Looking ahead to April 17, 2022 -- Easter Sunday

 All are welcome to join in our Easter Celebration this Sunday at 10:00.  You can join us in person or via YouTube. The Handbell Choir will be playing before and during the service.

Our Scripture Readings this Easter Sunday are:

• Psalm 18:2-11, 16-19
• Matthew 28:1-10

The Sermon title is Staying Alive

Early Thoughts: Jesus was dead. That much was clear. The women had seen him die. They had watched his body laid in a tomb. Now it was time to grieve and weep and mourn.

The powers and principalities of the world were sure they had dealt with this pesky little troublemaker from Galilee.After all, empires had done so many many times in the past. Execution and death are pretty sure ways to get rid of troublesome challenges to imperial power.

But there was another card yet to be played. God had something else in mind.

The women got to  the tomb, they had come to weep and to mourn and found a terrible surprise. The body was gone!

But this was no new horror. This was victory. Death had been defeated, its power was broken. Christ had been raised. And so life wins. Jesus who was dead was now alive, and would stay alive forevermore.

Easter is the day we celebrate the surprising truth that life wins. Easter is the day we proclaim that death has been defeated. It is news that is both wonderful and terrible. Matthew tells us that the women left the tomb with both fear and great joy.

This Easter we again remember that just when the empire thinks it has won a great reversal is possible. The women at the tomb were not only told what had happened. there were told to go out and tell the others. AS we are told about the possibility of life that defeats death may we also go out to tell the world the Good News.

When your heart is broken
new hope is being woken
Resurrection’s real, Jesus is alive
Feel the earth a-shakin’
The hold of death is breakin’
Jesus is alive and stayin’ alive
Ah Ah Ah Ah stayin’ alive stayin’ alive
ah ah ah ah stayin’ alive!

Easter has come now. We celebrate life.
Sing alleluia
Jesus is Risen! Sing Alleluia
Stayin’ alive

 Happy Easter!  Christ is Risen Indeed!
--Gord