He Is Risen!
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
There are moments in life that change everything in an instant.
Easter morning is one of those moments.
But John’s Gospel doesn't begin Easter with trumpets or angel choruses.
It begins in the shadows.
It begins "while it was still dark."
And maybe that’s where Easter meets many of us today—in the dark.
In the quiet spaces of grief, confusion, or searching.
In moments when we’re not sure what comes next.
1. Mary Magdalene: Grief That Moves Toward Love
Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb not expecting resurrection, but to grieve.
She loved Jesus. And like any of us who have loved and lost, she shows up. Not to celebrate, but to mourn. And yet, even in grief, she moves toward Him.
Sometimes, all we can do is show up.
Even when faith feels weak.
Even when answers seem far away.
But Easter begins when love draws near—even in the dark.
2. The Empty Tomb: A Question, Not Yet an Answer
Mary sees the stone rolled away and assumes the worst: "They have taken the Lord."
She runs to Peter and the beloved disciple. They come running too. The beloved disciple arrives first but waits. Peter enters. They see the burial cloths. The body is gone.
There’s no risen Jesus yet. No voices from heaven. Just an empty space.
And yet, something begins to stir.
John tells us: “He saw and believed.”
He didn't understand it all—but something in that empty tomb whispered, this is not the end.
Sometimes, faith begins not with clarity, but with curiosity.
Not with all the answers, but with the courage to look again.
3. Faith That Rises Quietly
Notice how gentle this resurrection is.
There’s no thunder. No dramatic signs.
Just a stone rolled away.
Grave cloths folded with care.
A silent absence that speaks volumes.
Easter tells us that God doesn’t always shout to get our attention.
Sometimes, He simply steps out of the tomb and waits for us to come looking.
4. We Are Easter People
So what does this mean for us?
It means we don’t need to have it all figured out to believe.
It means that in the middle of our confusion, God is already at work.
It means we can run toward the mystery—even if we don’t understand it yet.
The Resurrection tells us:
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No stone is too heavy for God to move.
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No night is too dark for His light to shine.
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And no heart is too broken for love to rise again.
Conclusion: Step Into the Empty Tomb
Dear friends, Easter is not just about what happened then.
It’s about what is still happening—now.
Jesus is alive. And He is calling us, like He called Mary, Peter, and John, into the mystery of faith.
So this morning, let us step into the empty tomb.
Let us look again.
Let us believe—not because we have all the answers, but because we’ve encountered the One who is greater than death.
He is risen! He is truly risen! Alleluia!