Easter Sunday is chock full of unexpected events.

An often overlooked aspect of the Resurrection is that it is ripe with laughter.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Look, nobody expected women to be ready to leave the house before everyone else.

Does that ever happen at your house? No.

When the ladies arrived at the tomb first, it was a miracle.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid…”

Ha!

If I’m not supposed to be afraid, Mr. Angelic Guy, you ought to change the way you make your entrance.

Maybe cut out the earthquakes, lightning and rolling boulders around.

Maybe don’t litter the ground with DEAD CENTURIONS!

Angel: “The guards aren’t really dead.”

Yes, but I don’t know that! I’M NOT A DOCTOR!

C’mon, you honestly didn’t know how scary this was gonna be?

This reminds me of a neighbor I had as a child.

He owned a Rottweiler.

Whenever I walked past his house, the dog would bark and snarl at me from behind the fence.

The neighbor would always say, “Don’t be afraid. He’s really a big teddy bear.”

I cannot imagine how that could possibly be more wrong.

Have you ever even SEEN a teddy bear?

If you think that’s a teddy bear, you should not be allowed to buy baby gifts.

Angels always tell us not to be afraid like it’s our fault.

Instead of earthquakes, lightning and loud voices – angels should appear as Elmer Fudd.

Elmer Fudd voice: “Your (W)ord is not here. He is (w)isen!

” Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.

The book of Luke contains a line from the Angel that I believe sets the proper tone for the resurrection.

“Why are you searching for the living among the dead?”

I recognize a punchline when I see it!

To announce the news of Jesus resurrection – GOD SENT A COMEDIAN!

“Mary, Mary, stick your heads in that tomb. What d’ya see? Nothing! That’s cause tombs are for dead guys! You catch my drift? You crazy kids! You crack me up! Standing there with your spices, looking for a body. There ain’t no body here! Get it? Nobody? Whatcha crying about? Haha! You look like you’ve been to a funeral. If I was trying to find a guy who was alive…I wouldn’t start looking in a graveyard! Haha! You’re killing me! Hey! Wait! Look up in that tree..is that a sheep? HAHAHAHAhaha! Get out of here you knuckleheads. Go tell everyone what you’ve seen.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

And that’s why God sent women to the tomb.

They love gossip!

And women get stuff done.

When you tell women to hurry off and tell the disciples – they hurry off and tell the disciples.

Men would have called a meeting.

“Okay, guys, settle down. Take a seat. We’ve been tasked with telling the other disciples that Jesus is alive again. We don’t want to just run into town without a plan. That’s what women do. We need an itinerary. Yes, Thomas, you have a question?

THOMAS: “I don’t believe Jesus is risen.”

“Uh. Okay, I guess. There’s an angel right there who’s telling us…”

THOMAS: “Nope. I gotta see the holes in his hands.”

“Okay. Fair enough. Let’s add that to the minutes. Who’s taking minutes? Where is Judas? …oh that’s right. Never mind. Well, let’s table the resurrection until next month. Nominations are open for a twelfth disciple …”

So the women are hurrying off doing what they’re supposed to do and then this:

Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

When they left the Angel, they probably thought, “That’s the most unexpected thing we’ll encounter today!”

Nope.

Jesus appeared and ruined death’s reputation.

We can’t depend on death like we used to.

It’s not permanent.

And that’s hilarious!