Love that Shows Up

Easter Message based on Matthew 28:1-10, April 5, 2026 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Richardson, Texas

I was at a conference last month and I heard this true story about a minister named Pastor Mark:

His church member, “Joe,” was dying of cancer, and his teenage son, “Junior,” was angry at the unfairness of it all. Joe asked Pastor Mark to stay close to Junior after he was gone. Before his dad died, Junior asked Pastor Mark how he would know that his dad was OK after he passed. Pastor Mark said, “You will know. I don’t know how, but I promise you, you will know.”

Afterward, Pastor Mark thought to himself, “Why did I say that? I can’t promise he will see a sign; I can’t guarantee that he will know peace.” He tried to love this family well, to be there, to say the right and meaningful things… and now he worried he had made a big mistake.

It was spring, and the day of Joe’s funeral came. Near the end of the graveside service, a single butterfly flew into view and landed on Joe’s coffin. Pastor Mark looked over at Junior, raised his eyebrows and nodded lightly as if to say, “Here is your sign that your dad is OK.” Junior scowled at him, rolled his eyes—in a way only teenagers can—and with a huff of anger that a stupid butterfly could mean anything at all, stomped off to the car.

Afterward, Pastor Mark apologized to Joe’s wife, and she said not to worry. It will just take time. She was grateful for all he had done. But Pastor Mark left the service with the feeling that love is not enough. You try your best, you do everything you can—but love, at times, feels inadequate. He drove home feeling like a failure.

We have all been there--regardless of what keeps us occupied during the day or the relationships we have. Sometimes love just does not seem like enough:

• When your child is struggling and you don’t have the answer
• When your spouse or partner loses a job and you can’t fix it
• When someone you love is caught in addiction and you cannot save them
• When grief hits hard, and nothing you say or do makes the pain go away

We believe in love… but sometimes love feels powerless. If love is the greatest thing… If love is all we need…If love makes the world go round….why does it often feel like it’s just not enough?

It’s nice to know we are in good company
The two Mary’s in our Easter story go to the tomb because they love Jesus. But they go to the tomb with love that can only do one thing– grieve. Talk about feeling inadequate. Their love showed up over and over and over again–in meals made, clothes washed, water gathered, and so much more…but their love did not stop Jesus’ death. The women’s love was real. Their love was faithful. Their love was beautiful. But their love did not save Jesus.

But Easter is not the story of people who love well enough to fix everything. It is the story of God’s love refusing to let death have the last word.
Easter is the story of God's love… doing something their love, human love, our love cannot!

The earth shakes. The stone is rolled away. An angel speaks into their grief: Do not be afraid… he is not here; he has been raised!
God’s love is not just a feeling, or just a warm fuzzy...God’s love shows up. God’s love acts. God’s love makes a way where there is no way. God’s love makes life where there was only death. God’s love does what our love cannot.

And then, most amazing of all, the risen Jesus meets the two Marys on the road (a bonus-siting the angel does not fortell!). This matters! Because when Jesus meets them on the way… everything changes!

They came to the tomb with love that could only grieve. But when they encounter the risen Jesus, they are filled with something more. They are filled with an everlasting love in the risen Jesus, who has found them on the road. There is no reason to fear the future, or to fear our love is inadequate, because Jesus has done what he promised. He has gone ahead of them and meets them there–on the way, filling them with his presence and eternal love.

And with the two Marys, we can trust that Jesus’ love and presence, is already going ahead of us—on the road, on the way, in the middle of whatever we are facing—
especially when our love feels like it’s not enough. We need not fear this afternoon or tomorrow, or next week, because the risen Jesus is already there! 

Remember Pastor Mark? His story didn’t end there. When he walked in his house after the graveside service, he got a call from Joe’s wife. She asked him to drop everything and come immediately. She didn’t sound upset—just urgent. She told him the front door was unlocked and to come downstairs to the room where Joe had been staying. When he got there, she said they had left the window open just to air out the room. Pastor Mark walked in… and saw Junior sitting on the bed, laughing and crying. 

The bed was just covered in butterflies. God’s love can do what ours cannot.

The great news of Easter is that when our love runs out, God’s love shows up. When we don’t know what to say or how to fix it, we can trust that the risen Lord is already going ahead of us, and at work on the journey—and then we can ask how we might show up alongside. The signs may be small and easy to miss. The signs may be easy to dismiss.

But when we look with Easter eyes, we begin to see that resurrection love is already breaking in, and is always breaking in:

• The bird singing outside your window or when you walk into work
• A phone call or text at just the right time
• A song that lifts your spirit
• A stranger’s kindness
• And please—do not discount a solitary butterfly.

These aren’t solutions. They don’t fix everything.

But they are signs that love is still moving…that resurrection is already breaking into your life, that you are being held and guided by eternal love.

And like the two Marys, we can receive this love and let it move us to respond with new actions that show up for others, and bring good news!

For that is what Jesus’ love does. It fills us with hope and new life—and calls us into loving action. The women fall at his feet in worship… and then Jesus lifts them up and sends them out. 

Resurrection love finds us on the road, and then sends us back onto the road for others. This is why we begin our Values that Stick series today. In Galatians, they’re called the Fruits of the Spirit. You can see the tree logo in your bulletin: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control!

We will focus on these values so they stick in ourselves, our kids, our grandkids. We will also post 5 activity cards for each Value/Fruit on the website and Facebook, so please watch for those!

Today we started with love. The eternal love of Jesus has found you on the road today, with many butterflies in the sanctuary! So this week, as you are sent on the road for others! 

• Keep your Easter eyes open!
• Pray for the person you feel powerless to help
• Help the person you can—a card, a text, a call, a casserole
• Sit in the hard moment with someone–you often don’t need words
• Be kind to everyone you can, even in small ways

Trust that Jesus meets them, and you-–on the way. God will always show up, making much more out of our love than we can ever ask or imagine!