He’s alive.
You know those really good stories? These are the stories that you never get tired of hearing. They make you laugh, smile, and remember. They bring joy.
That’s what today is about.
Paul wrote once wrote that nothing - not height, not depth, not angels, not demons, not the present, not the future, nothing in all of creation - can keep us from the love of God. Not even death.
That’s what today is about.
I wish we could have been there. At the tomb. In that upper room. Because for a lot of folks, Easter doesn’t seem to have that spark. Often at the end of church, you will see people during the benediction looking indifferent, bored, and ready to get to their cars. It wasn’t like that.
There are four gospel accounts of Christ’s resurrection and none of them are exactly the same. The main gist is the same in all of them: women, empty tomb, and resurrected Son of God. But the minute details differ. And that shouldn’t bother us at all. It actually makes sense.
Because Jesus came back from the dead. Utter joyful chaos. The number of women at the tomb or the number of angels is really a moot point. Jesus is alive. The best days are total blurs. If you want proof, ask a happy couple about their wedding day or a athlete about the day they won the championship.
Christ alive means more than just we get to go to heaven when we die, which in itself is incredible. It means that God truly does make all things new. How are we not pinching ourselves to make sure that we aren’t dreaming?
There is still heartache, pain, loss, and tragedy. That is not going leave until God renews all things. But Jesus being alive means that hope is alive. Another world is possible. No matter how dark things get, God will lift up your head.
Easter is the great hope. It is the hope of the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, and the persecuted. It is the hope for the dying and the sick. It is the hope for the lonely. It is hope for all that have ears to hear.
We have hope. And we get to take part in that hope. Our hands and feet and hearts and words carry on what Jesus began. We follow Him who loved us so much to live among us, teach us to live, and die for us. Then He came back. Not even death can hold God back.
In many baptism services, you hear the phrase, “Buried with Jesus in death and raised to walk in newness of life.” How can we be bored, disinterested, and ready to get away in light of that beautiful reality? How could we not want to share that good news with everyone?
It’s Sunday. Hope is alive. Another world is possible. Love wins.
Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed.
