The readings we have just heard and the Psalms that go with them are both a walkthrough of salvation history and a demonstration of how the readings all point to tonight – the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. The Resurrection is the pinnacle of our faith, the most important day of our own salvation stories, and so the readings are chosen so that we might recognize the importance of tonight. All of our history culminates here. Let’s take a look.

In the first reading from Genesis, we heard how God created the world and all that is in it, including us. God is thoughtful in what he creates, and He is deliberate in what He has done. When finished, it says, “God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.” His creation is sacred.

In the Psalm that followed, we sang, “Lord send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” By singing this, we recognize our dependence on God and ask for this renewal that is our Savior. He will renew the face of the earth.

Next we read about Abraham, who, centuries before the resurrection of Christ, says to Isaac, his son, “God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.” Abraham’s words point to the coming of a Lamb who will atone for our sins.

From there, we read in Exodus how Moses leads Israel out of Egypt and out of slavery to Pharaoh. While freedom from physical slavery was monumental, it did nothing to free us from the slavery to sin, and history is fraught with stories of how mankind struggled with the weight of its sin. This points to the need to break those chains of sin, the mission of our Savior to come.

In the next reading, the Lord declares through Isaiah, “my love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken.” Despite that slavery to sin, God loves us no matter what. God’s promised peace in the covenant with Abraham is fulfilled in our Savior who will enable us to climb out of the cycle of sin.

In the Psalm that follows, we praised the Lord for this promise by singing, “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.” Our Savior delivering what Moses could not.

In the Epistle, Saint Paul says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.” Sin is the enemy in our lives and Saint Paul points to what Christ has done for us.

And finally, the Gospel. A light has appeared! Joy has returned to earth! A covenant everlasting is established by Sacred Blood! He has won… for all of us. And His first words, post resurrection, are comforting, “Do not be afraid.”  Do not be afraid because we are now worthy, we now have a path to forgiveness, we can now obtain our salvation.

This is why we fasted during Lent, this is why we repented, this is why we prayed. To understand and appreciate what He has done, to love and praise Him, to worship and thank our Savior.