Rochester, MN UCC - “Our Teacher and Lord” - John 20: 1-18

In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene does not recognize the risen Christ until he says her name, “Mary.” In the moment that she recognizes her Lord, she says to him, “Rabbouni”- meaning teacher. The relationship between a rabbi and student was an intimate one in which the student learned to be as the rabbi was- learned to join in the rabbi’s way of life and to continue his teaching. 

 The good news of Easter morning is that our rabbi, our teacher, is the risen Christ. We have a teacher who is not only rabbi but also Lord. A teacher fully united to God, fully able to lead us into the wisdom and power of God. We have a teacher so committed to our growth and development that he willingly dies for us; willingly takes the consequences for sins he has not committed. We have a teacher who defeats sin and death so that we might be free of them. A teacher ever ready and willing to forgive our trespasses and once more welcome us into eternal life with him. Finally, we have a teacher who comes to each and every one of us, who calls us by name, and invites us to join him in everlasting life and union with God. 

 Mary’s experience that first Easter morning is the experience that God wishes for each and every one of us. God wants us to know that we are forgiven, even us, even for all the ways we’ve failed. God wants us to know that it is not condemnation, and violence, and death that have the last word in our lives. God wants us to know that grace, and love, and eternal life are ultimately triumphant. God wants us to know that above and beyond all things we are loved, accepted, and welcomed into the very life of God. It is for this reason that God in the risen Christ called out Mary’s name, and it is for this reason that God in Jesus Christ calls to each of us by name today. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen, indeed!

 Rev. Andrew Greenhaw