The Resurrection of our Lord
April 20, 2014- Pastor Adam Moline
Jeremiah
31:1-6 Colossians 3:1-4 Matthew 28:1-10
Hymns
- LSB 457, 469, 463, Communion – LSB 458, 465, 461, 467, 487
He is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Amen. Our text today is from the
Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “Do not be afraid”. Thus far our text.
Dear friends in
Christ. There was so much fear on that first Easter morning. The disciples had locked themselves in the
upper room where just a few days earlier Jesus had instituted the Lord’s
Supper. Peter afraid for his life had
denied knowing Jesus three times. Mark,
ran away in the garden naked when a soldier had grabbed ahold of his shirt to
arrest him. Judas afraid of the
consequences of his actions had hanged himself.
Fear ruled the morning. Fear
ruled the lives of those in our lessons today – and in a way it always
had.
After all, God is
just. He judges sin, and the sinners who
commit it. He calls into account what
people do in this life. That means
Peter, and Mark. That means all the
disciples. That means you and me.
The women on the way
to the tomb to anoint the dead body were also afraid. Afraid for being disciples of Jesus out and
about after he was condemned. Afraid
that no one would be there to help them open the tomb to anoint the dead body
of Christ. Afraid of seeing the tortured
remains of their friend. Afraid of
seeing the wounds, and remembering the gruesome and wicked way that they were
formed.
But as they
fearfully made their way to the tomb, there is an earthquake. And as the earth stops shaking they see an
angel, who has rolled back the stone of the tomb of Christ and sits upon
it. Upon seeing the angel their fear
turned to terror. Angels of God reflect
his holiness and glory, and seeing that angel in that emotional time is almost
too much for the women. They almost
faint like the guards at the tomb.
Except they don’t,
for in the midst of their fear the Angel speaks God’s Word to them. Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry.
Don’t be alarmed. Why not? Because Jesus has arisen. It is finished as he had said. He lives again, and he always will live. Fear not!
For there are tidings of great joy that shall be for all people.
The women look in
the tomb, and then begin making their way out of the garden cemetery. And there on there way out, they see
him. Jesus. No longer dead. No longer pale gray. No longer still and lifeless, but alive. And he speaks the same words to them. “Do not be afraid.” For sin is no more. For death has been swallowed up by
death. Be not afraid. From the very mouth of the crucified and
risen God in human flesh, the same words as the words of the angel. Fear not!
Never fear again.
Dear friends, this
Easter morning, what are you afraid of?
Are you afraid of making ends meet?
Are you afraid of keeping your job?
Are you afraid of how much rain will fall this summer, if your fields
will produce as well as their supposed to?
Are you afraid that your mortgage will come due, and you won’t have
enough for the payments?
Do you fear for
your child? Do you fear for your parent
or grandparent? Do you fear illnesses
and cancer? Do you fear weakness and
pain? Have you bitten off more than you
can chew? Have you hurt a loved one and
are afraid to speak with them and reconcile the conflict? Are you afraid of a coming judgment or penalty? Are you afraid of commitment? Are you afraid of fire, or flood or global
disaster? Are you afraid of your sin,
and God’s just judgment of it? Are you
afraid… of death?
Dear friends,
Christ is risen. Be not afraid! Let not the terrors of this world frighten
you anymore. Jesus has overcome it all,
every last one of your fears have been destroyed by His bloody death on the
cross, and confirmed by his glorious resurrection. He has loved you with an everlasting love – a
love that is this, that he gave up his life for you as a sin sacrifice. You are hidden in Jesus, you have already
been promised resurrection in him.
When confronted by
this world, because of the resurrected Jesus, you need not be afraid. When sad, fear not. When overwhelmed pressures and pain of this
world, let terror not overwhelm you.
When confronted with death, know that life has won.
That is our hope
on this most blessed of days. That
Christ has arisen, and so too will we one day rise. Even though in this world we struggle, even
though we hurt. Even though we will grow
sick and die, we know that because Jesus is risen, so too will we arise.
We are given that
promise in the water of baptism, where we already have died and arose with
Jesus. We are given that promise today
as we eat the body of blood of Jesus- the Risen and living body and blood – for
the forgiveness of our sins. And in
those things we are directly connected to the life that Jesus now lives
forever.
Dear friends, you
will live forever. There is no fear in
this world that can overcome you. There
is not pain too large, there is no suffering that can destroy you. You will live. You will be brought safe out of the
tribulation. You have Christ, and his
promises forever more. Fear not, for
Christ is not dead. He is Risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Amen.
