Easter Day – 5th April 2026 – Morobo
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Jeremiah 31:1-6; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18
Christ is Risen!
That is the great declaration of Easter. It is the message that has echoed from an empty tomb in Jerusalem to every corner of the world – even here, today, in Morobo.
This is the day in the church calendar that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Some might say it is enough to say “Christ is Risen”. End of sermon, let’s move to worship and prayer…
I think we can say more. The Easter story is a familiar one – when did you first hear it? You might believe it to be true or you might think it’s a story that is told year after year by those who go to church and there’s an element of make believe about it. Perhaps you come to church every week or perhaps you are here today because, like Christmas, it’s a big occasion and you want to be seen to be here. Whichever side of the fence you sit I pray that today you will hear something from God that will speak to your heart. The question I want us to reflect on this morning is, “so what”. Christ is risen, so what?
What does Christ rising from the dead mean for me, for you, for your family, your community. How does an event that happened in Jerusalem 2000 years ago impact us here in Morobo today. And as we think about that we’ll also look at why Jesus needed to come to earth in human form, live amongst the people of the time, teach them, challenge them, be betrayed by them and suffer death on a cross.
If the resurrection is only a story, then it may inspire us for a moment, but it cannot change our lives. If it is a true story – if Jesus truly rose from the dead – then it changes everything.
Let us begin with why Jesus came at all.
This is the story of humanity. We were created for relationship with God, but sin – our turning away – has broken that relationship. We see the effects of that brokenness all around us: in conflict, in suffering, in fear, in death.
It was not long after they were created that Adam and Eve fell into sin, God knew he would need to send Jesus to put that right; to make a way back to a right, restored relationship between us and Him. During the time of Noah God decided to wipe out most of creation and “start again” – this a way to rid the world of corruption before Jesus was sent. God speaks, through the rest of the Old Testament, of Jesus’ coming, he prepares the way, he sets out the law showing people how to live, and he commends those of faith.
The reading from Jeremiah speaks of a people who had been scattered, broken, and far from home. God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Even when the people had turned away, even when life had fallen apart, God still loved them and had not abandoned them. They just needed to maintain their faith and trust him. The men, and women, of faith in the Old Testament, understood the message of the prophets, and believed that a King (Jesus) was coming to redeem, to buy back mankind for God
Jesus came to pay the ultimate price for the sin of all. He came to heal the brokenness and restore access to God the father.
As Peter explains in Acts, God sent Jesus, who “went around doing good,” healing, restoring, and proclaiming peace. Yet he was rejected and crucified. On the cross, Jesus took upon himself the weight of sin and all that separates us from God. As Jesus hung on the cross that Friday the weight of your sin, the weight of my sin, the weight of sin of all who have gone before us and those who will come after us, was placed on Jesus. He died so that we can have a relationship with God.
So that brings us to Easter morning.
Christ is risen… so what?
1, Christ is risen means death is not the end.
In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb while it is still dark. She is grieving, confused, and afraid. She believes everything is finished. But the tomb is empty. And then Jesus calls her by name: “Mary.”
In that moment, everything changes.
The resurrection tells us that death does not have the final word. For those who believe and trust in Christ, there is life beyond the grave. This is not just a distant hope for the future – it is an assurance now that even in the face of loss, grief, and suffering, God is at work bringing life.
For the community here in Morobo who have known hardship, displacement, and loss, this truth matters deeply. The resurrection declares that what seems final is not final in God’s hands.
2, Christ is risen means sins are forgiven
Peter says in Acts that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
This is the heart of the gospel. Because Jesus died and rose again, the barrier between us and God is removed. We are not defined by our past, our failures, or our guilt. We are offered a new beginning.
“So what?”
It means you do not have to carry the burden of sin any longer. There is freedom in Christ. There is reconciliation – with God and with one another.
Think what this means for your families, for relationships, for communities. Forgiveness is not weakness – it is power. It is the power of resurrection life at work among us.
3, Christ is risen means we are given new life now
Psalm 118 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Easter is not only about life after death – it is about life today.
When Jesus rose, he did not simply return to the same life as before. He entered into a new kind of life, and he invites us into that life as well.
We are not trapped by our circumstances. Even in difficulty, even in uncertainty, we can live with hope, with purpose, and with joy. The resurrection power of Christ is at work in us – changing hearts, renewing minds, and strengthening us to live differently.
4, Christ is risen means we are sent with a message
When Mary arrived at the tomb she was grieving, finding the stone rolled away she ran back to the disciples that had been following her “they’ve taken him and we don’t know where”, the disciples speed up and find the tomb as Mary has described it. They only believed when they had seen. Mary begins to cry, she looks into the tomb and sees two angels who ask her why she’s crying. As she tells them that she doesn’t know where Jesus has been taken she turns and sees a man – she thinks it is a gardener. He also asks her “why are you crying?”, Mary responds asking the man, if you have taken him let me know where he is. At this point Jesus calls her by name, “Mary” and she recognises him. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own thoughts, worrying about what might happen, that we lose sight of Jesus, we don’t recognise him standing next to us, until he calls our name. Jesus does not tell Mary to stay at the tomb. He sends her, saying “Go and tell my brothers.”
Easter always leads to mission. This message is not only for us to keep – it is for us to share. In our homes, in our villages, in our daily lives, we are witnesses to the hope we have found in Christ. You do not need to have all the answers. Mary did not. She simply went and said, “I have seen the Lord.”
So what will you do with Easter?
This is the question each of us must answer.
Christ is risen. So what?
Will you see it as a story – or as truth that calls for a response?
Will you continue as before – or will you step into the new life that Jesus offers?
Today, the risen Jesus still calls people by name, just as he called Mary. He calls you. He invites you into relationship, into forgiveness, into hope, into purpose.
Perhaps you have been coming to church for many years but you have lost sight of Jesus in the mess of life. His invitation to you today is “come back”. Perhaps this is the first time you have heard the news of Jesus and you want to make a decision to follow him. His invitation to you is “come”. For others, who have been following him faithfully, his command is “go and tell others”.
And so we return to where we began:
Christ is Risen!
Not just words.
Not just tradition.
But the power of God for salvation, for transformation, for new life.
This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice – and live as people of the resurrection.
Amen.