Matthew 28: 1-10
28 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And
suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending
from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For
fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But
the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for
Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he
has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then
go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and
indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my
message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly
with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly
Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his
feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to
them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they
will see me.”
But the
angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid;
I know
that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
He is not
here; for he has been raised, as he said.”
·
In this weird and
troubled time, we long for good news and we long for the community the virus
has stolen from us. Now we find community by internet and phone, and the Good
News still comes to us in this old story.
·
There is no
better Good News than this! “He is not here… he has been raised…”
And as with all big announcements in the Gospels, it begins with “Do
not be afraid!” We hear this at Christmas and at Easter. 16 times
in the four Gospels!
·
Now we know that
if someone we say die walked up to us a few days later and greeted us, we be
afraid. We’d ask “What’s going on? Who are you? Am I going crazy?” and a few
other things asked out of fear. This is human nature and it appears that both
the angel sitting on the stone and Jesus when he met the two women on the way
to tell the disciples knew this, because both say “Do not be afraid…”
·
Jesus knows us
and knows the human condition. He knew then that this was out of the ordinary.
He knows it now as well.
·
We believe in the
Resurrection of Jesus. If we didn’t, we probably wouldn’t be doing this right
now. The real question is… do we believe what the Resurrection of Jesus means
for us?
·
Jesus rising from
the dead is not a return to the old life he led. He is resurrected and is
different and yet the same. (Don’t ask me how that is. He was recognized by his
friends and disciples, but he was different.) He’s more of what he always was;
do not be afraid!
·
Jesus died and now lives. Death is not simply
cheated; death is defeated! Do not be afraid!
·
In his rising
from the dead, Jesus was freed from death. We are freed from the prison of
death as well. The worship services of some churches say Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life.
Do not be afraid!
·
Now if Jesus rose
from the dead for himself only, it would be fantastic and it could stand as
proof of some much about him. It would be for him and we would be left
wondering about his message for us. But he rose not only for himself; he rose
for us as well and that says even more! Where he leads, we follow – from death
into life. Do not be afraid!
·
When we celebrate
the Lord’s Supper, during the table prayer we can say together “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ
will come again.” The short phrases point to past, present, and future.
Christ IS risen! ... that’s the present! Now! Always now. Do not be afraid!
·
One day… soon I
hope… we’ll gather greet each other face-to-face, to hear the Word and to eat
the Lord’s Supper. One day… soon… the stone will be rolled away and we’ll know
the presence of Jesus Christ in those we meet. One day… soon… we’ll know and
celebrate that rolled-away stone like Mary Magdalene and the other Mary did;
with real joy.
·
Until our own
stones are rolled away, let’s say together: Christ
has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!
·
Do not be afraid! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Happy Easter!
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