Matthew 28

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 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. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 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.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

On Friday, I experienced the biggest earthquake I have felt here in Mexico City. At 7.5 on the Richter scale it swayed our 4th floor apartment for what seemed like a solid minute. As I stood in the kitchen doorway with my 19 month old in my arms and wondered how long it would last my mind wandered also to the power of God.

My God who can move mountains and shake the earth.

My God who can raise the dead.

My God with grace so magnificent it can set me free from my sins.

My God who rolled the stone away from Jesus’ grave with the same earth-shaking force I just felt over two thousand years later.

My God is alive.

The earthquake I just experienced only knocked over one small picture in my house. Can you imagine the power of the force that rolled the stone away from Jesus’ grave?

That day people not only saw the power of God to raise Jesus from the dead and fulfill his promise, they felt the power of God in a way that could not be ignored.

Today we celebrate that power. The power that is alive and available to work in the lives of you and I today and everyday.

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen!