Sermon for Easter Day 2025: Born to Live

Easter Day: Born to Live

Jeremiah 31:1-6; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18

The Reverend Paul D. Allick, Church of the Advent, April 20, 2025

Years ago, I read about the oldest living man. Walter Breuning, a

retired railroad clerk from Great Falls, MT. He was 114 years old.

As is the case in these feature stories, the reporter asked him about

the secret to his longevity. He gave this advice: embrace change

even when it slaps you in the face, eat just two meals a day, it’s all

you really need, work as long as you can, and help others.

Then Mr. Breuning added this: “never be afraid to die. Because you

were born to die.”

I think there is wisdom in that thought but as a disciple Jesus Christ I

disagree. I think we were born to live, not to die.

In Jesus Christ we find eternal life. To God 114 years must be like the

most minuscule fraction of a second, if that much!

Today of all days, we proclaim this Good News: there is a way out of

death not physical death but spiritual, eternal death.

As Christians we believe that life for the departed has changed not

ended. When our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a

dwelling place in eternity. (BCP, p. 382)

When our bodies expire, our souls make the journey into heaven, the

eternal kingdom which we got little glimpses of on this earth as we

followed Christ, meditated on the Holy Scriptures, and received the

Blessed Sacrament.

We have heard the saying, “live everyday on this earth as if it were

your last.” I say, live every day on this earth remembering the eternal

nature of your soul.

This life is the first few moments of our eternal existence. Live it well.

Live every day with eternity in mind and the noise and frustration of

the here and now will fade into the background.

It is just as hard for us to recognize eternity as it was for Jesus’

original disciples. He told them and us that he would suffer and die

and on the third day be resurrected. We constantly say it in our

creeds and prayers but we often forget to apply these truths to our

everyday lives.

St. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb. She finds it empty. It does not

occur to her that Jesus has conquered death and opened the gates of

eternity as he specifically said that he would. She thinks the body has

been stolen.

Jesus stands right in front of her, but she does not recognize him.

She cannot fathom eternity. Then he speaks her name and she sees

him. He tells her not to hold on to him. He must ascend to his Father.

She must go and tell the other disciples that this is not a tragic grave

robbery. This is Christ’s promised path to eternity.

When we forget to hope because we know Jesus Christ, we will

struggle to see eternity. Dead is dead, right? Life is hard and then you

die.

Life is hard. We were reminded of this every Lent and Holy Week.

Jesus’ life was hard and then he died. But that was not the end.

Hopelessness, cynicism, and lament never have the final say.

In the Apostle’s Creed we say that Christ, after he was crucified,

descended to the dead. The Catechism tells us that this means he

went to the departed and offered them redemption. He went to that

empty place our ancestors knew as Hades. (BCP, p. 850)

In his first Epistle, St. Peter tells us that “the gospel was proclaimed

even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh

as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does.”

(1 Peter 3:19, 4:6)

As Jesus experienced death he went and ministered to those

departed souls who had not yet heard his gospel. How can we get

lost in despair when we follow a Savior so full of compassion and

mercy?

There is an ancient homily about Christ’s descent to the dead. It is

traditionally read on Holy Saturday. In it we are told that when Christ

descended to the dead, he went first to find Adam and Eve. He said

to them, “I am your God who for your sake became your son.”

Out of pure love God became a descendent of Adam and Eve. He

limited his divine nature to walk with us as one of us; to live, die, and

rise as one of us.

In that abode of the dead, where all hope seemed lost, Christ says to

Adam, and to each of us whenever we find ourselves feeling dead

inside or fearing death, “Rise, let us leave this place, the enemy led

you out of paradise, I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will

enthrone you in heaven.”

When our spirits waver on this earthly pilgrimage, and when we look

at death with dread, our Lord says to us as he said to those spirits in

prison, “Rise up now! The Banquet is ready. The kingdom of God has

been prepared for you for all eternity.”

Reference: A really long life for native Minnesotan by Matt Volz, Associated Press

Minneapolis Star Tribune

From an ancient homily on the holy and great Sabbath

The Prayer Book Office – Howard Galley

Church Hymnal Corporation, New York

Pp. 735-737