5 April 2026, Matthew 28:1-10, Easter Sunday, "Easter people"

Good morning, Easter people! I have a question for you. Have you heard this song? It’s a massive collaboration between ROSÉ from BLACKPINK and Bruno Mars. The amazing thing is, it’s a Korean song! It starts like this: “Chae-young-ee-ga jo-ah-ha-neun ran-dom ga-me, ran-dom ga-me, game start!”

This song has been absolutely everywhere since last year, and it is number one everywhere! It’s a huge hit on Billboard charts and Apple Music. It even won a major award in the UK. I’m sure you hear it on the radio here in Australia all the time! You probably didn't notice, though.

But there’s a very easy way to tell if you’re “new school” or “old school.” It all depends on how you read the title of the song: “APT.” How do you pronounce it? If you say “A-P-T,” then I’m sorry, you’re “old school.” These days, you have to say it like this: “Ah-pah-teu!” Can you try repeating after me? “Ah—pah—teu!” Congratulations, you just pronounced “apartment” the Korean way! For some reason, in Korea, people call an apartment an “ah-pah-teu,” and now the whole world is doing the same. People all over the world, non-Koreans included, are hearing and seeing this and shouting “Ah-pah-teu! Ah-pah-teu!” It’s a bit of a surprise, but I can’t help but laugh. So, for today, let’s stay trendy and call it “ah-pah-teu.”

Actually, I have a story to tell about an “ah-pah-teu.” It was back when I was thirteen years old, and that was the year my family moved into a brand-new apartment. The town I grew up in was quite small—think of a place like Geelong here in Australia, a beautiful coastal city of that size.

In that quiet town, they built the very first 15-story high-rise! Now, fifteen stories might not sound like much today, but back then, it was the ultimate landmark in town. And my family moved right onto the 10th floor. I’ll never forget the day we moved in. I kept thinking, “Wait, can people really live way up here, floating in the air?” I was actually worried, and I wondered, “Is there even enough oxygen at this height?”

It was a bit scary, but at the same time, it was so exciting! Saying hello to security staff and taking the lift every day, honestly, it felt like stepping into the future. It was truly a “new world” for me. Imagine this: someone rings the doorbell, and you can actually see their face on a tiny black-and-white screen inside. Back then, that felt like high-tech magic. We also had central heating that kept the whole place warm and cozy automatically.

Standing on the balcony and looking at that wide, open view, it was fresh air for my soul. And the best part? We didn’t even have to walk outside to take out the bins! Plus, we had two bathrooms! And because we were so high up, there were no flies and no mozzies! Literally, it was a dream come true.

But even this “new world” had one huge challenge: the lift. Standing in that tiny space with strangers was so incredibly awkward. I never knew where to look or whether I should say hello. There was just this uncomfortable silence. And the most terrifying part? Occasionally bumping into a girl my age in the lift! Seriously, the trip from the 10th floor down to the ground felt like it took a hundred years. That silence was so intense.

But you know what was even harder? When I went to school and told my friends about this amazing “new world,” nobody believed it! “Guys, I swear, you can see people’s faces on a screen inside the house!” “The heating is automatic!” “We have two bathrooms!”

My friends just laughed and said, “Stop lying! There’s no such thing as a house like that.” They wouldn’t believe what I said at first! My heart was screaming, “I live in an ah-pah-teu! And I’m on the 10th floor!” As you know, I don't like to show off, but I was dying to tell people about this. If that “APT.” song had existed back then, I would have sung it a million times!

One day, I ended up being late for school because our new apartment was quite a distance away. In those days, the punishment for being late was cleaning the school toilets. Normally, I would have hated that. But that day, I actually didn’t mind it at all. My teacher asked, “Why are you late?” This was my moment. I said, “I’m sorry, it’s because I moved into an ah-pah-teu.”

Sure, my friends laughed at me. They called it a lie and said I was making it up. But it didn’t matter to me at all. Because for me, it was my reality. It was something I experienced every single day. It was the absolute truth, and I was just dying to share it with everyone that I met! I was so ready for someone to ask me, “Where do you live?”

So, let me ask you: is there anything in your life right now that you’re just dying to share? Something so exciting that it makes you want to shout? What is that one thing for you, the news you wish the whole world could know?

In today’s passage, we meet the very first witnesses of the resurrection morning. Just look at these women—they are running! Their hearts are racing, and they are moving with such urgency. Because they have just seen the empty tomb. Because they have just met an angel!

