Sunday, March 27, 2016


“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

Do we believe?

If so how does this belief impact our lives?

Jesus suffered a painful and brutal death.   He died.  But that was not the end. He told his friends it would not be the end, but how could they have understood?  How could they believe?

I’ve imagined being one of the women headed to the tomb ready to prepare his body, overwhelmed with sadness, exhausted, walking in the dark even before the sun has broken through the night.

The earth quakes – the stone has been moved.  What has happened?  Did someone do this?  Certainly, given the circumstances of the past few days in the fractions of seconds I am immediately angry, confused – this is some further insult - some conspiracy.  Where is his body? What have they done? Some of the women run back to the disciples.  Some look into the tomb. I stand frozen in place in the cold morning air.  Yet there at the entrance of the tomb there is a man, (could it be an angel?) who is so calm, and he tells us not to be afraid. He tells us to go tell the others that Jesus has risen – as he said he would – and he has gone before us to Galilee. 



I’ve wondered - after I had heard he was not there – he was risen – how would I react?  Would I be joyful?  Skeptical? Uncertain? Afraid? What would I feel I should do?  Should I go tell everyone? Should I go hide?  And then I remember.  He raised his friend Lazareth from the dead – and he did say something – what was it? He would suffer – I heard that he said he would suffer and even die.  But, yes he did say that he would be raised on the third day.

Suddenly I am awash in joy. It springs up in me so that I do not feel my feet are touching the ground.  I feel that I am breathing quicker, my heart is raising.  Could it be true?  Is it true?  Of course it is true! I feel the tears start to run down my face and I turn and run to join the others.  Some believe right away – some don’t.  Everyone is trying to remember exactly what he said.  But I do remember he told us not to be afraid. 

Today – in 2016 if I believe Jesus rose from the dead what does that mean for my life.  


It means that what has been the end – what has frightened man since he could understand his mortality – is nothing to give us fear.  Jesus conquered death, therefore we will not experience death as an end –we will live beyond this life and if we truly believe this, there is really nothing to be afraid of, and if there is nothing to be afraid of we are free.  Free to live lives of joy.  Free to live lives of service to each other.  Free to love.  If I can pause and really consider the true joy of the resurrection how can I keep from singing! 

No comments: