As moderns, who perceive life in terms of what we can taste and test, touch and see, that makes sense! A wheel barrow can be tested by Consumer Reports to determine its durability and material value. It can be tested by a forensic pathologist to determine whether a body was conveyed in or on it. It can be chemically analyzed.

But finally, a red wheel barrow in the hands of scientists is a dead wheel barrow. Only the imagination of an artist like Williams makes a red wheel barrow alive and beautiful, and an integral part of our journey!

Is the story of the Resurrection poetry? imagery? a lovely artistic twist to a gruesome execution? Or did a dead man really get up and walk?

The story is: "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." (John 20:1)

But wait, maybe Mary's love for Jesus motivated an over-active imagination, fantasy! Or maybe the disciples concocted a story to cover up the failed mission of their rabbi

Peter said, "We are witnesses . . . They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses . . . who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead." (Acts 10:39, 40)

Paul says, "After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."

(I Corinthians 15:6)

Can we define the Resurrection in scientifically demonstrable terms? Or do we accept it, as we accept the Bible, by faith? Faith is mystery!

"The mystery of Easter is nothing less than the mystery of God himself. If we cannot lay bare that mystery, grasp it, master it, neither can we escape it." (Arthur H. Kolsti)

Jacob asked the mysterious visitor with whom he had wrestled, "What is your name?" (Genesis 32:29) He did not get an answer! He had to settle for mystery.

Mohammed is said to have asked God for his 100 names. God told him 99 of them. "But what is the 100th name?" God, with his divine sense of humor, whispered it in the ear of Mohammed's camel. (Did you ever wonder why camels always look so proud? Now you know why!!)

In this age of science and facts and figures, our passion for analysis may preclude our capacity to believe. The Resurrection cannot be wrapped up in a neat package of words. Our little brains are not capable of such comprehension. That's where faith comes in!

Must we be able to put the whole story of the Resurrection in a red wheel barrow and push it down the fast track of our passion to know and understand all things?

Speaking of the fast track, notice all the running in this story: Mary was the first to arrive at the tomb. She was so excited she ran to tell Peter and John, who ran to the tomb.

Are you and I so excited this morning about the resurrection that we run to tell everyone about it?

We need not be naively childish to have child-like faith. Child-like faith may be more mature than the childish mentality which demands that we understand everything!

On Princess Street in Edinburgh, England, one of the many shop windows displaying art treasures attracted the eye of a passing man. He looked at the painting of the Crucifixion. Jesus on the cross, his mother Mary standing near.

Suddenly he noticed a lad with tattered clothes standing beside him. "That's Jesus on the cross," the boy said. "He was a good man. He died for us. That's his mother standing there, looking at what they did to him."

The man felt a lump in his throat as the boy continued, "He died for us. They buried him in a cave and put a big stone in front of it."

A tear rolled down the man's cheek and he turned to leave.

As he walked away he felt a tug on his coat. He looked down at the concerned face of the little fellow, who blurted out, "I forgot to tell you, sir. I forgot to tell you he rose again."

O yes, he arose. The Resurrection is at the center of our Christian faith.

In the Forum of ancient Rome was an obelisk with a golden spike on the top. It was considered the center of the empire. All roads radiated from that point. Soldiers (whose average height is reported to have been 5'3") paced from the obelisk in all directions, carefully counting the paces. Every 1000 paces, a mili, they placed a stone marker. That is how we got our 5280-foot mile.

The empty tomb is the center of the Kingdom of God. All Christian doctrine and experience is measured by the Christ who could not be conquered by death. The empty tomb is our sure hope.

Death came to us last week as on Tuesday we remembered the 56th anniversary of the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a president who did great things for his country, but who was misunderstood, and who was therefore a very lonely man. Such has always been the lot of great leaders. Those of us who lived thru the depression remember FDR.

And on Thursday we remembered the death of Burl Ives, who blessed us with his singing of so many folk songs and ballads.

Death came even closer as we recently laid Alice's sister to rest. During the past year we also lost Joe Murphy. Joe was a lonely man. "No one seems to care," he said.

That wasn't true, of course. Many folks did care. But the point is that we are all lonely, and especially so when we face the end of life.

