Resurrection Go and Tell

the one who died is now alive

the tomb, sealed and guarded

is now empty

resurrection
new life
death conquered by love

A quote:

“The proof that God raised Jesus from the dead is not the empty tomb,

but the full hearts of his transformed disciples.

The crowning evidence that he lives is not a vacant grave,

but a spirit-filled fellowship.

Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church.”

(Clarence Jordan).

Today is a day to celebrate the wondrous “yes” of God despite all that the world tries to do to stifle that affirmation[i]

resurrection happens whenever oppression is turned into freedom

resurrection happens whenever injustice is turned into liberation

resurrection happens whenever someone has found the space

to love after being hurt,

resurrection happens whenever someone has found the courage to begin again when it seems life has ended[ii]

.…

This passage again has angels

Mary was told not to be afraid when an angel told her of God’s plan for her to have a child.

Joseph was told in a dream not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.

The Shepherds were told don’t be afraid when the night sky lit up with angels announcing the birth of Jesus

It seems that angels must be scary, every time they speak to someone, the first thing they say is ‘don’t be afraid’.

Or maybe it is because no one expects to see an angel.

And the women who went to the tomb were certainly not expecting what happened that morning.

They were not expecting an angel,

or an empty tomb,

or to meet Jesus.

The women had seen what had happened on Friday,

the crucifixion and burial,

they were coming to mourn.

Some gospels mention burial spices,

but not Matthew.

Matthew has the women going to see the tomb,

maybe they hoped to feel close to Jesus there.

But,

something happened that morning,

something extraordinary and amazing and earth shattering.

An earthquake, Matthew records 2 earthquakes, one as Jesus dies and one of Sunday morning.

Death and new life are earth-shattering events.

……………..

I wonder what it was like for the women that morning,

Going to the tomb, my guess is sad, and maybe concerned about getting into trouble for even being there.

Then when an angel rolled the stone away, and spoke to them?

And then when Jesus spoke to them?

Then they grabbed his feet and worshipped him.

They went to grieve at the tomb,

and end up worshipping Jesus.

Sometimes the best things in life are surprises J

Every so often something happens in our lives that is life changing, and in my experience, that is often accompanied by pain or fear, or both J 

I wonder what this story has for us today, most of us have heard this story, or variations of it from Mark, Luke and John, many times over. 

I have a cartoon that reads: “Look at that! Brilliant! You kill the leader and you nip the whole movement in the bud.”

And then just a few days later, the leader isn’t dead anymore, and the movement …

The movement has lasted another 2000 years.

What shape is the Jesus movement in today?

Where do we see signs of resurrection in our own lives and in the world?

Both the angel and Jesus tell the women: don’t be afraid, and then ‘to go and tell’.

Don’t be afraid, go and tell.

Tell the story of Jesus –

The story of compassion,

of grace,

of inclusion,

of acceptance,

of healing,

of liberation.

Tell it in words and actions

Tell it with your time and your money,

with your voice and your hands,

tell the story of love with your life.

Don’t be afraid, go and tell

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[i] Spill the beans

[ii] Based on May the Resurrection Come by Cheryl Laurie, on [hold this space]. holdthisspace.org