Easter Sunrise Service
Dayspring Presbyterian Church
Minister: The Rev. Bradley R Childs
Welcome
Good morning, everyone! It’s a joy to be gathered here together to celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This morning, as we witness the first light of Easter breaking through the darkness, we are reminded of the incredible promise of new life, hope, and redemption that this day brings.
Unlike the original followers of Christ, who were surprised at the miraculous events that unfolded, we have the gift of knowing how the story ends. For them, that morning was filled with uncertainty and fear. They did not expect the profound change that awaited them; they did not foresee the triumphant rise of their Saviour.
As we stand here today, let the rising sun serve as a powerful reminder of the risen Son, who conquered death and reigns in grace and love. His victory over the grave assures us that death will never have the final word. He demonstrates what it means to triumph over the obstacles that weigh us down, even our greatest fear: death itself.
Now, I won’t pretend to have all the answers to the worries that may burden our hearts today. Life can be challenging, and that’s okay. But ultimately, I hold fast to the promise that what we face here matters little in the grand scheme of what lies ahead. If our struggles seem daunting now, in light of the eternal life promised through Christ, they become less significant in the next life.
Today, we reflect on this amazing mystery that began over two millennia ago. For those of us who find strength and enlightenment in these remarkable events, it is no longer a mystery at all, but a source of profound inspiration and hope.
On the one hand, it seems that something that could not happen, did, in fact, happen. On the other hand, he argues that our understanding of “what CAN happen” is limited by foolish and temporal views.
As we embark on this Easter morning, may we celebrate the resurrection and the hope it brings, reminding us that love and grace are ever-present, as real today as they were for those first disciples. They are still mysteries, yet they also made it clear that mystery matters and is a part of life for everyone. Ignoring this is foolish and ultimately limiting in terms of seeking truth. Mystery exists because all our attempts eventually fail. There is something beyond explanation, and that will always be true. Mystery matters, and that is what we speak of today.
I don’t know what happened exactly, as if I lived then but held a camcorder to record it. Sometimes, God simply steps outside what we think is the natural order to reveal something new. It happened then and still happens today. It seems God is willing to step in from time to time, and this particular time, it appears (at least to me) to be a time God clearly defined our understanding of life juxtaposed with His. We find ourselves a little too smart for our good, and because of this, we miss, ignore and often reject truths we have trouble comprehending. That does not make them untrue, it makes us inherently unwilling to seek truth to its ultimate conclusions. That makes them, beyond present comprehension – mystery in other words. And that is one thing we lack today. We lack the ability to think mystically.
Today is an absolute rejection of norms. Mystery exists, and there is hope in what is currently unknown and the believed. We are nowhere near as smart as we think we are. People in the past were not silly or dumb. Mystery exists. And today, represents the greatest mystery humankind has ever even considered possible.
For me, there is no mystery. Promises were made. Promises were kept. Evidence has been presented. And we are asked one question – is mystery possible – can God do more than we expect? And the answer is an absolute and resounding yes! God can bring the Son back to life and because he has proven that, we can believe He will do the same for us, those who believe in the resurrection of Christ.
As the Apostle Paul notes while confronting this exact same question: “Now to him who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”
Let us worship together our greatest mystery of faith! That Christ has died, is risen, and will come again!
Opening Prayer
Gracious and loving God,
We gather in the quiet of this sunrise, filled with awe and wonder at the glory of this Easter morning. As the light of dawn breaks forth, we are reminded of the miraculous light of Christ’s resurrection, dispelling darkness and bringing hope to the world.
Lord, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, who overcame the grave and opened the way to eternal life. As we celebrate this joyous day, fill our hearts with the joy of the resurrection, and renew our spirits in Your love and grace.
May this time of worship inspire us to live as Easter people, sharing the Good News with all we encounter. Be with us in this sacred moment and throughout the days to come.
We pray this in the name of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Song: Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone
Scripture Reading: John 20:1-18
SONG: In Christ Alone
Message
At the time of Jesus’ death, when a close friend or relative died, it became someone’s duty to close the eyes and kiss the cheek of the dead. When Christ died, this became the duty of two men: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The pair went together to see Pontius Pilate and begged for the body of their Lord.
Being that Jesus would have first been nailed to the cross and then dropped into place in a pre-dug hole, the two men would have to use all of their might to raise the vertical beam out from the soil and lay it on the ground. After laying the cross down, these men would then have the uncomfortable task of removing the spikes from his hands and feet. Most often, when this was done by a loved one, the hands and feet would simply be pulled up over the spike head (rather than trying to remove them from the wood and of course, crushing the hands and feet to do so).
