A Message for Church Leaders from Matthew 28:5-8
As those entrusted with the care of God’s people, we often stand in the gap between the deep sorrows of life and the glorious promises of the gospel. In seasons when congregations feel weary, when cultural pressures mount, when internal conflicts arise, or when our own leadership feels stretched thin, the words of Matthew 28:5-8 offer a timely and sustaining word from the Lord. These verses record the angel’s encounter with the women at the empty tomb, and they speak directly to the heart of pastoral ministry, reminding us that our calling is rooted not in human strength or clever strategies but in the living reality of the resurrection.
The angel begins with a compassionate command that every leader needs to hear afresh: Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. Ministry frequently involves searching for the presence of Christ amid difficult circumstances. We look for him in struggling marriages, in the quiet doubts of longtime members, in the spiritual dryness of our own souls, and in the broader challenges facing the church in our time. The angel acknowledges the reality of the crucifixion without minimizing it. He does not say the cross did not matter or that the pain was illusory. Instead, he names the suffering plainly while pointing beyond it. As leaders, we are called to do the same. We must name the real struggles our people face, the cultural crosses of our day, the personal losses, and the communal disappointments, yet never stop at the cross. The resurrection invites us to lead with both honesty and hope, refusing to offer cheap comfort while also refusing to let despair have the final word. When fear creeps into leadership, whether it is fear of failure, fear of criticism, or fear that the church is declining, the angel’s words remind us that the God who knows our searching is the same God who has already triumphed over death.
The heart of the angelic proclamation carries profound implications for how we shepherd: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. This declaration anchors all pastoral work in the trustworthiness of Jesus’ words. He promised suffering and resurrection, and God fulfilled every detail. In an age when trust in institutions and leaders is low, the empty tomb stands as God’s ultimate credential. Our preaching, counseling, and leadership must continually return to this central truth. The resurrection is not an optional add-on to the gospel; it is the power that validates everything Jesus taught about forgiveness, discipleship, justice, and the kingdom. As church leaders, we are invited to come and see again, to examine the evidence of Scripture and of transformed lives throughout history, and to let that reality shape our vision for ministry. When programs feel stale or attendance wavers, the empty tomb calls us back to the foundational miracle. It assures us that God can bring life out of what looks lifeless in our congregations, in our leadership teams, and in the broader culture.
The commission that follows is especially relevant for those who shepherd others: Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you. The urgency of go quickly challenges any tendency toward complacency in ministry. Resurrection news cannot be handled casually or delayed until we feel more prepared. The women, who came burdened with grief, are immediately sent as messengers to the very disciples who had failed and fled. This reveals the generous, restorative heart of the risen Lord. He does not wait for perfect disciples before sending them out. He goes ahead of them into Galilee, the place where their ordinary lives and ministries first began, to restore and recommission them. For church leaders today, this is both comforting and challenging. The Lord goes ahead of us into the ordinary and sometimes discouraging rhythms of congregational life. He precedes us into difficult board meetings, into conversations with hurting families, into planning for the future, and into the cultural Galilees where our people live and work. Our role is not to manufacture revival or to carry the entire burden of the church’s faithfulness. Our role is to proclaim the resurrection boldly and to point people to the One who is already ahead of us, preparing the way for renewal.
The women’s response models the kind of leadership posture we are called to cultivate: So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. The combination of fear and joy is not a contradiction but a realistic description of Spirit-filled ministry. The fear is the reverent awe that comes from standing in the presence of God’s mighty acts. It keeps us humble and dependent. The joy is the deep gladness that flows from knowing that death has been defeated and the kingdom is advancing. Together, they fuel obedient action. As leaders, we are not called to project false confidence or to hide our struggles. We are called to lead with transparent dependence on the risen Christ, moving forward even when we feel the tension between awe and delight. This posture enables us to preach with passion, to counsel with compassion, to make decisions with courage, and to serve with endurance. It also shapes the culture of our churches. When leaders model holy fear mixed with resurrection joy, congregations learn to live in the same tension rather than swinging between cynicism and superficial optimism.
Theologically, these verses ground pastoral ministry in the grand narrative of redemption. The resurrection demonstrates that God’s power is greater than every opposing force, whether sin, death, or the spiritual forces of evil. It assures us that the church is not ultimately sustained by our leadership skills but by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. This truth frees us from the pressure to be the savior of our congregations and invites us instead to be faithful witnesses who point constantly to the risen Lord. It also calls us to a ministry of restoration. Just as the angel sent the women to the failed disciples, we are called to pursue the wandering, to encourage the discouraged, and to recommission those who have stumbled. The promise that the disciples would see Jesus in Galilee reminds us that renewal often happens in the familiar places of everyday faithfulness rather than in dramatic new programs. Consistent preaching of the Word, faithful administration of the sacraments, patient discipleship, and loving community are the Galilees where the risen Christ continues to meet his people.
Practically, this passage challenges us to evaluate our leadership through the lens of resurrection hope. Are we leading with the urgency of go quickly, or have we settled into routine? Are we proclaiming the full reality of the risen Christ, or have we reduced the gospel to moral advice or self-help? Are we creating space for people to come and see the evidence of God’s faithfulness, or are we rushing past the foundational truths? When conflict arises or vision seems clouded, do we remember that the Lord is going ahead of us? In seasons of fatigue, the angel’s words offer compassionate strength: the same God who emptied the tomb is able to renew weary shepherds and revitalize tired congregations.
Beloved leaders, the church today needs shepherds who are gripped by the reality of the resurrection. It needs leaders who refuse to let fear dominate their decisions, who proclaim the trustworthiness of Jesus’ words with clarity and conviction, who move with urgency to tell the good news, and who live in the beautiful tension of holy fear and resurrection joy. As you shepherd your flock, remember that the risen Christ goes before you. He is restoring, recommissioning, and empowering his people through your faithful service. The empty tomb stands as an open invitation to lead with confidence in God’s power rather than in our own.
May the God who raised Jesus from the dead fill you with fresh vision, renewed strength, and overflowing love for the people entrusted to your care. May your leadership reflect the compassion of the angel and the triumph of the risen Lord, so that many more may hear the life-giving words: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment