Do you remember the time when TV shows were both simple and funny? One of those shows was the Andy Griffith Show. Set in a mythical town called Mayberry – I think in North Carolina. One of the stars of that show was an actor by the name of Jim Nabors who played the role of a goofy auto mechanic named Gomer Pyle. I still remember one of his favorite lines spoken over and over again through out the life of that series: “Surprise!, Surprise!, Surprise!”

I was remembering that line when I considered the Easter story for this year. Easter is the ultimate surprise ending story.

Today’s TV shows pride themselves in making you guess at the conclusion. You never quite know how the plot in Law and Order or Shark or  Monk or The Closer is going to end. Today’s TV shows don’t believe in the Holiday Inn slogan, “The best surprise is no surprise.”

But, Easter is the ultimate surprise ending. I find in the Easter story two total surprises and the promise of a third. Let me explain.

THE ROMAN SOLDIERS

First, there was the surprise of the Roman soldiers, and the surprise of the Roman establishment. Pilate had sent some guards to the tomb after Jesus was buried. He was concerned that some of his followers might try to steal the body. His concern made sense at least for a few days. In Matthew’s version of the Easter story we are told, “The guards shook with fear and fell into a dead faint.” (28:3, NLT) What is Matthews message in this line? The message is clear. The power of Rome could not control what God was going. God prevails over any human power on earth.

Roman law executed Jesus. Rome ruled the world, but not any more. That is part of the message of Easter.

The story of Easter is more powerful than any message on earth. Easter changes the way we look at life, the way we look at death, and the way we look at military power. Nothing stands taller or stronger than the Easter story. That is what the Gospel writers are trying to convey to us after 2000 years.

THE DISCIPLES

Secondly, there was the surprise of the disciples. The resurrection was not an expected event. Nothing in their experience had prepared them for this moment. The disciples were caught completely off guard. They scattered and hid when Jesus was condemned and executed. Some of them prepared to return to their fishing boats and nets. Yes, Jesus had said something about “being gone for three days and then rising again.” But it did not compute in their feeble minds. The statement made no sense.

I am remembering the story of a man who died. The relatives contacted a florist for some flowers. The instructions that they gave went something like this. We want a ribbon to be extra wide with “Rest in Peace” on both sides. If there is room, also put the words, “We shall meet in heaven.”

The new assistant at the florist shop took the order. Imagine the surprise of the families when they arrived to find a basket of flowers with this inscription, “Rest in peace on both sides and if there is room we shall meet in heaven.”

The message of Easter was simply not all that clear. The disciples were terrified. Mark has a very abrupt ending to the Easter story which says essentially, “They said nothing to anyone for they were afraid.” Another gospel writer says simply, “They were alarmed.” At best they were confused. Luke says, “These words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe the women.” (24:2,11) Matthew says, “Many believed Jesus, but some doubted.”

But surprise, surprise, surprise! This band of cowards became energized, effective witnesses. Those cowering in fear became fearless in their testimony.

Every year at Christmas and Easter some radical news breaks in the public media. Someone wants his or her 15 minutes of fame. This year it was a box of bones that had been found somewhere in a remote part of Jerusalem. Because of some presumed inscription on the bone boxes, the man who discovered them said they were the bones of Jesus, of Mary Magdalene his wife and of their child. The story made headlines on the Today Show and news magazines for about two weeks.

I asked myself the question, “What if that was true? What if they did find the bones of Jesus? Would it change anything?” For me the answer is no. The answer is no because we have the amazing record of the surprise testimony of the eyewitnesses. After the resurrection, Jesus walks on the beach. Jesus speaks with Mary in the garden. Jesus shows up in rooms with locked doors. He eats bread and fish with the disciples. He challenges Thomas who still has nagging doubts. Somehow all these men and women knew that Jesus was alive. Perhaps he was not flesh and blood alive, but he was alive beyond death.

They were absolutely convinced that death did not defeat Jesus. The cruelty of empire did not defeat Jesus. They had trouble expressing it. They had trouble understanding it. It was not what they expected. It was a surprise!

SURPRISE AWAITS US

Thirdly, the Easter story means God has a surprise in store for you and me.

A friend of mine was called late one night by a hospital to ask if he would come and see one of the patients that was dying. He realized that he had to go, so he got dressed and arrived at the hospital about 30 minutes later. When he walked into the room he saw the patient – a woman – lying in the hospital and many family members gathered around. He introduced himself and the woman asked everyone else in the room to leave. My friend presumed that his was some kind of a death bed confession, but he agreed to stay and talk with her.

