Thought for Today
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."
Joshua 10:25 And Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous; for thus the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight."
Luke 1:30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Matthew 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
My Easter sermon yesterday was titled, “Do Not Be Afraid.” It was based on Matthew’s account of the Empty Tomb in 28:1-10. Twice in that passage we encounter those words in Greek, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. The Greek verb is in the imperative mood, active voice and is 2nd person plural, “Do not be afraid.”
That was one of the first phrases I heard in my very first class in seminary. Our professor would tell us before every test (we had a test in each class session), “μὴ φοβεῖσθε.” Do not be afraid.
As I reflect on yesterday, on our worship service and on the Easter meal we shared with our son and his family, my belief that those are among the 4 most important words in the Bible is reinforced.
I do hope everyone reading this today had a wonderful Easter Sunday. Irrespective of whether you attended a sunrise service, a traditional mid-morning service or an evening service . . . or all 3, I hope your Easter was a rich, meaningful and fulfilling day, a day that brought you closer to our Creator God.
Christians have several liturgical holidays. Each has its own historical background, its own rituals and practices and its own place in our liturgical year. For many of us, some seem to be more spiritually significant than others. For some, Christmas and Easter have key importance and highlight our liturgical year. Sadly, during my own lifetime, Christmas has become increasingly commercialized and secularized. Retail businesses have become aware of the impact to their bottom-line profits from those few weeks between the secular holiday of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometimes it even becomes difficult to remember the reason for our Christmas celebration as we are inundated with Black Friday Sales, mall Santas and blaring carols issuing from radios and speakers.
Easter, however, has (so far) escaped that infectious commercialization and secularization (except for the candy industry and makers of chocolate rabbits and bunnies). There was a period in my youth, when women still wore hats to church, when milliners too found Easter profitable.
Easter still maintains its spiritual importance. For me, much of that importance is the reality, the impact of the Empty Tomb. And, whenever I think of the Empty Tomb, in my mind, I hear the words “μὴ φοβεῖσθε,” “Do Not Be Afraid.”
Yesterday, in my sermon, I told the congregation that even if they took nothing else away from worship than those words and that reality, it would still be worthwhile. For me, the Empty Tomb ties together all of my favorite words of scripture. Those 4 words and that Empty Tomb tie together the 23rd Psalm, Micah 6:8, Luke 10:27, 1 Corinthians 13 and Ephesians 2:8.
Still this morning, I am thinking of those words I wrote and delivered in my sermon, “the Empty Tomb was God’s shouted Amen, Hallelujah, Amen to Jesus’ life and his death.” That Amen confirms the victory of life over death, of good over evil, of faithful obedience to God over sin. I referenced yesterday Paul’s words to the Corinthian Christians, “15:55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
I do not know the exact details of what comes. The short, 15-minute video fully explaining everything somehow got lost in the move. But, I do know Jesus’ promise in John 14:2. I know a place has been prepared for me in eternity. I know that Jesus will escort me to my place. I am confident that my special place has also been tailored for Greta and that we will then spend eternity together.
How do I know all of that? Because that tomb was empty. Because God raised Jesus. Because I know and love to sing, “Jesus Loves Me.”
Stay safe, do not be afraid, trust God,
Pastor Ray