake and ice cream for everybody!”  The other children started jumping up and down, except Stormie.  She ran everywhere now, but jumping up and down was dangerous.

I smiled. “So, other than my goof of reading too much of Mark 16 too early, that was a pretty good flow of the events that first Easter morning.  He is risen.”

And everyone replied, “He is risen, indeed!”

Grannie Fannie (Galatians 6:18) “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.”

Lauren ran up to Grannie Fannie and hugged her.  “Are you ready to drive us?”

Brooke picked up Stormie and strapped her into the carrier.

Credits

Here is Thine is the Glory sung by Spring Harvest.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.