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Volume. XXXVI, No. 42 Hallelujah! He is Risen Blessed Easter wishes to every one of you! The most important news God has given to the fallen human race of Adam is that His eternal Son Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins, has risen from the dead and is alive forever. Hallelujah! He is risen.
Palm Sunday and Good Friday preceded the glorious Easter Sunday. Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass" (Zechariah 9:9). Riding on an ass signified that Jesus is the humble king who came in peace to save His people and not with war. We read of the jubilant reaction of the multitudes on that first Palm Sunday when they saw Jesus. Straightaway they recognized Him from the words of the Scriptures that He is God, Israel's Messiah-King. They worshipped Him publicly and proclaimed Him as their God and king. They cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD; Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9). "Hosanna" means "save us." They were pleading with their Messiah King to save them.
But God's plan A was to die on our behalf on the Calvary Cross. Within a short span of five days, this same multitude of people who hailed Jesus with "Hosannas" turned around and shouted, "Crucify him, crucify him" (Luke 23:21). The greatest news God has given to the fallen human race of Adam is that His eternal Son Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins is alive forever. This means that there is hope for wretched depraved sinners separated from the Holy God and doomed for eternal hell judgment, to be reconciled unto God and be saved.
How do we know that JESUS IS Risen? First, as eye-witnesses recorded for us in the Word of God, the Angel announced, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you" (Matthew 28:6-7).
JESUS IS RISEN! The trustworthiness of Biblical Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely central to the Christian faith. So significant that if there is no resurrection, there is no Christianity. The Apostle Paul concluded that "if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain…. But now is CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD" (1 Corinthians 15:14, 20a). If there was ever a day that gives mankind any hope, it is Resurrection Sunday.
We believe in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ because Scripture declares the glorious truth for us in the Word of God. The Angel announced "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you" (Matthew 28:6-7). The Apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).
Easter Sunday is an extraordinary day for us, for we are the benefactors of the resurrection blessings. Because of Easter, we no longer need to fear death. Who is fearful of death? We all do. By rising from the dead, Jesus had experienced and conquered death itself. We can then say with the Apostle Paul, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is they victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55). Death to a believer in Christ is only a doorway into Heaven. We have the assurance of God's Word - "absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8b). That is hope beyond the grave made possible by the resurrection of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Another blessing of Easter truth is the victory we have through Christ over sin and the power of sin. At one time, we were slaves to sin. But now, risen with Christ, sin has no more power over us. Romans 6:17-18 tells us that "… ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness". Before we came to Christ, we were under the control of sin, but now we are set free from its control even though we are still in the presence of sin being in this world. Because of the resurrected power of Christ, we don't have to be subdued under the power of sin. We are victorious in Christ Jesus. We have the proof of victory in God's Word in 1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he (Holy Spirit) that is in you, than he (the evil one) that is in the world". Our part is to continue to love God and obey His Word, and we will experience victory over sin and grow spiritually.
Are you discouraged today? Be encouraged today because we believe in the living Savior. He knows our trials and His resurrected power is there to help us rise above any storms of life. Trust in God and encourage yourself in Lord. God understands our struggles, call on Him and He will deliver. Maybe you are going through marital problems or even a divorce, a terrible financial situation, a depressive physical illness, rebellious children or a terrible situation at work. There always will be strife, distress, challenges, and hurdles. We can't change all those life situations out there, but we can trust Him with all our hearts, and we will experience His love, care, and power. May our gracious risen Lord help you to encourage yourself in the Lord your God this blessed Easter Sunday.
Have you responded to the truth of the two greatest moments in history? The message of Good Friday and Easter brings love, hope, and eternity to us. This morning, is Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour? Repent, believe. Make no delay. We do not need to be afraid of death, sin, the devil, or even our trying situations. Christ faced death for us and conquered it once and for all. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. The most remarkable testimony is not just the truth from the Scriptures that 'Christ is Risen' but also our faith agreeing to this fact that Jesus Christ indeed rose again and echoing with the hymn writer the testimony, "You ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart."
Jesus is Risen; Hallelujah! He is Risen indeed.
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