Rolling Back the Stone: Easter and the Cosmic Christ

What an amazing day—full of light, and the promise of new beginnings. Easter is not just a story from the past. It's a living, breathing invitation to transformation. As the hymn rang out—"Christ the Lord is Risen Again!"—we were reminded that resurrection is not a one-time event, but a cosmic pattern, woven into the very heart of life.

Today I chose to feature a service from St Michael's Uniting Church in Melbourne given by the Rev Peter Burnham. His sermon drew on the words of The Rev'd Dr Greg Jenks:

"The resurrection of Jesus is not only the action of a generous and faithful God at the very heart of life, but also the charter for a Christian mission in the global village… for the resurrection of all creation, for the day of cosmic liberation."

This is the vision of the Cosmic Christ: not just Jesus of Nazareth, but Christ alive in all things, calling the whole world into renewal.

But Easter also asks us hard questions. The women at the tomb wondered, "Who will roll away the stone for us?" That stone is more than just a rock at the entrance of a grave. It's every barrier that keeps us from hope—cynicism, despair, violence, addiction, injustice, and the weight of the world's suffering. The stone is the heaviness in our own hearts, the sense that things can never change.

The empty tomb is not just about what happened to Jesus. It's about what can happen in us, and in our world. The Cosmic Christ calls us to roll back the stones in our lives and in our society:

Who will roll away the stone of poverty and inequality?

Who will roll away the stone of war and violence?

Who will roll away the stone of climate crisis, addiction, and despair?

Easter is God's "yes" to love, justice, and new life—and God's "no" to the powers of death and oppression. The resurrection is not just a miracle to be believed, but a call to action. As John Dominic Crossan says, "Easter means God's great rubbish cleanup of the world has begun—but it will not happen without each of us doing our part."

We are invited to participate in resurrection, to be part of the ongoing transformation of the world. Every act of compassion, every struggle for justice, every moment of forgiveness is a rolling back of the stone. The Cosmic Christ is present in every new beginning, in every act of courage, in every community that chooses love over fear.

So on this amazing day, may we hear the call of Easter:

To roll back the stones in our lives.

To trust that resurrection is possible, again and again.

To live with hope, to love deeply, and to join in the dance of renewal that is the heartbeat of the universe.

May the God who dances in creation, who shakes our lives like thunder, bless us and send us out to fill the world with peace, love, and justice.

Happy Easter. Amazing day. Amen.