Easter is the greatest surprise ever. Because no one – no one – went to the tomb expecting to find what they did.

Every time we choose love over fear, we participate in God’s kingdom breaking into the world. This is the joy of Easter – that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us. Notice that Jesus sends them out. Because Easter isn’t something we just observe – it’s something we’re invited into. We’re invited into a new way of living. A resurrection life. A life that trusts that even when things seem dark, God is at work. A life that refuses to give in to despair. A life that chooses love, even when it’s hard. A life that seeks justice, practices mercy, and walks humbly with God. A life that reflects the reality that Christ is risen – not just on Easter morning, but every day. So what does this mean for us today? It means that when we look at the world and see division, violence, and suffering, we don’t lose hope. Because the resurrection has already begun to overcome sin and evil. It means that when we face struggles in our own lives – fear, grief, uncertainty – we remember that death is not the end of the story. It means that when we’re tempted to believe that nothing can change – that people can’t change, that systems can’t change, that we can’t change – Easter says otherwise. God is still rolling away stones. God is still surprising us. God is still bringing life out of death. And it means that we are called to live as resurrection people. People who forgive when it would be easier to hold a grudge. People who welcome when it would be easier to exclude. People who love when it would be easier to turn away. People who hope – even when hope feels risky.
Because the greatest surprise ever is not just that Jesus rose from the dead. It’s that his resurrection is still unfolding. In us and through us. So today, we celebrate. We sing. We rejoice. We proclaim.
Christ is risen!
But we also go out – like those first witnesses – carrying the good news into a world that desperately needs it.
Christ is risen!
And because he lives we have hope. Because he lives we have life. And because he lives…love will never fail.
Christ is risen! Amen.