Uncertain times and empty tombs: An Easter message from Auckland’s church leaders

Stained glass window of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell. Photo / Getty Images

This Easter feels different. Rising fuel prices, uncertainty about what’s coming next, and the quiet unease of a world that seems increasingly fragile – it’s a heavy thing to carry into a long weekend. For many, the break still brings its welcome rhythms: a sleep-in, hot cross buns, chocolate eggs, time with the people we love.

But beneath the familiar surface of the holiday lies a story that has shaped lives, communities and cultures for more than 2000 years. And this year, perhaps more than most, it’s a story worth pausing to hear.

For some, Easter is part of our cultural wallpaper – recognisable but not always understood. The symbols are everywhere: crosses on church buildings, eggs in supermarket aisles, and phrases like “Good Friday” and “Easter Sunday” woven into our calendar. Yet, many people aren’t entirely sure what the story is, or why it matters.

The heart of Easter

At its heart, Easter tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, and his death and resurrection. It begins with Good Friday, the day Jesus was executed by crucifixion under Roman authority. It was a brutal and public death, of the type reserved for criminals and rebels. His followers were devastated. They had hoped he was the one who would bring change, restore hope and make things right. Instead, it seemed like another story of promise ending in disappointment.

That might feel familiar.

We live in a time where many promises feel fragile. We’ve come through years marked by uncertainty – the global pandemic, economic pressure, rising costs of living and increasing anxiety about the future. In Auckland, we see both incredible opportunity and significant challenge. For some, life is flourishing. For others, it’s a daily grind just to keep up.

In that context, the Easter story doesn’t begin with triumph, it begins with loss.

But it doesn’t end there.

According to the Gospel accounts in the Bible (biographies about Jesus written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), three days after Jesus’ death, his followers discovered something unexpected; his tomb was empty. What began as confusion turned into astonishment and, then, into conviction. Jesus was alive.

This is the centre of the Easter message. Not just that Jesus died, but that he rose again.

For Christians, this isn’t a metaphor or a nice idea. It’s the defining moment of history and the point where despair is interrupted by hope, where death is confronted by life, where what seemed final is suddenly not.

And that has implications.

Because, if the resurrection is true, it means that brokenness doesn’t have the last word. It means that failure isn’t final. It means that, even in the darkest moments, there is the possibility of renewal.

Renewal and hope

You don’t have to look far in New Zealand to see how deeply we long for that. We see it when tragedy strikes – communities rally together, people show up for one another, generosity flows in moments of need. We see it in the desire for justice, for fairness, for things to be made right. We see it in the quiet resilience of people who keep going, even when life is hard.

There’s something in us that recognises the world is not as it should be, but something in us refuses to believe this is all there is. Easter speaks directly into that tension.

It doesn’t ignore suffering or pretend that everything is okay. In fact, it takes suffering seriously. The cross is a reminder that pain, injustice and loss are real. But the resurrection is a declaration that they are not the end. That’s why Easter has endured. Not because it’s sentimental but because it’s honest and hopeful. It invites us to consider a different way of seeing the world. It’s a way where grace matters more than performance, where forgiveness is possible and where new beginnings are real, not just aspirational. For some, that might feel like a stretch.

Faith isn’t always an easy step, especially in a culture that values independence and self-sufficiency. Many Kiwis would say they’re “not religious” – and that’s fair. The church hasn’t always represented this story well. But, at its best, the message of Easter isn’t about institutions or obligation. It’s about an invitation: an invitation to consider that there might be more to life than what we can see; an invitation to explore a story that has shaped millions of lives across cultures and generations; and an invitation to encounter a God who, according to the Easter story, steps into human history, not to condemn but to restore. And, perhaps, most importantly, it’s an invitation to hope. Not a vague or wishful hope, but a grounded one: a hope that says, even when things feel uncertain, even when life doesn’t go as planned, even when we face loss or disappointment, there is still the possibility of something new. In our cities, where life moves quickly and pressures run high, that kind of hope matters.

It matters for families trying to navigate rising costs and busy schedules. It matters for every young person figuring out their future in an unpredictable world. It matters for those carrying grief, or loneliness or questions they’re not sure how to answer. Easter doesn’t solve every problem overnight. But it offers a framework and a lens through which to see life differently. It’s a reminder that endings are not always the end and that, sometimes, they are the beginning of something we didn’t expect.

