Dawn of Hope – The Resurrection

  

He Is Not Here – He Has Risen! Matthew 28:1-10

Dear Friends, it’s early Sunday morning. The sky is just beginning to lighten. Two women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, walk quietly toward the tomb. Their hearts are heavy. They’re expecting to find a sealed grave and a dead body to anoint.

But when they arrive, everything changes in an instant.

A great earthquake shakes the ground. An angel, shining like lightning with clothes as white as snow, rolls back the huge stone and sits on it. The guards are so terrified they collapse like dead men.

The angel looks at the women and speaks gently:

“Don’t be afraid. I know you’re looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here — He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.”

Then he gives them the most wonderful news:

“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you to Galilee — there you will see Him.”

The women hurry away, filled with a mixture of fear and overwhelming joy. And then — suddenly — Jesus Himself meets them on the road.

“Greetings!” He says.

They fall at His feet, hold on to Him tightly, and worship Him. Jesus calms their hearts with the same words: “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

What a morning!

They came expecting sorrow… and left running with joy and a message to share.

This is far more than a happy ending to a sad story. The resurrection of Jesus is the central, defining moment of all history. It is God’s decisive victory over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. On that first Easter morning, the empty tomb declared that the penalty for our sin had been fully paid, the curse of death had been broken, and new creation had begun.

Because He rose, everything has changed. Death is no longer the final word. Forgiveness is not just a hope — it is a reality. And eternal life is not a distant dream — it is a present gift for all who trust in Him.

The same risen Jesus who met those frightened women still meets us today. He still turns our fear into worship, our grief into joy, and our silence into proclamation.

Point to Ponder: The resurrection is not simply proof that Jesus is alive — it is the guarantee that all who are united to Him by faith will one day rise with Him.

Verse to Remember: “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:6 ESV)

Question to Consider: This Easter, what fear or sadness are you carrying to the empty tomb? What would it look like to meet the risen Jesus there and hear Him say, “Do not be afraid”?

Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church