The coronavirus disease is trampling through our planet.

As of today, Easter Day, here are the statistics: Today, Globally, 1,787,766 people have been confirmed positive with the decease. 100,691 have died. In our country (the United States) alone, 530,006 are confirmed positive with the decease and 20,608 deaths.

The coronavirus or covid-19 decease is traversing the earth leaving behind it a trail of death. The decease has taken over the planet and has turned it upside down. Our traditional way of life has been turned on its head. Going out has become staying in. Saying hi and having a shake of hands has become keeping your distance and perhaps touching elbows. Recently, I say people greeting each other using their feet.

We are empty, because we don’t really know what the decease is. We may say it is from China, but we don’t really know where it came from, how it was formed. Was it from animals? If so what animals? How did it jump to infecting humans? It has left the brightest human minds stunned. Our scientists are confused and the rest of us speculate while some just lie to us.

As a result, you can hardly switch on your tv without hearing some comments or some news of some development of the decease or some gruesome statistics of is rampage.

In some ways we were like Mary Magdalen and the other Mary. They were by the cross when Jesus was crucified and followed to where he was buried. They knew everything about the crucifixion and at the time they must have felt as we feel today.

1. They were Empty. They did not know what to think. They had put all their hopes on the Lord and they were overwhelmed by what they were witnessing. Did they not think of Him as the Resurrection and the Life? Now he is dead.

2. They were afraid and they were confused. Uncertain of the future, they were afraid of the present. All Christ’s disciples are hiding because they were afraid.

3. The events that weekend had left them emotionally drained and they were sad.

So as they headed to the tomb that morning they were full of uncertainty. They did not believe what Jesus was telling them. How he was to die and rise the third day. They were not thinking about what Jesus had told them, they were thinking about how to roll the stone from the entrance of the grave; how the soldiers were likely to behave to them; but they were determined to see and anoint the body of Jesus.

In the wake of the coronavirus decease, are we not empty, afraid, emotionlly drained and above all sad? Trust our Living God to spring up surprises. When they got to the tomb they were flabaggasted. The stone had been rolled and the body was not there. The guards had been immobilized and frightened.

Then the message came from the angel. Be not afraid. He is not here, He is Risen. That is the message for this day of uncertainty this age of fear this age of confusion, OUR LORD IS RISEN.

What a message to take to the world today, Christ is not in his grave for he is risen. Because he rose even though we die physically, we will rise spiritually. The message is clear, we don’t have to be afraid. He is risen. Did he not promise us he will be with us always even to the end of the ages?

Recently, covic-19 had taken over the world. The media has been taken over by the decease. Tune to any channel you wish, you will sooner or later hear and see something of the statistics or some news development regarding the coronavirus decease. NOT TODAY.
Most of the news today will be not about the virus, but about the resurrection.

TODAY, IS RESURRECTION DAY. LIFE HAS TAKEN OVER FROM DEATH AND DEATH HAS BEEN VANQUISHED.

Do not be afraid to spread it as the angels asked the women to do. Go and tell the disciples. We, the resurrection people have the command from the angel, go and tell. The disciples obeyed, they went and told the world about the risen Christ. Eleven of his disciples were martyred:

In the year AD44 James son of Zebedee was executed by king Herold Agrippa.
In the year AD60 Andrew was crucified in the city of Patras in Greece
In the year AD66, an elderly St. Peter was one of a number of Christians executed by Nero. Witnesses tell us that he asked to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy go the same way as his maker.
In AD 72, Thomas was martyred in Chenai in India
In fact of the 11 Apostles, ten Apostles were executed for their faith.

Until they were, they kept on message, Christ is risen! They were not afraid.
We, the resurrection people, have a message for the world today as well. The God who raised Jesus from the dead will deal with the virus and the earth will survive. Those who have died and will die, will not now die eternally all because Christ Rose from the dead.

The Christ who had gone to prepare a place for all of us – a place of many rooms.
Tell the world - God is in control - be not afraid.
What a message.
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Amen.