“He is not here, but has risen.”—Luke 24:6
These words, spoken by the angels to the women who came in the early dawn to visit Jesus’ tomb, are among the most significant words ever to fall on human ears. I would go further and say they are the most significant, in part, because of what they mean for lost and dying humanity. They are words of joy, words of love, and words of hope.They are words of joy because they convey the reality that death has been conquered, the penalty of sin has been paid, and the way to eternal life in relationship with God has been opened.
What could bring more joy to those who have lived all their life under the shadow of the sentence of death because of sin; because they are guilty of unbelief and disobedience to God, their Creator? Could a more joy-filled announcement be made than that the penalty of sin is paid,death is defeated, and the way is open to life with God, eternal life in relationship with Him, both now and forever? I think not.
They are words of love because “He is risen” implies that the Lord Jesus first died, not as the penalty for his own sin, but as the substitutionary sacrifice for ours. His death was the outworking of His love, and the love of God the Father who gave His Son up to death on the cross so that all who believe in Jesus may not perish but have eternal life. Could a more love-filled announcement be made than that He is risen who died for our sin that we might be delivered from the wrath of God into relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ? I think not.
They are words of hope. They sound forth the hope that there is freedom from bondage to sin and death through the redeeming work that Jesus has completed, a work sealed by his resurrection from the dead. By nature we are born in sin, alienated from God, without God andwithout hope in this world. There is a guilt that plague us, an emptiness that dogs us, a sense of lostness that haunts us. We live under a dark cloud, the cloud of God’s impending punishment for our sin. Left to ourselves this is a hopeless situation. In and of ourselves there is no prospect of a better daily, truly.
He is risen rings the note of a day that is truly better. Better today because the guilt can be gone, the emptiness be filled, the sense of lostness lost through believing this One who is raised from the dead.Better tomorrow, the tomorrow of the age to come, as we depart this sin-plagued world and enter into the eternal joy of the unobstructed presence of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ—in whose presence is joy for evermore.
“He is not here, but has risen,” the most significant words ever spoken to fallen, sinful humanity; a message of joy, of love, of hope. Do youknow that joy? Do you know that love? Do you have that hope? By believing Jesus, by believing God, you can!!!
Pastor Guy