READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l Jesus’s death on the cross shows us that even if one is walking perfectly in the will of God, one still can experience suffering and despair. Even Jesus on the cross had cried out – my God why have you forsaken me. But today we come to resurrection Sunday. The scripture passage highlights the actions and reactions of three women who are honoured in the Bible as the first persons to receive the Easter good news that Jesus is risen!
Unlike the men disciples who fell away when Jesus was arrested (Mk 14: 27, 29), it was the women who rose early on Sunday morning and went to the tomb to show their respect and love for Jesus. Where were the men? The women needed the men’s help to move the heavy stone at the entrance to the tomb, but they did not show up. We don’t know why — maybe the men were still afraid or had become depressed and disillusioned. Despite the men’s absence, the women were determined in their devotion, and they are blessed and forever remembered as the first to hear the good news of resurrection Sunday.
The resurrection good news is at least two things:
Look for Jesus as the one who has conquered death (v6)
The angelic being proclaims the good news that Jesus has conquered death. Jesus is risen! He is not among the dead but is very much alive. (v6) Jesus conquered death, not by avoiding it, but by accepting it and the doubts and despair that sometimes comes with it. On Easter, Jesus is no longer dead but has risen above death and despair. Christ is alive, so we must look for Jesus the Christ as the one who has conquered death.
Find in Jesus the one who calls us out of despair (v7)
The resurrection good news is that Jesus wants to meet with His disciples again. Yes, the same disciples who fell away in fear, abandoned him and were nowhere to be found when the women went to the tomb; especially Peter who denied Jesus three times and was still crying in shame at his failure. The risen Jesus wants to meet (them) again. He hasn’t condemned or cancelled them as cowards who had lost their calling. The risen Jesus wants to meet His disciples again and call them out of their despair and disgrace.
The women disciples were initially too afraid to tell anyone of this incredible resurrection good news. (v8) We are not told why they were initially afraid to tell everyone about the good news. While we cannot be certain why the women were initially afraid, we know that they later overcame their fear and told the disciples of the resurrection good news. Perhaps we can answer the question ourselves. Why are we afraid to share the resurrection good news? The wonderful news that Jesus has conquered death and wants to meet, comfort and call us out of our despair.
This Easter resurrection morning, do we know of someone whose life is cast under the dark shadow of death, someone struggling and wondering if there is a future, someone who needs to find Jesus? Will you gently but lovingly point them to Jesus? — the one who has conquered death and shows us the way out of our despair into new life. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, brings blessings and allows His disciples to live life to the full, knowing that in Christ, we would fly higher and live forever more, because Christ is risen indeed.
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Jesus the One who Conquers Death
- We live in a world so full of death and destruction. Pray for families in countries where war and death are almost daily occurrences.
- Pray for someone you know who is confronted with the despair of death and disease.
Jesus the One who Comforts and Calls us out of Despair
- Do you know someone feeling disgraced or ashamed (like Peter and the disciples who denied and deserted Jesus)? What might you, or your small group, do to help them meet the Jesus who Comforts and Calls us out of despair?
- If you were feeling discouraged or disgraced, what would you hope your friends might say or do for you? What would you hope they did not say, or do to you?
