He Has Risen

This morning my wife and I asked our three daughters the question “what is Easter all about?”. Our eight and six year old girls eloquently explained that it is about “Jesus dying on the cross for all the naughty things we do''. Our four year old on the other hand, not impressed by her sister's answer, yelled exuberantly “EGGS, BUNNIES, CHOCOLATES”! While I felt like a bit of a failure as a pastor and a dad, it did leave me pondering the same question myself. What are we celebrating in the Easter story? Is a joyful celebration really something that you would naturally associate with a man being publicly, shamefully, and excruciatingly painfully executed? It seems a bit off, right… 

Well, that would be true if it wasn’t for what happened Sunday morning. That Sunday morning the ladies who went to grieve at Jesus’ tomb were confronted by an angel. This angel sat perched on top of the stone that once sealed Jesus’ grave, just to be the one who got to share the best news anyone could ever hear. “He is not here, He has risen”. In that moment their plans to grieve were interrupted with an overwhelming urge to celebrate. 

While there is sorrow in remembering the incomparable pain Jesus suffered on our behalf, there is overwhelming cause for joy and celebration in recognising everything that has been made available to us because Jesus conquered death.

We celebrate that God knows and loves us, we celebrate that we can have eternal life, we celebrate that there is hope beyond death, we celebrate that there is something bigger in this world to belong to, we celebrate that we have a God who understands pain and suffering, and we celebrate that pain and suffering is something he has promised to remove. 

I hope you have a special Easter weekend. Relax, connect, have fun, and eat. But mostly celebrate all of the goodness that Jesus has made available to you through His sacrifice. 

Matthew 28:5-8 
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.

Pr Michael Chapman
Gateway Church Pastor