Easter Sunday - April 9, 2023 – 10am service
Baptisms: Elias and Annalise
The Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Matthew 28:1-10
I am so grateful to be gathered with all of you this morning to celebrate the joy of Jesus’ resurrection on this Easter Sunday. There’s something extra-special about the joy we celebrate this morning…. I know there are many other joyful occasions we celebrate…such as Christmas, one’s birthday, the birth of a new baby or grandchild, high school or college graduation, new jobs, weddings, a clean bill of health…to name just a few…
But there’s something about Easter that brings an abundance of joy to this day….there’s the beautiful flowers, all the people gathered here today, the music, the scriptures…and of course, one of the highlights of today is that we will baptize Elias and Annalise, and welcome them into the “household of God”….the family of God...
But, there’s something else about this special joy we celebrate on Easter morning…
It’s a joy that has perhaps been pushed aside for too long, because of our fears, our grief, our daily worries….
It’s a joy that perhaps, we’ve been longing for, after going through some particularly troubling times…
It’s a joy that grows and bursts forth from the depth of our hearts, where the love of God dwells within us…
It’s a joy that proclaims that death does not have the final say…
It’s a joy that proclaims new life, not just for today, but every day we choose to walk the way of love with the risen Christ Jesus……Christ has arisen, Alleluia.
And it is indeed a joy for us to be witness to the wonderful, good news story we just listened to, as proclaimed in the gospel of Matthew…
I think what I love most about the resurrection story according to Matthew…is that the joy is palpable….even in the midst of so much fear and chaos and uncertainty…As I listen to or read this scripture passage, I feel my heart rise and fall and rise again with a joy and a hope that cannot stand still any more….or keep quiet any longer…I sense the spirit prompting me to GO! And share this exciting, good news with someone else…that the tomb is empty…Jesus is not there – He is risen! Alleluia!
It’s one of those stories that’s surely meant to be shared with others…it’s a joy-filled, hope-filled message that our hurting and fearful world needs to hear…it’s a good news, joyful news story…that has the power to transform people’s lives…through sharing the love of God, as revealed to us, in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ…
At the time of our baptisms, in our baptismal covenant…we make a vow to proclaim boldly, by word and example, the Good News of God in Christ: The good news, the joyful news, the hope-filled news that Jesus Christ is Risen… The Lord is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
In just a few moments, we will renew our baptismal covenant, along with those about to be baptized…Elias and Annalise…
It’s an opportunity for all of us to begin again, together, on this joyful Easter Sunday…by saying yes, as the church of God, the household of God, the family of God, to following Jesus and his way of love and life proclaimed so boldly for us…
And to re-affirm our commitment to proclaim boldly, by word and example, the Good News of God in Christ…. The good news, the joyful news, the hope-filled news that Jesus Christ is Risen… The Lord is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Rev Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, Alaska
Hymn after sermon: (WLP) 738 - Day of delight and beauty unbounded
Day of delight and beauty unbounded,
tell the news, the Gospel spread!
Day of all wonder, day of all splendor,
tell Christ risen from the dead!
1 Sing of the sun from darkness appearing,
sing of the seed from barren earth greening,
sing of creation, alleluia!
Sing of the stream from Jesus’ side flowing;
sing of the saints in water made holy;
sing of salvation, alleluia!
Refrain
2 Sing now of mourning turned into dancing,
sing now the myst’ry, hope of our glory,
sing with thanksgiving, alleluia!
Sing now of fasting turned into feasting,
sing the Lord’s favor lasting forever;
sing all things living, alleluia!
Refrain