Already Alive and Afoot

 

[The following is a manuscript of my meditation delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 5th of April, 2026 - Easter Sunday - at our Easter Sunrise Service.  This service will not be available on our YouTube streaming channel, as it was conducted outside of our Fellowship Hall.]

Some of the women who had followed Jesus and His disciples from Galilee watched as He was crucified and died on the cross.  These included Mary, His mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome, the mother of James and John.  Joseph of Arimathea secured Jesus' body from Pilate, wrapped it in linen cloths, and laid it in a new hewn tomb just before sunset, Friday afternoon.  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary followed Joseph to see where Jesus was laid and saw the huge stone rolled in place to seal the tomb.  Then came the Sabbath, when no labor is allowed and no work can be done.

Saturday evening saw the end of the Sabbath, when labor could be resumed.  And then came Sunday, the first day of the new week, and the first opportunity for anyone to visit the tomb.  Sunday was also the third day of the crucifixion, counting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Did anyone remember what Jesus had told them about that third day?

Please listen to the report the Apostle Matthew recorded for us describing what happened on that Sunday long ago.  I’ll be reading the 1st 10 verses of the 28th chapter of the Matthew’s Gospel account, from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible…

1 The day after the Sabbath day was the first day of the week. That day at dawn Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 Suddenly an angel of the Lord came from the sky, and there was a huge earthquake. The angel went to the tomb and rolled the stone away from the entrance. Then he sat on top of the stone. 3 The angel was shining as bright as lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. 4 The soldiers guarding the tomb were very afraid of the angel. They shook with fear and then became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, the one who was killed on the cross. 6 But He is not here. He has risen from death, as He said He would. Come and see the place where His body was. 7 And go quickly and tell His followers, ‘Jesus has risen from death. He is going into Galilee and will be there before you. You will see Him there.’” Then the angel said, “Now I have told you.”

8 So the women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell His followers what happened. 9 Suddenly, Jesus was there in front of them. He said, “Hello!” The women went to Him and, holding on to His feet, worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell My followers to go to Galilee. They will see Me there.”

--Matthew 28:1-10 (ERV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Thursday night we stood by and helplessly watched as Your Son was arrested.  We were scared that they might take us into custody, too, so we fled, leaving Jesus on His own, denying that we even knew Him.  Friday we were horrified to see Him being crucified.  Many of us hid in rooms in the city, still afraid of what the Romans and temple guards might do to us if they caught us.  And then Jesus took His last breath on the cross, and was buried.  But this morning, this beautiful morning, Father, we can rejoice, for You have resurrected our Lord Jesus!  You raised Him bodily from the grave so that He could defeat death.  And You and Jesus did it all just for us!  Your Son suffered, and You had to stand by and watch, just so we might enjoy everlasting life in paradise with You both… if we only believe in Him and follow His voice.  We believe, Lord Jesus.  We believe that You are the one true Son of God, and we believe that You rose bodily from the grave.  This morning we celebrate that glorious day.  Bless us Lord, and help us prepare ourselves for Your return.  Help us to better serve You and to never falter in our belief and faith.  In Your sweet name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

It’s Sunday morning, the day following the Sabbath.  Just two days ago, in our way of reckoning, Jesus died on the cross.  His body was wrapped in linen cloths and placed in a freshly hewn tomb.  And then everything stopped in observance of the Sabbath.

But now the Sabbath is past, the dew is fresh on the grass, the sun is slowing rising in the east.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses went to look at the tomb of our Lord.  The Mary’s were among those who had traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  Another Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came and they all watched Him take His last breath and die on the cross.  What a horrible thing for a mother to see!

So now these women are walking to the tomb just as the sun peeks above the eastern horizon.  Friday afternoon they watched as the tomb was sealed by having a huge stone placed across the entrance.  But as they stood there at the tomb, an angel of the Lord came down from out of the sky, and a huge earthquake shook the very ground under them.  The angel went over to the tomb entrance and rolled that massive stone away.  And as if all of this was a commonplace occurrence, the angel sat himself down upon the stone.

And then Jesus walked out, right?  Well, no.  Jesus didn’t walk right out because He was no longer in there.  The angel rolled the stone away not so that Jesus could get out, but so that we could see in, and see that the tomb was empty.  Nobody – no body – was inside.  By the time the women got to the tomb, before the stone was rolled away, Jesus was already alive and afoot.

