Easter Vigil Reflection on Matthew 28

EASTER VIGIL REFLECTION on Matthew 28:1-10

Preacher: Pastor Carrie Smith

Alleluia, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia!

^“So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.”

Fear and joy, which at first seem quite unrelated, can sometimes become mingled into one stomach-churning emotion.

I think of the day when, at age 20, I boarded an airplane by myself and flew across the ocean to study in Germany for a year. I had never flown by myself, much less to another country. But there I was, fearfully and joyfully flying toward this new life, with all my belongings packed into one suitcase, and my hair teased and sprayed into an impressive 90’s “poof” that I was sure would be a hit in Europe. (It wasn’t!)

Fear and great joy also propelled me down the aisle of the church on my wedding day, and accompanied me in those first terrifying and exciting days of motherhood.

Maybe you can recall some of those fearful/joyful moments, too. Do you remember how it felt when you, the new kid, walked into school that first day? How about your first day without a drink; the first time you said “I love you” and really meant it; or your first day on the job? I’ll never forget walking through the door that said “Pastor’s office” at my first call, and how the fear and joy together nearly brought me to my knees.

Fear mixes with joy in these moments because new life is both exciting and scary. The old life is more manageable. We know it better! We feel comfortable there—even when the old life promises only dead-ends, disappointment, and death.

And this is why, after learning of the resurrection, the women at the tomb didn’t stand around joyfully singing “alleluia”, but instead ran away with both fear and great joy. This Good News, this new life, was a radical departure from anything they had ever known, and it sent Mary Magdalene and the other Mary running with mixed emotions from the empty tomb.

An angel had sent them on their way, of course, charging them with the responsibility to go quickly and share the Good News with the disciples. One could assume that’s what they intended to do. But perhaps Jesus knew how quickly fear can overtake even great joy, because partway down the path he suddenly appeared to the women.

As if they weren’t scared before, can you imagine what it was like to see Jesus suddenly popping up in the roadway? Pop goes the Savior! “Greetings!” he said. Subtlety really isn’t God’s strong suit…

But after the women had recovered, the very first words from the risen Christ are: “Do not be afraid.” 

Do not be afraid, he said. It really is me! Now go, and tell the others that you’ve seen me!

Alleluia, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Romans chapter 6 proclaims: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. …So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” You, sisters and brothers, are alive in Christ Jesus. The resurrection life is your new life! And the first thing the risen Christ wants us to know about our new life in him is this: Do not be afraid.

Easy enough for him to say, right?

There will always be moments in life when fear is part of the equation. But what would it mean to live a life motivated not by fear, but by joy?

Too often, the Easter message comes across as “Christ is risen! Alleluia! Now go, quickly, and follow the rules! And try not to get into trouble!”

But what if living in the light of the resurrection isn’t about staying on the path, following the rules, or living in fear of each mistake?

What if the resurrection life liberates us to speak the truth, love generously, accept difference, embrace change, and remain open to possibilities? What if this new life releases us from living dangerously and frees us to take risks?

After all….What are you afraid of?

Embarrassment? Losing face or losing friends? Being seen as foolish? Being wrong? Or is it the fear of death that holds you back?

Sisters and brothers, the Good News of Easter liberates us from all these fears, especially the fear of death. Now that Jesus has broken the bonds of death and has been raised, we have nothing left to fear. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” From now on, no matter where life leads us—even through the valley of the shadow of death—we go with these words of Jesus ringing in our ears:  Be not afraid!

That’s what this night and this Easter Vigil liturgy is all about, after all.

From the creation to the flood, from the parting of the sea to the fiery furnace, the message is the same: Be not afraid! God is with you!

This is what we want our children to know deep in their hearts, isn’t it? This is why we teach them these stories! This is why we raise them in the church! This is why we sing these songs, pray these prayers, and gather at this table—so that our children and our children’s children will know they need not be afraid.

Tonight, as we celebrate with five brand–new saints who have come to be baptized into Christ, my hope is that they hear these words, loud and clear. 

And if they aren’t old enough to remember, then you, my sisters and brothers, will be promising in a few moments to share these words until they are written on their hearts:

Do not be afraid, Brock, because God created the whole world, and called it good—and that includes you!

Do not be afraid, Brody, because goodness is stronger than evil.

Do not be afraid, Nikolas, because with God all things are possible.

Do not be afraid, Corrine, because you are never alone. God is with you!

Do not be afraid, Olivia, because no matter what anyone else says, you will always be Olivia, Child of God.

Friends in Christ, children of God, Easter people, do not be afraid, for Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia!