Every Easter I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out creative, profound and earthshaking ways to share the Easter story with you, because you know pressure. What does it mean, what were the women thinking, how does it impact our lives in 2026, what are we supposed to think about this “resurrection” idea…. Interestingly enough this is one of the only things that the church across denominations agrees on – Jesus died and Jesus was resurrected three days later. That part we get, what all that means for us poses more of a challenge to agreement. But I don’t want to talk about that today.
So, I stand here in this beautiful and sacred space and I will say the same thing I said last Easter, and the Easter before that, and I’ve said every Easter for the last twenty plus years… Christ is Risen! Hallelujah! I mean, every year it’s the same thing, right? It never changes… Jesus is arrested. Jesus is put to trial. Jesus is crucified. Jesus rises again and not in a creepy zombie way but in a restoration of hope and faith kind of way. Regardless of knowing how the story ends, which we know as soon as Palm Sunday starts, we come together on Easter Sunday in order to listen to the same story. But why?
I may not have something mind-blowingly revolutionary to say about the story and that’s okay because it’s the story that we come for. It’s trustworthy, we can count on it, it makes us feel good and it’s here to stay. No matter the state of our lives – secular or spiritual – no matter the state of the world – which right now, is kinda unsettled to say the least – the resurrection happens. The resurrection happens and the story remains as true for us today as it was last year or ten years ago or even seventy-five years ago. No sermon or reflection or monologue is going to change the truth of that. The resurrection happens, the story is the story and maybe what we need to hear and hold onto it this truth: He is not here; for he has been raised.
What we need to hear this Easter Sunday is the good news embedded in the story, which is alive in the world even now. The good news of easter Sunday is more alive than anything that tries to kill God, more alive than anything that tries to kill the imago dei (the image of God) in all of us. We need to feel the earth shaking beneath our feet and hear the words “do not be afraid”. We need to witness the angel moving the stone and we need to be startled by the empty tomb. We need the mystery of the Risen Christ appearing on the road. What we need to hear this morning is that the Good News of Easter is still alive in the world even now. So with every intention of repeating what I’ve said in the past, with every intention of repeating what we’ve heard today, I tell the story of Easter again.
“After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning” – it all took place as the sun made its way slowly over the horizon, brightening and warming this new day. If you’ve ever needed a reminder that no matter what is taking place in life or the world, the sun will continue to rise as it always does, that warmth will return as it always does and that the dawn will bring with it a new day full of possibilities and transformation, then this story is for you. Christ is risen, hallelujah.
“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb” – after all they had been present when Jesus died and had been laid there just two days before. They knew the pain of his death as they watched and as they prepared to anoint him. If you’ve ever had your heart broken by the loss of a loved one or a dream, then this story is for you. Christ is risen, hallelujah.
“Suddenly there was an earthquake; for an angel of God, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was light lightning, and his clothing white as snow… 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; he has been raised.” If you have ever needed some earthshaking good news, if you’ve ever needed words of hope, if you’ve ever lived as if death had the final word, then this story is for you. Christ is risen, hallelujah.
“He has been raised from the dead, and indeed is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him” said the angel to the women. Galilee is the home of Jesus. It is the home of the disciples. If you have ever struggled to find Jesus, if you’ve ever wondered where he is, if you’ve ever thought that Easter is just a supernatural myth and has nothing to do with your ordinary life, then this story is for you. Christ is Risen, hallelujah.
We hear the story, and we wonder: why did the angel roll the stone away? Couldn’t he have just shared his message with the women and go on his way? It’s a bit of a why did the chicken cross the road situation… how else would Jesus get out of the tomb? All the other gospels have the women arriving after the stone way moved away – they saw all they needed as soon as they arrived. So why the difference in Matthew’s story? The stone is sealed into place just as the Roman soldiers had left it until the women arrive. What’s that about?
Mary and Mary had seen Jesus die. They watched as his body was laid in the tomb. Then they come to the tomb to find it just as they had left it on Good Friday… nothing had changed. Nothing has happened. Where was this resurrection taking place? If you have ever wondered whether God is doing anything in the world or in your life, then this story is for you. Christ is Risen, hallelujah.
What if, what if the angel moves the stone out of the way not to let Jesus out, but rather for the women to see in. Looking in, they notice the emptiness of the cave. With their own eyes they see that he is not there… the angel was right, Jesus was raised. This means that the resurrection already happened in that sealed tomb, away from prying eyes and watchful waiters. It means that new life is always and already taking place even when we can’t see it, don’t expect it or don’t think it can. This story is for us. Christ is risen, hallelujah.
What if the hallelujahs, the soaring hymns and anthems, the candles and communion, the Easter hangings and white vestments don’t set this place and this day apart from all the other places and days, but rather point to the fact that the resurrection, the hope of the empty cross, is always and already happening in all other places and days. This is not THE only day of the resurrection, it is ANOTHER day of resurrection. This story IS FOR US. Christ is Risen, hallelujah.
The Good News of Easter is that it is alive in the world NOW. The mystery, the hope, the promise, the good news is alive right now and it is greater than any tyrant or power. God shakes the world with a love and a power so tender that the tomb blooms with new life. This is our good news. And it is worth repeating, so I will keep telling it, and we will keep living. This is the story for us. Christ is Risen, hallelujah.
