God Goes First

Mark 16:1-8

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

It has been A LOT so far, hasn’t it?  That’s why I want to make sure that in all that we’ve seen and heard and experienced tonight, we haven’t lost the take home message for tonight, which is “God Goes First”.  We saw that in the stories tonight.  In the Creation story, God Goes First, loving all of creation into being and declaring it not just good but VERY GOOD.  After people were created, they were invited to live in response to what God had done, but in the Creation story, God Goes First.  

After the flood, God places the Divine War Bow in the sky with the business end pointed in God’s direction.  “May this go off and shoot me” God is saying, “if I ever try to fix the world ever again through retribution.”  So again after the flood, God Goes First.  Then in the Exodus, God Goes first.  Bringing the people out of Slavery through the Red Sea.  God does this up front, without conditions.   Later, of course,  God invites them to respond to that gift by entering into a covenant built on growing healthy, mutual relationships with God and each other, but DOING the covenant didn’t get God to act.  In Exodus God Goes First.  Then in Isaiah God offers, cajoles, and sells for FREE through the prophet’s words what humanity needs up front and without condition.  God Goes First.  Then in the last story we see Rack, Shack, and Bennie leaning WITH THEIR LIVES into the promise they had FIRST received from God, that God would take care of them.  They were able to do that because God had Gone First. 

 

Now with the lights turned on and alleluias sung, we see it once again in the Resurrection.  God Has Gone First.  With the Resurrection, it wasn’t anyone’s faith that raised Jesus.  Everyone had given up!  Run off!  One even ran off without his drawers!  If Jesus’ resurrection had depended on the people then or even us people now, Jesus would still be in that tomb!  It is ONLY because God Goes First that Jesus is raised from the Dead.  It is only because God Goes First that death no longer has the last word.  It is only because God Goes First that light shines in the darkness!  

So tonight we celebrate and give thanks, because through all of time and space God Goes First.  We celebrate that with stories.   We celebrate with Baptism… Baptism where God Goes First, grabbing hold of us up front, promising to love us unconditionally, forever, no matter what. We celebrate with the Eucharist where all are invited to God’s Table for no other reason than that God wants to share this meal with us! 

God Goes First.  We’re invited to respond to what God has done first, sure.  We’ve even been gifted some really good tips for how to respond in healthy ways.  Jesus spent his life telling us with his words and showing us with his life the Way to respond… but the take home message for tonight remains.  God Goes First and will not undo what God has done, is doing, or promises yet to do, regardless of how we respond.  God Goes First.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.