Once the body had been properly loosened, the two men would wrap Jesus in a large sheet and carry him to the Tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had donated to him. The tomb was an extravagant gift. It would have been carved out of the hillside and into a cave. On the outside, it would be entered by a short tunnel. It would be secured by a large stone disk of about 3 feet high. A groove would be carved in the ground to hold it in place, making it extremely difficult to open. On the inside, it would have two chambers, one in front of the other. In the front, there would be ledges on each side wall and perhaps a central piece of raised stone used to clean the body. Although it was newly purchased and so legally must have been unused, the second chamber would have been reserved for the family bones. At first, a body would be placed in the first chamber, cleaned, perfumed, and wrapped again in burial clothes. Then it would be moved to one of the shelves on the sides. The eyes would be closed, and cheeks kissed. Then a cloth would be placed over the face.
Cemeteries were on the edges of town, and space for them was very costly, and cemeteries were considered “unclean”. After one year, when the body had fully decomposed and only the bones remained, the family would return to carefully collect the bones, place them in a small stone box called an ossuary. Then it would be moved to the second chamber to save space and make room for the next person who might pass. But in Jesus’ case, this simply would not be necessary.
For the men, a 7 day time of mourning would begin. The mourners would return to a place of rest while others came to console them. No doubt, when Joseph of Arimathea helped push the stone in front of the entryway, he thought it was all over.
Three days passed like an eternity.
In our text, Mary comes first to the empty tomb. She sees the stone rolled away, and it frightens her. In a time of sadness, the body of her Lord had disappeared. And so she runs to get Peter and John, and together they run to the tomb as fast as they can. John (the younger of the two) outran Peter, and when they came to the tomb, John simply could not do anything more than stop and stare inside.
From his view, he sees the grave clothes lying in disarray. For him, no doubt, this was an extreme oddity. Who, after all, would steal a body, leaving the expensive burial clothing behind, only to take what would surely be a recognizable body out into the open for all to see?
When Peter arrives, he does just as we might expect him to do. His brash nature compels him, and he rushes into the tomb. There he finds the clothes, but also something else. He sees the covering Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus have placed over the face of Christ. It is neatly cared for and folded, lying at the head of the dressing stone.
It is at this point that there is often much confusion. Upon seeing the face covering folded in place, John tells us in verse 8 that the disciple “saw and believed”.
But just what had the disciple believed?
The answer is held in four places. The first is in what Mary told the two men in the first place, to get them to come and see the Tomb. In verse 2, it says, “So Mary 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!”
The second clue is from verse 13, where again Mary reiterates her confusion. Here, the messengers in the Tomb beg of her, “Why are you crying?” to which she answers, “They have taken my Lord away… and I don’t know where they have put him”.
The third clue is found in verse 15, where Mary is speaking to Jesus himself, whom she believes to be the gardener. Here she cries out to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him.”
And the final clue to the puzzle is found in verse 9, where it is plainly said, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead”.
So just what is it that the disciples “saw and believed”?
The answer is that the “saw and believed” just what Mary had told them… that someone had “taken the Lord out of the tomb,” and she didn’t know where the body had gone.
Of course, we know what happened. We have the benefit of looking back and hearing other accounts. The answer to what happened to Jesus is only one verse from what we read this morning.
But early in the morning, we have gathered here just on the cusp of a coming celebration. We have gathered here to share in the confusion of the dusk. On Good Friday, just like Joseph of Arimathea, we kissed the cheeks of Christ and covered his face with linen, and said goodbye. In a short time, we will celebrate, but first, we must ask what happened to the body of Christ. We must ask who folded the face cloth, and more importantly, ask, “Who is the man in the garden with us?”. What do you believe?
Song: The Way
Prayer
Gracious God,
As the morning light breaks upon us, we stand united in awe and wonder at the mystery of the empty tomb. In this moment of reflection and anticipation, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, whose sacrifice has brought us life and hope.
Just as Mary, Peter, and John once stood bewildered, we gather here today, eager to comprehend the depth of Your love revealed through the resurrection. Help us to seek understanding, and to embrace the joy and new beginnings that Easter promises.
As we depart from here, may we carry the risen Christ in our hearts, sharing the light of His love with all we meet. Strengthen our faith, renew our spirits, and guide us in Your ways so we might serve You faithfully with gratitude and grace.
We pray all this in the name of Jesus, our risen Lord. Amen.
Benediction
Now go forth into this Easter day with hearts filled with joy and wonder.
May the peace of the risen Christ be with you,
The love of God surround you,
And the power of the Holy Spirit sustain you, now and forevermore.
Rejoice in the resurrection and share the good news:
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Amen.
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The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2025) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.