Ebenezer UMC Worship, Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Tomb is Empty: A Historical and Personal Reality

The resurrection of Jesus is not a metaphor or a spiritual idea; it is a historical event that changes everything. The angel’s announcement, “He is not here; for he has been raised,” confronts us with a tangible, empty space where death once reigned. This reality dismantles our deepest fears and reorients our entire existence. The foundation of our faith rests on this moment of divine victory. [35:32]

“He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:6, NRSV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you most tempted to live as if the tomb is still occupied, allowing fear or despair to have the final word? How might the reality of the empty tomb speak into that specific situation today?

Day 2: From Fear to a Commissioning

The women at the tomb experienced a profound mixture of fear and overwhelming joy, a natural response to encountering the divine. Their fear did not disqualify them; instead, it was the context in which they received a sacred commission. The angel’s instruction to “go and tell” transforms their personal experience into a purpose-driven mission. Their emotional state did not hinder their obedience but accompanied it. [35:54]

“So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” (Matthew 28:8, NRSV)

Reflection: What is the “fear and great joy” you are currently holding, and how is God inviting you to move with it—to “go quickly and tell” of His work in your life, even amidst those mixed emotions?

Day 3: The Greeting That Changes Everything

In the midst of their urgent mission, Jesus Himself meets them. His first word is a simple greeting, “Greetings!” which breaks the tension and confirms His real, physical presence. This personal encounter is the fulfillment of the angel’s promise. They respond not with more running, but by stopping to worship, grasping His feet in a gesture of reverence and love. The meeting grounds their mission in relationship. [57:26]

“Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.” (Matthew 28:9, NRSV)

Reflection: In your own busyness and sense of mission, where do you need to pause and recognize the presence of Jesus greeting you? What would it look like to intentionally worship Him in the middle of your tasks today?

Day 4: Do Not Be Afraid: The Command of the Risen Lord

The same command given by the angel is now repeated by the risen Jesus Himself. This repetition underscores that His victory is the ultimate answer to every fear. This is not a dismissive statement but an empowering one, spoken by the one who has conquered sin and death. It is an invitation to live from a place of settled peace and authority, based on who He is and what He has done. [57:26]

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’” (Matthew 28:10, NRSV)

Reflection: Which specific fear—of the future, of failure, of others’ opinions—does the command “Do not be afraid” most directly challenge in you right now? How can you actively entrust that fear to the authority of the risen Christ?

Day 5: Sent to Proclaim Reconciliation

Jesus sends the women with a specific message for His disciples, whom He pointedly calls “my brothers.” This term of intimate kinship, offered to those who had recently abandoned Him, speaks powerfully of reconciliation and grace. The message is one of reunion and restored relationship, orchestrated by Jesus Himself. We are sent not just with information, but with an invitation into renewed fellowship. [57:26]

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’” (Matthew 28:10, NRSV)

Reflection: Who has God placed in your life that you might consider an outsider or who feels far from Him, and how can you, like Jesus, extend a message of brotherly/sisterly invitation and reconciliation to them?

Sermon Summary

A radiant interruption at the tomb overturns terror and transforms grief into mission. Soldiers tremble and collapse at the sight of the divine presence, while an angel declares that the Crucified One has been raised, inviting the women to inspect the empty place and then hurry to tell the disciples. The empty tomb becomes the pivot from loss to proclamation: the risen Lord goes ahead to Galilee and promises a future meeting. The women respond with a startling blend of fear and great joy, running to share the news only to encounter the risen Christ directly on the way.

The encounter redirects fear into worship. The risen Lord greets the women, prompting them to grasp his feet and worship, and then reassures them with words that cut through dread: do not be afraid. Worship here is not mere feeling but a response that recognizes victory over death and a commission to witness. The meeting at the tomb foregrounds both personal encounter and communal sending; the resurrection is both an event to be seen and a mission to be carried out.

The narrative insists on movement: seeing, running, telling, going to Galilee. The empty grave is not a closed chapter but the starting point for a journey toward presence and promise. The announcement and the appearance unite proclamation and presence—an angel’s authoritative testimony and a living encounter with the risen Lord converge to confirm the truth and to propel witnesses into obedience. Fear is not erased by information alone; it dissolves when the living Lord invites approach, receives worship, and commissions action.

Ultimately the scene frames resurrection as a present reality that reorders human responses: trembling becomes awe, sorrow becomes joy, silence becomes testimony. The story emphasizes reassurance, worship, and mission as inseparable effects of the resurrection—an authoritative declaration followed by an intimate meeting that sends believers forward to find him where he goes. The empty tomb calls for faithful movement: believe, worship, and carry the good news into the places he promises to meet those who seek him.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection removes fear and death The empty tomb confronts the world’s last enemy with a decisive reality: death has been overcome. This overturns fear not by minimizing loss but by proving God’s power to bring life where there was finality. That reality reshapes hope into confident action rather than mere sentiment. [35:32]
2. Presence turns fear into worship Encounter with the risen Lord redirects trembling into reverent response: approaching and holding his feet becomes a posture of submission and awe. True worship emerges when the living Christ meets the searching heart, displacing dread with worshipful recognition. This worship then grounds mission, not escape. [35:54]
3. Mission follows revelation and meeting Seeing the empty place and meeting the risen Lord produce an imperative: go and tell. Witness is not optional decoration but the natural overflow of personal encounter, a communal movement fueled by glad urgency. The gospel’s power lies in its contagious momentum. [35:54]
4. Assurance dissolves paralyzing fear The repeated command, “Do not be afraid,” functions as pastoral power and theological certainty; reassurance issues from a presence that conquered death. That assurance gives courage for the journey ahead and steadies the heart amid uncertainty. Faith acts on the invitation to step forward. [57:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:32] - Fear at the tomb
[35:32] - Angelic announcement of resurrection
[35:54] - Go quickly and tell the disciples
[35:54] - Encounter with the risen Lord
[57:26] - Worship and reassurance: "Do not be afraid"

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 28:1-10 (ESV)
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Observation questions

What were the different emotional states the women experienced at the tomb and immediately after?
What specific actions did the angel instruct the women to take?
What was the physical response of the guards to the angel's appearance?
How did the women physically respond when they encountered the risen Jesus?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think the women's initial reaction to the angel's message was a mixture of "fear and great joy" rather than just one emotion?
The angel tells the women to "come, see" the empty tomb and then to "go, tell" the disciples. What is the significance of this sequence of seeing and then telling?
The guards trembled and became like dead men, while the women were told not to be afraid. What does this contrast reveal about the different effects of encountering God's power?
Jesus tells the women, "Do not be afraid; go and tell." How does the command to "go and tell" serve as an antidote to fear?

Application questions

The resurrection is presented as a reality that overturns fear and transforms grief. What is a specific area of fear or grief in your life that needs to be confronted by the truth that Jesus is alive and has overcome death? [35:32]
An encounter with the risen Lord is meant to redirect fear into worship. What does it look like for you to move from a place of anxiety to a posture of worship, especially when you feel overwhelmed? [35:54]
The women were not meant to stay at the empty tomb but were sent out on a mission. In what practical ways can you "go and tell" others the good news this week, moving from being a receiver to being a messenger? [35:54]
The repeated command is "Do not be afraid." How can you actively receive this reassurance when facing uncertainty, and what is one step of faith you can take this week that requires you to trust in this promise? [57:26]
The resurrection story emphasizes movement—seeing, running, telling, going. In your spiritual life, are you more prone to staying in one place or moving in obedience? What is one way you can embrace this "faithful movement" today?