“But the angel said to the women, do not be afraid; I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here for he has been raised, as he said.” — Matthew 28:5-6
God brought Jesus into the world with a miracle at his birth, and God brought Jesus from crucifixion to resurrection with a miracle at his death.
The life of Jesus began when an angel appeared to a young woman named Mary, who told her she would conceive and bear a son by the Holy Spirit, and he would be called the Son of God.
After Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, another angel appeared to another Mary, called Mary Magdalene, and told her that Jesus was raised from death to life.
God worked a miracle in bringing Jesus into the world, God worked countless miracles through the life and ministry of Jesus, and God worked a miracle at the death of Jesus by raising him from death to life.
Like Jesus, all of us go through crucifying times in our lives and, like Jesus, God seeks to bring new life and resurrection to us out of our crucifying times.
We are going through the crucifying experience of a pandemic which has taken the lives of countless people around the world, caused financial suffering to many and disrupted the education of our children and youth.
We are witnessing the crucifying experiences of a terrible war in Ukraine, with the deaths of hundreds of Ukrainians as well as Russian soldiers, all of whom are created in the image of God.
We are going through a crucifying experience in race relations in our nation.
We are going through a crucifying experience in the conflict in The United Methodist Church.
And many persons in our community are going through crucifying experiences in the loss of loved ones, the loss of income and the decline in their congregations.
But we are people whose faith is in the God revealed in Jesus Christ, whom we believe can bring resurrection and new life out of all these crucifying experiences of our lives.
On Easter Sunday as we celebrate the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus, we also look forward to the miracles, resurrection and new life God wants to bring to all of us regardless of the crucifixions we face. Thanks be to God.
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Grace and Peace,
Dr. Kent Millard, President
United Theological Seminary