ALIVE

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, some of Jesus’ followers visit the tomb where Jesus’ dead body had been laid and find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty.

That’s what all four Gospel accounts agree on. All four writers include a detailed account of this incredible event – of course they do, it’s the most spectacular event in the whole of human history!

Each account differs in the details, however, which shouldn’t surprise us. It’s in these moments of heightened emotion and confusion that the witness accounts and the way those are passed on can be muddled. However, in each case, we can come back to this: Early in the morning on the first day of the week, some of Jesus’ followers visit the tomb where Jesus’ dead body had been laid and find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty.

In Matthew’s account in Matthew 28, it is Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who go to look at the tomb. Something weird and unexplained is going on. There’s a violent earthquake. The angel of the Lord has come down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

The angel is terrifying, unlike anything the guards have ever seen before with an appearance like lightning and clothes as white as snow.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:5-7

Don’t be afraid.

Come and see.

Now go and tell.

The women do what they’ve been told to do, afraid yet filled with joy, and Jesus appears to his disciples.

Don’t be afraid.

Now go and tell.

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When they hear what’s going on, the chief priests give the soldiers a story to tell – and a large sum of money! – to explain away this which cannot be explained.

‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ Matthew 28:13

A convincing explanation, that many still believe to this day.

In Mark’s account in Mark 16, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bring spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Wondering who will roll the stone away to give them access to Jesus’ body, they notice that the stone has already been rolled away. They see a young man dressed in a white robe in the tomb. And they are alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16:6-7

Don’t be afraid.

Come and see.

Now go and tell.

But in this case, they don’t. They’re too afraid. They run away. They say nothing to anyone.

In Luke’s account in Luke 24, the women take the spices they’ve prepared and find the stone rolled away from the tomb, but no body.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:4-8

Don’t be afraid.

Come and see.

Now go and tell.

They do go and tell, but no one believes them. Their words seem like nonsense. Only Peter goes to the tomb to see for himself.

Finally, in John’s account in John 20, it’s Mary Magdalene who runs to Simon Peter and the other disciple to tell them that Jesus’ body is no longer in the tomb. They run to the tomb and see the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. They don’t understand what’s happened.

Mary stays outside the tomb crying. She sees two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, and tells them why she is crying. Then she turns to see Jesus standing there, but has no idea it is him.

 

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:15-17

Don’t be afraid.

Come and see.

Now go and tell.

And so she does. She tells everyone what she has seen.

 

It’s the same for us today as it was for Jesus’ followers on that first early morning on that first Easter Sunday.

Don’t be afraid.

Come and see.

Now go and tell.

 

Don’t be afraid.

Whatever has gone before, do not be afraid.

However scary and confusing life feels right now, do not be afraid.

However dark and terrifying the path you are currently on appears, do not be afraid.

However helpless and hopeless life seems in this moment, do not be afraid.

Come and see.

Jesus is alive! We may not be able to get our heads round that or begin to understand what that means for us right now, but Jesus is alive. There’s stuff going on in the spiritual dimension that may feel a bit scary because it’s beyond our human understanding, but Jesus is there, gently speaking our name, breaking through the pain and sadness and confusion. The Easter weekend is the perfect opportunity for us to focus in on the events of the crucifixion and resurrection: to reflect on the horrific suffering that Jesus endured and to celebrate that victory over death as he rose to new life. On Easter Sunday, we gather together in light and love to step anew into the new life that Jesus brings – the renewed vision and belief and hope and joy and energy and relationships…whatever new life looks like for you right now.

Now go and tell.

We don’t get to stay in that moment. We bask in that glorious light for a moment, soaking in the new life and energy, but we don’t get to stay there. We then have a responsibility to go and tell, to go and share that light and love and new life. Some will not believe us. Some will write us off as over emotional or irrational or irrelevant.

But some will want to come and see for themselves.