The readings for Easter Sunday are taken from Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4; and Matthew 28:1-10.
Acts records Peter’s visit to the home of Cornelius. Peter provides a divine summary of the gospel, especially the Easter story, to Cornelius and his whole household who had been waiting and waiting to hear it.
A week ago on Palm Sunday, Philippians 2 reminded us that we have the mind of Christ, who lowered Himself in order to raise us up. Today, Colossians reminds us that since we have been raised with Christ (and we have!), we should set our minds on things above—as Jesus was entirely devoted to bringing the kingdom of heaven to people. The apostles continued that work, and now, so do we.
Matthew records how women came to the tomb to finish the burial tradition for Jesus. Their poor minds, like those of the apostles, were set on things below. Though the prophets and Jesus told them over and over that He would rise from the dead, their minds were trapped in the apparent defeat of His death on the cross. But this Jesus, true God and true Man, triumphed over sin, death, and the devil when He gave these last words at His death: “It has been and remains finished.” The messenger from heaven (the angel) rolled away the stone from the tomb and sat on it! God’s messages to us in His Word and Spirit roll every obstacle out of the way. There is eternal joy and triumph for us because God has rolled away the stone of each of our unbelieving hearts to make room for a soul regenerated and ever at rest and peace in honesty about dependence on our risen and ever ruling Savior—just as He has said.
You can watch/listen here to the sermon I preached on this text at Mt. Olive congregation in Rancho Palos Verde (you’ll find the sermon at minute 28).