“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.’ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me’” (Matthew 28:1-10; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).

The angel said, “Go quickly and tell his disciples.” Jesus said, “Go and tell my brothers.”

With these words, we see that when Jesus died and rose from the dead, He changed our relationship with God. Believers in Jesus are not only believers in God or followers of His teaching. We are His children. Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God, but we are His adopted children through a new birth by the Holy Spirit. We are, believe it or not, Jesus’ little brothers and sisters in the family of God.

There had been a progression in the relationship between Christ and His disciples. At first, He chose them and invited them to follow Him. He was their master, teacher, rabbi, and Lord; they were his followers and students. By the end of His earthly ministry, He said they were more than disciples or students; they were His friends:

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

Before the crucifixion, Jesus told the disciples that they were His friends. After the resurrection, He called them His brothers. Our identity, access to God, and eternal destiny are linked to our status as children of God and fellow heirs with Christ:

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:14-17).

We are no longer spiritual orphans (John 14:18) but have an intimate relationship with God through Christ. We have direct access to the Father as His children, and we will enjoy the assurance of eternal life in Christ’s kingdom, because Jesus has brought us into the family of God.

So, on Easter Sunday, we not only celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. We celebrate our new life in Him, which gives us a new identity as a child of God. Let us live daily in a way that will bring glory to our heavenly Father and reveal the life of Jesus to those around us.

Copyright © 2026 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.