Do Not Be Afraid – Living an Easter Faith
30-Second Summary
So what does “do not be afraid” actually mean in the Bible? On Easter morning, the first witnesses were afraid—and they went anyway. “Do not be afraid” doesn’t remove fear. It means fear does not get the final word. Because Christ is risen, we are called to proclaim and live that resurrection life with courage.
The full service and sermon that this blog is based on can be viewed here:
Who Were the First Preachers?
Easter is a story we think we know.
An empty tomb.
An angel.
Good news.
But there is a detail we often overlook.
The first people to proclaim the resurrection were women. In that time and place, women were not trusted as witnesses. Their voices were often dismissed. And yet, that is exactly who God chose to carry the most important message in history. That is not an accident. That tells us something about how God works.
God does not start with the powerful.
God starts with the overlooked.
What Does “Do Not Be Afraid” Really Mean?
In the Easter story, the angel says:
“Do not be afraid.”
But let’s be honest—being told not to be afraid does not make fear disappear.
The word used here for fear also carries the meaning of overwhelming awe. Shock. The kind of moment where everything feels bigger than you can process. That changes how we hear the message.
It is not:
“Stop feeling afraid.”
It is:
“Do not let what you are feeling stop you.”
And that is exactly what the women did.
They were afraid.
And still—they went.
Why This Matters for Us
Most of us are waiting.
Waiting to feel ready. Waiting to have all the details. Waiting to have a fully developed plan that has been vetted and approved. Waiting to feel confident. Waiting for fear to go away.
But resurrection life does not work like that.
The good news moves forward through people who are still figuring it out.
Through people who are unsure.
Through people who feel overwhelmed.
Through people like us.
The Resurrection Is Not Safe
We also need to be honest about something else.
Jesus was not killed for being nice.
He was executed by an empire.
The cross was used for people who challenged power. People who disrupted the system. People who spoke about justice, dignity, and the worth of every person. And that matters.
Because if we proclaim a risen Christ, then we are also proclaiming the kind of life he lived.
A life that stood with:
- the poor
- the sick
- the outsider
- the stranger
Easter Is a Way of Life
Easter is not just a day.
It is a 50-day season. But even more than that—it is a way of living.
So we have to ask: What good is the resurrection if we do not live it?
To live the resurrection life means:
- showing up when it is uncomfortable
- speaking when it would be easier to stay quiet
- standing with those who are pushed aside
It means living like love actually has the final word, that love has conquered all!
Spiritual Practice for This Week
Carry this prayer with you:
Risen Christ, here I am.
Meet me in this moment.
Help me notice your life.
Help me begin again.
Then ask yourself:
Where is fear trying to stop me? And what would resurrection life look like instead?
Take one step. Not ten. Not perfect. Just one.
Conclusion
The women were afraid. And still—they went. They proclaimed what they had seen. And because they did, we are here.
So the question is not whether the resurrection is true.
The question is: Will we let fear stop us?
