05/04/2026
EASTER SUNDAY
The Risen Christ-Time to Celebrate!
In the Louvre Museum in Paris, France there is a painting of the scene of the cross. In the painting the stars are dead, and the world is wrapped in darkness. In the scene Mary Magdalene is kneeling holding her hands and lips against the bleeding feet of Jesus. We do not know if Mary did that, but we know she was there. Mary had witnessed her Lord and friend die in the cruellest way; for her the days surrounding the crucifixion had brought nothing but tragedy.
So as Mary approached Jesus’ tomb on that following Sunday the last thing she expected was a party or celebration. Finding the tomb open and empty we find her weeping as she peered into the tomb. Two angels appear and ask her why she is crying. She replies, “They have taken my Lord away.” Jesus appears and at first, she thinks he is the gardener. Jesus then calls her by name “Mary.” (John 20 v16) She cries out in Aramaic “Rabboni!” (Teacher). You can hear her surprise as her name is spoken out by a man she loved-a man she had helped bury! It is not often you hear your name called by an eternal tongue. But when she did, she recognised who was calling and responded by worshipping the risen Christ. In that moment, the Kingdom of God is breaking in as heaven touches earth and it is time to celebrate!
The risen Christ appearing to Mary is both wonderful and extraordinary. It is wonderful as it is Jesus’ first resurrection appearance and it is extraordinary as it contains one of those moments in time and history when we realise that something has altered decisively, something had been achieved by Jesus’ victory over sin and death at the cross that was life changing, not just for those alive at the time but for every generation to come. A new relationship had sprung to life.
Up to that point in time Jesus had spoken about God as ‘the Father’ or ‘the Father who sent me’ or ‘my Father.’ He had referred to his followers as His ‘disciples,’ ‘servants,’ and ‘friends.’ Now all that had changed. Recognise the power and unstoppable force of verse 17;” Go and say to my brothers, I am going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” The disciples are welcomed into a new world, a world where they can know God the way Jesus knows God, where they can enter a relationship where they can know him as their Father. Like the story of a disgraced son exiled in a far-off country (Luke 15:11-32), Jesus has now broken through the exile and made a way back from the ultimate far country, a way back from death itself to the Father’s home where everyone who follows Jesus is welcome as a beloved son or daughter. This is the intimate relationship Jesus invites each one of us to enter with God our Father!
Keith Saynor
Pastor
5th April 2026
MAY YOU ALL ENJOY A HAPPY EASTER AND KNOW GOD'S PRESENCE, BLESSING AND FAVOUR.
