God has reached into the tomb and brought Jesus to new life. God reaches into the tombs we make for ourselves and those we are placed in and brings us to new life again and again and again.
That is resurrection. That is Easter. That is Good News.
God loves you, the fullness of you, so much that God finds you wherever and however and loves you to new life.
This gift of new life is meant to be lived. The good news of an empty tomb and new life can seem like an “idle tale” to those who have yet to experience resurrection or who cannot remember their encounter with the risen Christ. So we, like the bold and courageous women who were the first to go to the tomb, hear, and proclaim the good news, must keep on proclaiming this good news in word and deed. We live the new life to which God has raised us.
New is messy and difficult and requires humility, courage, vulnerability, and faith. We must admit we do not yet know fully what living this new life looks like, we share from the deepest parts of ourselves, engage in confident risk-taking for the sake of sharing this good news of life and love in the world. We do all of these things with the gift of faith, that is, trusting in God and the promises of God from which not even death can separate us.
This Easter, we will continue to ask the question, “What does living the resurrection look like for me and for us here and now?” As we pray, worship, study, converse, listen, sing, and serve we will learn together to live as the body of Christ raised up for the world and sent to share God’s love.
The risen Christ emboldened and empowered the disciples to live out this new life. That same Christ, risen and alive, is with us now, emboldening and empowering us to reflect the life-giving love of God in Christ.
What does this look like?
- Stepping out in bold faith to try something new
- Taking the risk of working to begin a new friendship or connect deeper with a loved one by being vulnerable, open, authentic
- Listen to someone longer, and with the goal of hearing, not simply waiting to respond and share
- Do one thing to better care for the planet which is also becoming new in Christ
- Assume the best possible intentions of those around you
- Commit to having a tough conversation about an important issue
- Spend time each morning cultivating joy and gratitude by naming and giving thanks to God for what you see around you
- What do you think it looks like? What would change if everyone reflected the life-giving love of God?
God, who has brought you again to new life, sustain you in love to live the good news of resurrection.
Pastor Drew