He is Risen

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:5

Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.

Several years ago, I was with a group of Indian pastors evangelizing remote tribal villages. In one particular village, a large number of people had gathered in the center of the small town to hear what I was going to say. I began by asking if any of them had ever heard of a man named Jesus.

No one raised their hand. I thought they hadn’t understood my question, so I asked it again in a different way. I received the same response: silence and blank stares.

I spent the next few minutes giving an overview of the life of Christ, His incarnation, the miracles, the teachings, and the crucifixion. They were enthralled by the story of His life and you could see the sad distress on their faces when they heard how he had died.

Of course, I finished by telling them about the resurrection. The whole of them broke into spontaneous applause. They were thrilled that the story didn’t end at the tomb.

I hope today we can capture the excitement of the resurrection story like it is the first time we heard of it.

I can’t imagine that I can add anything memorable to what has been said throughout the history of the church about Jesus’ resurrection. Instead of trying that impossible feat, I will simply share some great things others have said:

·       You are not suffering from anything that a good resurrection can’t fix. -D.A. Carson

·       If Christ is not risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is risen, nothing else matters. -Jaroslav Pelikan

·       Genesis ends with Joseph’s death. Deuteronomy ends with Moses’s death. Joshua ends with Joshua’s death. The Gospels end with Jesus’ resurrection. And that changes everything. -Tony Merida

·       The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus mean that one day everything sad will come untrue. – J.R.R. Tolkien

·       Why should you weep? For Jesus rose from the dead, and so shall you. -C.H. Spurgeon

·       What is the difference between the dead Christ the women went to anoint and a living Christ? A dead Christ, I must do everything for. A living Christ does everything for me. -Andrew Murray

·       Christianity without the resurrection is not simply Christianity without its final chapter, it is not Christianity at all. – Gerald O’Collins

·       The resurrection has placed a glorious crown on all of Christ’s sufferings. -A. W. Tozer

·       Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live. – Lee Strobel

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!