Risen indeed

Matthew 28:6

 "He is not here; he has risen, just as He said.

  Come and see the place where He lay."

The only reason we can look at the cross, a symbol of intense pain, suffering and humiliation, with joy and hope is because we know that after Good Friday, Sunday would come.

 We usually hear more about the cross than the empty tomb, leaving the resurrection to Easter. But the resurrection of Christ is pivotal to the Christian faith and without it, the entire gospel message and the believers faith would be worthless!

Without the resurrection, the crucifixion was just an execution.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15: 17-19:

 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Paul is saying that if Jesus did not rise, all that we have done and continue to do wrong, would keep us separated from God forever. He goes on to say that everything we are doing as believers is for nothing and we are the biggest fools in the world!

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then He would not be who He claimed to be.

If He did not rise from the dead there is nothing He can do for us, He cannot forgive us and He cannot wash our sins away.

It's a chilling passage that paints a picture of a bleak and hopeless world!

But in verse 20, Paul makes this amazing declaration:

 "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead."

He is risen indeed! Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, to pay the debt of our sin in full, with His own life, so that all who believe in Him as our LORD and Saviour, will no longer be separated from God.

Jesus' resurrection, not only fulfilled prophecy, but it proved His divinity and identity as the Messiah and our Saviour, and for all who believe, we will live with Him in glory.

Because He lives, we too shall live!

Let us praise His wonderful name.