The memorial yesterday for 91-year old Matilda brought death very close indeed.

But we do not mourn as others do, those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and we believe in a resurrection when Jesus comes again. We will meet our loved ones again, when there will be no more tears, no death.

The empty tomb is our call to sing Hallelujah, to shout He is risen. He is risen indeed.

We believe in the literal Resurrection of the literal Son of God. But even to those for whom the Easter story is more esoteric, perhaps even a metaphor, a sort of symbol clouded in mystery, the message is clear: There is hope. The radical Truths Jesus taught, bring new life to souls in search.

The love and concern Jesus had for all people, even as he was dying, is a call to us, a command to serve, a demand for commitment. His death was the final and full display of the love of God. His life and teachings exemplified in the lives of his followers is the ultimate proof to the world that Jesus is The Way. "By this (unity and love) all shall know that you are my disciples." (John 13:35)

Dear saints, there are so many lonely people out there in this world, so many people touched by death, one way or another. I recently chanced to meet a man I have known for some time, but hadn't seen lately. "How is the world treating you, Dick?" I asked.

He paused . . . then told me his son had committed suicide! Believe me, I know how he hurts!

The same day I saw a lady whose husband I buried a few years ago. She said, "Felix, are you praying for me?"

"Do you need prayer?" I asked. She said, "Yes, I do." I don't know what her problem is. She didn't say. Maybe because there were others around, maybe because it is too personal. I don't know. I don't need to know. I am praying for her.

In the interest of integrity, and in reference of my sermon Twin Scandals, I remind you that on this date, April 15, in 1912, death dealt a cruel blow to some unfortunate people. On that day, the "unsinkable" Titanic sank. The myth is that a call was for "women and children first." In reality, it seems the call was, "All first class women and children first." Apparently only 4 of the 143 first-class passengers and 15 of the 93 second-class passengers drowned. All the while the crew held third-class women and children below deck, some at gunpoint, as the lifeboats were loaded!

That is significant considering the survivors in our society. The poor, especially those of color and immigrants, are kept "below deck," out of reach of good education and health care. WWJD -- What would Jesus do?

You know what Jesus would do -- he would demand hope for all, care for all, equal opportunity for all, equal treatment for all.

Because he arose we have a hope which can comfort those who mourn.

We need to share that hope. May God grant us the resurrection enthusiasm which will motivate us to run with the news! The tomb is empty. Jesus whom we loved, and who loved us, died on a cross. But praise the Lord, the tomb is empty. Death could not hold him. He is risen. He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!

When FDR died, his cousin and close friend was with him. She wrote in her diary: "Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the hope of the world, is dead."

Day before yesterday there was a crucifixion. So we wrote: "Jesus, whom we had believed to be the hope of the world, is dead." We went from Golgotha with heavy hearts, to spend the Sabbath hours mourning the loss of our rabbi, even the loss of hope.

But this morning we found an empty tomb. Hope has revived, has been rekindled in our hearts. Yes, he is risen. He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!

Exactly 136 years ago tomorrow, Secretary of State William Seward lay horribly wounded. He had been shot by an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth. Because of the severity of his wounds, he was not told of Lincoln's death.

About mid-morning he asked that the drapes be opened. He saw the flag at the War Department flying at half staff. Tears filled his eyes, and he said, "The president is dead."

Was it the flag at half-staff that told him? No, it was not the flag at half-staff that told him of Lincoln's death.

It was that the only possible reason Lincoln had not come to see him, was that the president was dead.

O dear saints, my earnest prayer this Easter morning is that you and I will be so filled with the spirit of the risen Christ -- "Christ in you, the hope of glory" -- that our friends and loved ones will count on us, count on us with so much confidence that should we fail them in an hour of need, they would take it as a sure sign that we must be dead!

He is risen. He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!

Let us pray . . .

Lord, we are here to celebrate. You who bring light out of darkness and life out of death, whose unconditional love is the final act of human history, you who brought from the tomb your Son, our Brother, our Lord, we thank you. We rejoice this day in your unutterable great power and glory. Give us your healing and your peace. We pray today for those who are facing their own death, or the death of loved ones. Give them hope in the resurrection. Give us all the will and the enthusiasm to run into the world with the good news of the Resurrection.