When everyone was gone, the woman said to him, “Preacher, I need to ask you a question.” She continued, “I was married for 12 years to Fred. We loved each other deeply. We had a wonderful relationship. But after 12 years, Fred died very suddenly.”

She continued, “After several years, I remarried again a man named George. We also loved each other deeply. We also had a wonderful relationship. But after 23 years of marriage, George died also.”

Again she continued, “Preacher, I am about to die, and here is what I want to know. When I get to heaven what do I say to Fred?”

My friend took a moment to try to think about how to respond to her question, when she suddenly blurted out, “Don’t take too long, I don’t have much time.”

My friend doesn’t actually remember what he told her. I think I would have said something to her about, “God has prepared a surprise for you, don’t worry about it.”

There is a Family Circus cartoon that shows a grandmother explaining about butterflies to her little granddaughter. The granddaughter looks into her grandmother’s eyes and says, “Grandma, do caterpillars know they are going to be butterflies, or does God surprise them?”

I think we worship a God of wonderful surprises.

We lost a good friend of this church three weeks ago this morning. Gordon Matthews died after a year long battle with cancer. During the last two weeks of his life I visited him often at home. Each time I visited, I shared some memory verse from scripture. Four days before he died, he said to me, “Brian, I am not too excited about dying, but neither am I afraid.” I said, “You should not be afraid,” Then I shared with him these words from the Apostle Paul, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, No mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” In essence that means heaven is a surprise. It is a good one, but a surprise none the less.

Composer Natalie Sleeth wrote an Easter hymn for her husband, Ron. Ron Sleeth died some years ago after only 21 days from the diagnosis of an illness. Some of the words she wrote in the hymn were these. We have sung them in this church.

            In our death, a resurrection, at the last a victory,

            unrevealed until its season, something God alone

            can see.

Natalie promised Ron a surprise.

A few years later, Natalie herself lay dying. She wrote something to her grandchildren that was carefully and beautifully written. She told them that God planned so that when it was time to leave the earth, God’s people would come and live in heaven where there is no pain or sickness or anything bad. Natalie told her grandchildren this, “I said softly to God is my time to come and live with you getting closer?” And God said, “Yes, but don’t be afraid because I will always be with you and I will always take care of you.” I said to God, “But, I will miss my family and my friends, and they will miss me!” And God said, “Yes, but I will comfort them and turn their tears into joy, and they will remember you with happiness and be glad of your life among them.”

So, Natalie began her journey to heaven, and day by day she drew nearer and nearer to God. In the distance, she said, she could see the light and hear the beautiful music and feel happiness that she had never known before. And as she moved toward the gates of heaven and into the house of God, she said her last words: “It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!”

The transition is good and it will be a surprise ending.

Dr. Jim Moore is now retired as the Senior Minister of St. Luke’s United Methodist church in Houston, Texas. He tells of some surgery and some insecurity around it. He recalled a time when he had an appendectomy as a child. He remembers being wheeled into a big room with lots of blue lights. Then they put almost a smothering thing on his face. (probably ether) It was frightening for a little boy.

He told his anesthesiologist about his childhood experience. The doctor smiled and said, “Jim, we have come a long way since then.” Then Jim Moore shared this story.

“When we got into the operating room, they began to talk about what size mallet they should use to hit me on the head to knock me out. Finally, the doctor had an IV attached to me and he said, “Jim, are you ready? I am going to start the medication.” I said, “I’m ready.” In about four seconds he said, “How do you feel? Do you feel any different?” “Well” he replied, “I just feel pleasant.”

Then a nurse tapped me on my shoulder and said, “Jim, would you like a cup of ice?” I said, “I would love a cup of ice, but they told me not to have anything to eat or drink before the surgery.” She said, “Honey, you are in the recovery room.” It was over. It was done. Then I got to thinking. Death for a Christian is probably like that. You come up to it having to trust those around you and the one above you and then, you just go to sleep. Then somewhere in heaven, somebody taps you on the shoulder and says, “Would you like a cup of ice? Honey, you are in heaven.”

Clearly we are to be surprised by joy.

NOT ALWAYS CLEAR

The meaning of Easter is not always clear. An element of mystery remains. So on Easter Day we crowd into our churches. We rely on music and flowers to tell much of the story. We sing Charles Wesley’s great hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia” We will sing in a few minutes the lines to another hymn “Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend. For Christ the Lord has risen, our joy that has no end.”

Then this preacher stammers out some words in an Easter message using a text that begins with the words, “Behold, I tell you a mystery.” And we acknowledge the reality of surprise. We affirm the God of good and wonderful surprises.

Remember this: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Amen!