Easter

Matthew 28: 1 – 10 (NIV): After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

This is the greatest moment in the history of the world! Things were looking so grim, yet the creator of the universe had just conquered death, the enemy of mankind. But these women didn't understand that yet. They were simply trying to pay respects to a really good dead guy. The idea that he had come back to life was beyond their wildest dreams. That's the gospel: what God has in store for us is so wonderful, it is beyond our imaginations.

God didn't create us to suffer. Yet we suffer. God didn't create us to die. Yet we die. What gives? Losing paradise was the price we paid for having a free will. Love is not love if it is forced. God knows that. He had to allow the “fall” so that we would freely choose him. We are not God's puppets or pets, we are his beloved children. We suffer because of the fall from paradise, but God suffered along with us. And when he rose again, he proved that death is not the end for those who believe.

The women were afraid that first Easter morning as they encountered the supernatural. Yet, the angel and Jesus both told them not to be afraid. When we see things we don't understand, it is frightening, but God's message to us is to not fear. In fact, the Bible tells us 365 times – once for each day of the year – not to be afraid. When we walk by faith and realize that God is God and he knows what he is doing, our fears will subside.

When the women realized that Jesus had risen, they worshiped him. That should be our response as well. And Jesus had a task for them: go tell. God has given us that same marching order. We live in a world that needs hope; a world of people afraid of the future. We live in a world that needs to know that there is a God, that he is all powerful, that he does care, and that he knows what he is doing even if we don't understand. When we believe, we have the hope that we will return to paradise.