Jesus lives! What are you afraid of?

Sermon for Easter Sunday

1 Corinthians 5:6-8  +  Mark 16:1-8

We spent the Lenten season and Holy Week following Christ, the Lamb of God, through the words of Holy Scripture. We watched Him suffer. We watched Him die. We watched His burial in the tomb. Today we get to witness the empty tomb and His victory over death.

Hear the familiar story again and rejoice! The dedicated, faithful women who had devoted their lives to serving Jesus and providing for His earthly needs were still devoted to serving Him in His death. They weren’t satisfied with the burial He was given on Good Friday evening. It was rushed. The sun was setting. They had to finish quickly so that they could rest on the Sabbath—which was, as it turned out, the last and greatest Sabbath there ever was, because it was day the Son of God fulfilled the symbolism of that day of rest by resting in the tomb after dying for our sins. But as soon as the sun’s rays peeked above the horizon on Sunday morning, the women took the spices and oils they had bought and headed straight to the tomb, without even stopping to think how they would be able to move that heavy stone out of the way.

But before they arrived, there was an earthquake. The Lord had already risen and entered into His glory, no longer subject to the laws of nature, no longer kept in by large stones or kept out by locked doors. But an angel rolled the stone away from the entrance to the tomb, not to let the Lord out, but to let the world in, so that all could see the jarring truth: the tomb was empty. Jesus had risen from the dead.

By the time the women got there, the stone was already rolled away. An angel was sitting there on top of the stone he had just rolled away, and another angel was sitting in the tomb where Jesus’ body had been. We’re told that they were afraid when they saw the angel. And even after he told them not to be afraid, even after he told them the good news of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, it says that they were still afraid as they hurried away from the tomb to inform the disciples.

We can certainly understand their fear, there in the moment. But you and I have had time to let the truth of it settle in: Jesus really died on the cross and then really rose from the dead, just as He said He would. And His resurrection was permanent; His body has been changed so that He can never die again. He lives, and He reigns mightily on His throne. So what are you afraid of?

Are you afraid of sin and guilt? You should be, if you refuse to repent of your sins, if you’re determined to cling to them, to live in them, to let them keep separating you from God. But if Jesus lives, and you want to be free of the guilt of sin, then don’t be afraid. As the Scripture says, Christ died for sins, the Just for the unjust, to bring you to God. Christ was delivered up to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification.

Are you afraid of death? You should be, if you are not united to Christ by Baptism and faith. But if Jesus lives, and you are united to Him, then don’t be afraid. As the Scripture says, We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. I am the resurrection and the life, Jesus said. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Are you afraid of being condemned to hell? You should be, if you’re not a member of the holy Christian Church. But if Jesus lives and you are a member of His body, the Church, then don’t be afraid. As the Scripture says, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body…He loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Are you afraid of the devil? You should be if you don’t have the constant protection of the living Christ. The devil is real and prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. But if Jesus lives, then don’t be afraid. By His resurrection He proved Himself to be the Stronger Man who took away the devil’s power to accuse or to harm those who take refuge in the wounds of Christ Jesus.

What else are you afraid of? The insane and frightening direction in which the world is headed? Persecution for speaking and living according to the truth of Christ? Financial collapse? Poverty? Scarcity? Sickness? Disaster? You should be afraid of all those things, if Jesus were still dead. But He isn’t. As the Scripture says, the Father raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus lives. You know it’s true. Now keep that knowledge with you whenever fears and doubts begin to trouble you. Keep that knowledge with you when the darkness of the world begins to overwhelm you. Keep that knowledge with you when temptation comes knocking at your door. The resurrection of Christ isn’t a thing we remember on a single day of the year. It’s a truth to remember every day, to celebrate every day, to take comfort in every day. Jesus lives! Believe it! And let that truth drive out all the fear from your heart. Amen.