Meanwhile, the guards, who had been posted to prevent the disciples from coming in the night to take the body of Jesus, were shaking in fear.  They were so afraid they couldn’t react, couldn’t move, because of what just happened, and what they were seeing.  For the angel nonchalantly sitting on the stone in front of them shone like lightning, his snow-white robe glowing.

Ignoring the guards entirely, the angel spoke instead to the women, telling them not to be afraid.  He knew why they were they, what they were looking for, so he reminded them of what Jesus had said earlier.  Their Lord wasn’t there, because He had risen from death just as He said He would.  He instructed them to go tell the disciples and the rest the good news, and that Jesus would meet them along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

So the women rushed off to do as the angel commanded.  As they were running, Jesus suddenly appeared in front of them!  He greeted them and they ran to Him and worshiped Him at His feet.  He repeated the angel’s instructions for them and His followers, so that they could all see Him, alive and afoot again.

There are two very important and meaningful points in this short passage because they relate to promises that Jesus and our Father God made to us.  The first I already mentioned.  The huge stone blocking the entrance of the tomb was rolled away not so that Jesus could get out, but so that witnesses could see in and testify that the tomb was empty.

Jesus had publicly stated that He would rise from the grave, defeating death.  The Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t believe this, of course, not only of Jesus but of anybody, because it was impossible, it couldn’t happen.  But what they did believe was possible was that some of Jesus’ followers could come in the night and take His body, and then tell everyone He had risen from death.  So they talked Pilate into posting a guard at the tomb, to prevent the body being taken.  The now empty tomb, though guarded all night, shows the truth of Jesus’ words.

And the second point is that Jesus appeared to the women and then to the rest of His followers up in Galilee.  This is important for two reasons.  First, even if the followers had taken Jesus’ body, He would still be dead!  He wouldn’t be walking around in broad daylight for anyone to see!

But more meaningfully for us, His physical appearance, after His death and burial, witnessed by hundreds of people, proves His resurrection.  And it adds validity to the promise of our own resurrection and new life after life on this earth has ended for us.

Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead by God, but many more will follow.  When Jesus spoke with the Pharisee Nicodemus, He said that God loves the world so much that He gave it His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  This promise is authenticated by the resurrection of Jesus.  This is our Easter promise.

Family, Jesus is still alive and afoot today.  We may not see Him walking among us, but He is here, and He is right by our side when we do His bidding.  We are His feet, we are His hands, and ours is His voice as we go out into the world sharing the Gospel.

But what heavy stone is blocking us?  What huge impediment is keeping us from carrying out our mission, the task Jesus gave us?  Are we afraid – afraid of what others may think or say when we express our faith, afraid of how they might react?  Is fear or embarrassment our boulder?  Or is it we’re just too timid, too shy, especially when it comes to approaching a stranger?  Or maybe we think we just won’t know what to say or do to try and preach the Good News, the Gospel?  What is the huge, heavy stone that we can’t seem to roll away from blocking our path?

Just as those women saw, God can and will roll that stone away for us.  All we have to do is ask.  Just pray and ask for strength, for courage, for the will to do our Lord’s will, and let God do the rest.  Remember: we have the greatest power in the universe right here inside us.  We have God’s own Holy Spirit within us.  He will move any stone that gets in our way.  Just trust in God, in His Son Jesus, and in His Holy Spirit and our way will be open and clear.

So let’s get out there and tell others the wonderful news that Jesus the Christ has risen from the dead and lives again!  Hallelujah!  He is risen!  Christ has risen!  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, Master…  You came as our Messiah, our Savior.  But You died on the cross, and for a moment the world lost hope.  Then You rose from the grave, just as You said You would, once again alive and full of life!  You conquered death and promised we would share in that victory if we would only believe in You and accept You as Lord.  As the sun rises on us this morning, just as it did on You so long ago, that promise remains our expected and anticipated hope.

Dear Lord, may our faith remain strong and not waiver during our struggles and trials in this present age.  May we continue to see You, our living Lord, always at our side.  And may we be completely prepared for Your return, which You also promised.  May we fully grasp what You told us before, and what You are whispering now in our hearts.  May we serve You, with all that is in us.  This we pray, in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and Savior.

And now, Father God, hear us as we pray to You as Your Son Jesus taught us…  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.