04/04/2026
April 4
“Living as Resurrection People"
Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you. So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”- Matthew 28:7-10 (NRSV)
Observing the empty tomb, the two women are, most assuredly, caught in the ebb and flow of questions and awe. Oh, what it must have been like on that first Resurrection Sunday. Then, the angel’s words come with authority, clarity, and urgency: “Go quickly and tell His disciples… He has risen from the dead.” For the two women, what began as a journey marked by grief now turns into a mission fueled by great joy. Certainly fear is still present, but it no longer defines them, because hope now does. The women leave the tomb “with fear and great joy,” running to share the news. This is the tension of Easter: sorrow transformed, despair reshaped into expectation. And along the way, something even more remarkable happens; they encounter the risen Jesus Himself. He meets them not in stillness, but in motion, as they are obeying the call to go and tell. His words echo the angel’s message: “Do not be afraid… go and tell my brothers.” Did you catch that… the repetition is intentional. In moments of overwhelming change, God reassures and redirects, grounding us in both peace and purpose.
For people in all ages, stages, and seasons of life, this passage reminds us that the resurrection is not only something to believe, as it is something to live and proclaim. Easter moves us from the tomb into the world with a message: Jesus is alive. We are called to be resurrection people, carrying hope into places still marked by fear, grief, and uncertainty. Like the women, we may not have every answer, but we do have a testimony. Our charge is to bear witness to what we have seen, what we have experienced; how Christ has met us along the way. This shapes our understanding of the Easter miracle. The resurrection miracle is not passive, but active; not distant, but personal. The risen Christ sends us forward with courage and joy, reminding us that the same power that raised Him from the dead is at work in us. So we journey on, down the dusty road, not in fear, but in faith. With faith as our guide, we move where God leads; sharing the good news that changes everything.
Further Reading
Psalm 30:5
2 Corinthians 5:17
Guiding Thought
The empty tomb is a declaration that death is defeated and the resurrection proclaims hope for all who believe.
Prayer
Gracious and loving God, we praise you for Jesus and the power of his resurrection. O Lord, remind us that the resurrection is to be told of with great joy and with hope. O God, we thank you for your faithfulness, moving us to proclaim with our lives, Jesus is alive, He is risen. In Jesus’ name, amen.