But their morning didn’t start this way. Just a few minutes earlier, their steps were cautious. It was the crack of dawn, and they were moving through the shadows, trying to stay hidden. They were hoping to avoid the Roman guards. They were consumed by deep sorrow and fear, still haunted by the tragedy of the cross and the chaos in Jerusalem only a few days before.

But right as they arrived at the tomb, something incredible happened! There was a violent earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the massive stone, and sat right on top of it! Think about that—the soldiers fainted, but the women came alive! Then the angel spoke to those trembling women, giving them a message:

“There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

Then the angel gave them a command that set their hearts on fire. He told them to run! “Go quickly! Tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead! He is going ahead of you to Galilee, and you will see him there.” That was the message.

Suddenly, their hearts, which were already filled with wonder and joy, could not wait another second. They left the tomb and ran to find the disciples. The fear hadn’t completely gone away, but it was now covered by a great wave of joy that made them run even faster.

But it didn’t stop there. They were about to encounter something even greater, an even bigger truth—and it wasn’t at the empty tomb. It was right there on the road! They were about to have the most incredible meeting of their lives.

“Good morning!” Jesus was there. He stood before them. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshipped him. Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Imagine! We couldn’t miss them as they ran along the road! People probably stopped and stared, wondering why they were running so fast. But they didn’t care. They told everyone without a single bit of fear! They were bold, they were loud, and they were filled with new life!

Now, for them, it was even more certain. Of course, some people might not believe it. They might say, “That’s a lie!” or “That’s impossible!” or “That makes no sense at all!” It’s just like saying, “How can anyone live way up on the 10th floor?” or “How can a lift take you home?” But even if people doubt us, or even if they laugh at us, it doesn’t matter. No matter what the world says, nothing—absolutely nothing—can stop their shout of joy.

From hearing to seeing. From nonsense to meaning. From a lie to the truth. What more do they need? Our morning is completely transformed. This is the resurrection!

From sorrow to a song. From fear to joy. From shadows to light. What more explanation do we need? Our hearts are overflowing with this change. This is the resurrection!

From the grave to glory. From silence to a shout. From being stuck to being sent! What more proof do we need? This is the resurrection!

From closed doors to open hearts. From an end to eternity. From defeat to a mission! What more reason do we need? This is the resurrection!

And today, my prayer is that our Easter, right here and right now, becomes exactly like this for every one of us. Brothers and sisters, this Easter morning invites us once again. Let’s say this together with confidence: “We are an Easter people!” What a joy this is! But frankly, doesn’t it also give you a deep sense of wonder?

I have to ask us: are we keeping this amazing hope to ourselves? Is it just a story we tell inside our circle? Or are we like the women we met today, ready to run into the world and shout it out because we just cannot keep it in?

The resurrection is the center of our lives. Everything we believe changes because of this one event. Think about our journey through Lent and Good Friday. We didn’t stay in that “sad mode” just to dwell on the past. No! It was all for this moment. It was all for this “day of resurrection!”

If we live today through the power of his resurrection, our joy and our wonder have real meaning. The reasons we can get through all of this is that the risen Lord never gives up!

And here is the most amazing part. As “Easter people,” it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers to life. It’s okay if we feel frustrated sometimes. Because we can now see our lives through the mystery of the resurrection. Just as the empty tomb turned despair into our greatest hope, our difficult realities become a “new world” when we see them through the risen Lord.

Remember my story? In my “new world on the 10th floor,” my friends wouldn’t believe me. To them, it was nonsense. It sounded like a lie. But for me, it was meaning I lived every single day. It was the truth.

Today, those women are our witnesses. Now it’s our turn. Let’s make the deep wonder and joy of that first Easter morning our own today. Burst out of that grave! Run into the world! Tell everyone with confidence: “Jesus is risen!”

As we live as “Easter people,” these blessings will fill our lives:

• From hearing to seeing. From nonsense to meaning. From a lie to the truth!

• From sorrow to a song. From fear to joy. From shadows to light!

• From the grave to glory. From silence to a shout. From being stuck to being sent!

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• From closed doors to open hearts. From an end to eternity. From defeat to a mission!

As we go, the voice of the risen Lord goes with you, saying: “Jesus is risen!” Happy Easter, everyone!

Can you hear his voice? Good morning! Greetings to you all, my Easter people!

Amen.