“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.”
Matthew 28:5–6
Pastor John Writes:
On that first Easter morning, many people were affected by grief. The women came to the tomb full of sorrow, uncertainty, and sadness for the one they thought they had lost. What they found instead was the unexpected — an empty tomb and a message that would change everything: “He is not here; he has risen.”
Easter reminds us that God often meets us in places where hope seems buried. For many, the tomb is a symbol of finality and despair, but at Easter it became the very place where new life was revealed. In the same way, the moments in our lives that feel like endings can become beginnings through the power of God’s love.
The angel’s words begin with a command we often hear from angels: “Do not be afraid.” These words are just as meaningful for us today. We live in a world that can feel uncertain and overwhelming, yet the resurrection of Jesus assures us that fear does not have the final word. Christ’s victory over death is also a promise of hope for every heart, every situation, and every challenge.
“He has risen, just as he said.” The resurrection is not only a miracle, it is a powerful statement that God keeps His word and that His love endures beyond even death itself. This Easter, we are invited again to gather at God’s Acre, remember the resurrection, and follow our Savior from doubt into hope. The empty tomb calls us to remember that we serve a living Savior, one who walks with us, renews us, and calls us into new life.
May this season fill your heart with peace, your spirit with joy, and your life with the enduring hope of the risen Christ. The Lord is risen, indeed!
In Christ,
The Rev. John G. Rights
