Easter Sunday

Resurrection Sunday

Sunday, April 1, 2018

“Do not be afraid,” the angel said to the women.
Matthew 28:5

“Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to them.

Matthew 28:10

These words sound familiar. About thirty-four years before an angel had said almost the same thing to Mary. “Fear not.” And just thirty-three short years before a host of angels had said the same words to frightened shepherds on a hillside, adding “for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Now a single angel again discourages their fear, and finally Jesus himself admonishes them not to be afraid.

Isn’t it interesting that the God who has made us, has given to us so generously, has promised always to be with us has to continually tell us that we don’t need to be afraid! He daily shows us that he holds us in his care. Yet when he begins to get really close, when our hearts beat a little faster, when tears begin to well up in our eyes at the magnificence of praise from the choir, we shut down our emotions because we are afraid.

What if he really does begin to speak to me and I begin to hear? What if he wants me to do something that is dangerous? What if he wants me to let him actually guide my thoughts, my actions, my life? What if he wants to have access to all my worldly goods? What if . . . ?  Am I ready to go there? Or even bigger, am I ready to let him go there?

Paul tells us in Colossians that all of God dwelt in Jesus, and then he adds, “and the mystery is this: Christ in you is the hope of glory.” (Colossians 2) What if he really is alive and lives in all those around us on Sunday? How will that impact how we treat them? What if he is alive and is outside our church doors calling us to go to the hungry, the lost, the needy, the dying? What if he is alive and wants us out there reaching out to the dying world that he loves?

Inside the church doors on Easter Sunday we will sing joyfully, “Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes,” and “Christ the Lord is risen today, alleluia!” Those are joyful words in a safe environment. But as we walk out the doors into a world that does not know the good news that we celebrate, do we tremble at the thought of telling others? Jesus is alive, really alive! Can we say that with confidence? Does he have to come and challenge us, “Fear not?”

Later in the quoted Matthew 28, Jesus tells the women to go and tell his brothers. Isn’t that what he would say to us today? The good news of Jesus Christ is that he has overcome death and the grave. Jesus is saying to us, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell!”

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for a living Savior! Thank you that we need not fear, for he has overcome fear and death and the grave. Thank you for your promise to be with us eternally. Thank you for Easter, with all its hope and promise! Thank you for life. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

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