That’s the surprising nature of the Easter story. No one saw it coming. Even Jesus’ closest followers were caught off guard. And yet, it changed everything.

It still does.

The church at Easter

Across Aotearoa, churches of all shapes and sizes will gather to remember and celebrate this Easter story. Some will meet in large auditoriums, others in small community halls. Some will be filled with lifelong church-goers, others with people walking through the doors for the first time in years, or ever.

And, in each of those spaces, the same story will be told of a God who sees, who cares, who enters into human experience and who brings life where there was once death.

You don’t need to have it all figured out to explore that.

You don’t need to be certain about what you believe.

Sometimes, the first step is simply being open to listening, to reflecting and to asking questions.

Easter creates a natural moment for that. In the middle of a long weekend, with a pause in the usual routine, there’s space to consider bigger questions about meaning, purpose and hope: questions that don’t always get airtime in the busyness of everyday life.

As church leaders across Auckland, we recognise that many people in our city are curious, but cautious. Interested, but unsure. That’s okay. The Easter story has always met people in that space. It meets people in doubt.

In grief. In uncertainty. It offers something quietly profound: the possibility that hope is not lost. So, wherever you find yourself this Easter, whether it’s on the road, at the beach, around a table with family, or simply taking a moment to breathe, we invite you to consider the story behind the season.

Not just the traditions, but the meaning. Not just the symbols, but the substance. Because, at its core, Easter is about life. New life. Restored life. Hope-filled life.

And, in a world that often feels uncertain, that’s a story worth exploring.

If you’re curious, we’d love to welcome you to one of our Easter gatherings this weekend. Come and experience the story for yourself, reflect on its meaning and, perhaps, discover a hope that speaks into your life today.

Reti Ah-Voa, Regional Leader, Northern Baptist Association

Reverend Paul and Pam Allen-Baines, Congregational Union of New Zealand

Right Reverend Ross Bay, Anglican Bishop of Auckland

Pastor Tak Bhana, Senior Pastor, Church Unlimited

Majors David and Denise Daly, Auckland Area Officers, The Salvation Army

Pastors Luke and Melissa de Jong, Senior Pastors, LIFE

Pastors Jonathan and Robyn Dove, Senior Pastors, Gracecity Church

Dr Richard Fountain, Auckland Enabler, Christian Community Churches of New Zealand

Darren and Sharon Gammie, National Secretary, Assemblies of God New Zealand

Pastors Steve and Rebecca Green, Senior Pastors, Elim Christian Centre

Pastor Rowan Hilsden, Auckland Leader, Federation of Independent Evangelical Churches

Reverend Brett Jones, National Superintendent, Wesleyan Methodist Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Reverend Dr Stuart Lange, National Director, New Zealand Christian Network

Reverend Kok Soon Lee, Auckland Chinese Churches Association

Reverend Dr Featunaí Liuaana, senior pastor, Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (EFKS)

Most Reverend Steve Lowe, Catholic Bishop of Auckland,

Pastors David and Lissie MacGregor, national directors of Vineyard Churches Aotearoa New Zealand

Pastor Geoff MacPherson, moderator, Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand

Pastors Joe and Racquel Manase, lead pastors, City Impact Church

Reverend Andrew Marshall, national director, Alliance Churches of New Zealand

Reverend Colin Marshall, moderator, Northern Presbytery

Pastors Stephen and Susie Miller, Auckland leaders of New Life Churches

Very Reverend Anne Mills, Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral

Pastor Sam Monk, Senior Pastor, Equippers Church and ACTS Churches National Leader

Right Reverend Te Kitohi Pikaahu, Māori Anglican Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau

Reverend Shona Pink-Martin, Missioner – Te Mīhana Māori

Pastors Dean and Fiona Rush, Senior Leaders, C3 Church Auckland

Pastor Moses Singh, senior pastor, Indian Christian Life Centre

Apostle Brian and Pastor Hannah Tamaki, Destiny Churches International

Reverend Uesifili Unasa, Auckland Synod superintendent, Methodist Church of New Zealand

Pastor Adrian Webster, president, North New Zealand Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Church

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