A Christian, a Jew, a Moslem and an atheist were having a conversation one day.

"It really isn't fair," commented the atheist. "You all have special days to celebrate. For you Christians there's Christmas and Easter. You Jews have Passover and Hanukah. Moslems have Ramadan. What's left for us atheists?"

The Christian leaned over and offered, "You can have April the 1^st."

There are those who believe that we Christians are celebrating April Fools' Day today. "How can you believe such a story? Aren't you simply deluding yourself? It comes out of your own fears. You're simply trying to paint a rosy picture because you don't want to face the fact that once life is over, that's it."

There are the sceptics who say: "I'll believe if only you'll give me proof positive that any of this happened." Even from Christians we hear voices of doubt; Biblical scholars like Bishop Spong and Marcus Borg who search the text to find the historical Jesus. They find proof that Jesus did not consider himself to be Messiah. They search the ancient texts for anything that will discount the story.

We may call ourselves fools for Christ. But there is nothing foolish about being a Christian. There is no fooling about our celebration this morning. We are here as witnesses of the most momentous event of all times. Death is conquered. Christ is victorious. We acclaim that great victory.

But the truth remains; I cannot provide you with proof. There aren't a lot of facts. And looking around us at a world torn by war, terrorism and civil strife, how can we presume to preach a message of the risen Christ? In a world where children die of hunger, how do we convey a message of hope for a better existence? In a world in which 'seeing is believing' how can we possibly convince people to have faith in something so intangible? In a world of fast fixes how do we convince people of the need to commit themselves to a way of life that benefits them, not now but in the afterlife? How do we help people to open up to the signs of resurrection around them? For the signs are there if we look for them.

The disciples saw the signs that first Easter morning. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had laid Jesus' body in the tomb in Joseph's garden. There they had placed Jesus' body in a vault cut out of the rock. They had prepared his body for burial, wrapping it with spices in linen cloths according to Jewish custom. On leaving, a heavy rounded stone was rolled down the short slope into place. The authorities wanted to ensure that there would be no false claims about Jesus.

It was still dark the following morning when Mary Magdalene made her way to the garden, her heart heavy with the events of the previous days. Not only had they lost their best friend and companion. All the hopes that had built up in them over the last few years were suddenly shattered. They had been hoping against hope that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Christ. But now he was dead, and with him all illusions.

Mary was deep in thought as she approached the tomb. "Just a few quiet moments alone," she thought. But that too was quickly shattered when she realized with a jolt that the stone had been removed from the tomb. Who would have done such a thing? What further indignity were the authorities heaping on Jesus? Could he not even rest in peace? She ran back as fast as she could to warn the others.

She found Peter and John. "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him," she told them breathlessly. Without a moment's delay they set out for the tomb. They ran as fast as they could, but John, being younger, got there first.

Something – indecision, fear – held him back from entering the tomb. So it was Peter who actually went in first. Not that it's impact on him was immediate. He observed the cloths lying there – no body, just the cloths, looking as if the body had simply lifted out of them. Strange!

But when John went in, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck him. He would never forget what he saw – the sheer emptiness of the tomb. Jesus wasn't there. John saw and believed. But, not knowing what to do, the two of them simply left. They left Mary in tears, filled with questions and doubts.

And there in the garden in the midst of her doubting, she too encountered the risen Lord. Not that she recognized him right away either. At first she thought he must be the gardener. You know what it's like to see something you hope for but don't expect. Then Jesus spoke to her – just one word, but a word so familiar that she knew every inflection, every nuance. "Mary!" He said. And hearing her name, she recognized the risen Saviour.

"Do not hold on to me," he said to her. "But tell the others. Tell them I have risen and that I will ascend to my Father in Heaven."

So convinced was she that she couldn't wait to tell them, "I have seen the Lord!"

We come to hope in the resurrection in the same variety of ways as Peter, John and Mary – by living and acting on the basis that it is true, by experiencing the life and power of Christ, and by seeing the signs of resurrection around us – signs that death is overcome. And the signs are there just as the signs of spring are there long before the first flower blooms or the grass begins to get green.

There was such a story in a Woman's Day magazine a short time ago. A woman set about preparing her young son for the arrival of a new baby. Night after night he would sing to his sister in his mommy's tummy. The pregnancy was normal, but during the birth complications arose and the baby was not expected to live. Little Michael wanted to see her, but the hospital did not allow children into the neonatal unit where she was being cared for. After pleading for permission to no avail, the family sneaked little Michael in. He went over to the baby and began to sing. "You are my sunshine … " Immediately the baby responded. Her pulse rate became stronger. He kept on singing. "You'll never…" Her breathing improved. By the time he had finished his song, it was as if she had never been sick. "A miracle of a brother's song" they called it. A miracle of God's love, a sign of resurrection power, a sign that God is with us…

Paul says that we must "set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Not so that we are no earthly use, but so that we live with a vision of what can be! Like Peter, we may see but not understand. We may need time to experience the risen Christ in our lives. Or we may, like John, see and believe. Christ may speak to us from the empty tomb. He may call us by name. When God's Spirit moves us to faith in the resurrection of Christ, giving us God's power to live and act on the basis that it is so – that it really happened – then we will discover, as millions have before us, that Christ is alive – in us, through us, and forever.