Easter Sunday: An Upside-Down Hope
For Meditation (Corey Widmer)
This Easter Sunday, we are jumping ahead in the book of Matthew to the very end of the Gospel story. At first glance, it may not seem like this narration of the resurrection of Jesus has much at all to do with the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching of Jesus way back in chapters 5-7. But when you read Matthew's account of the resurrection carefully, you begin to see all kinds of signs and symbols that the "upside-down Kingdom" that Jesus preached about in the Sermon on the Mount is now coming to life on Easter morning.
First, there is the hint that the graveyard, a place of death, is now becoming the place of life and new beginnings. Then there is the description of the guards, the powerful representatives of the Roman empire, collapsing like dead men, while the Jewish women, people of little account in the ancient world, are made the chief protagonists of the story. Finally, there is the astonishing truth that a criminal executed with a slave's death by the Roman state is now being exalted as the King of heaven and earth. What is happening?? The upside-down Kingdom that Jesus preached about is now coming to life.
As you prepare for worship, read through the resurrection account with the Sermon on the Mount in mind, and see what clues you can discover about the reversal of the Kingdom which is it play in the story. Spend some time reflecting about the astonishing good news of the resurrection, and invite the Holy Spirit to fill our time together this Sunday with the joy and anticipation of Easter hope.
Matthew 28:1–10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”