He Is Risen
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Mark 16:6 – “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: You seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here.”
HE IS RISEN INDEED! What powerful words that even today causes the saint of God to rejoice. What a life-changing moment! Hope and happiness replaced hopelessness and despair by one simple phrase: He is risen!
THEY JUST DIDN’T GET IT
At first, the disciples struggled with what seemed to be an impossibility. Why would the resurrection of the Son of God be so hard for them to accept? After all, Jesus had raised the widow’s son at Nain (Lk. 7:11-17), Jairus’ daughter (Mat. 9:18-26), and Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:1-44).
Jesus had also told them ahead of the time of His death, burial and resurrection: “And He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mk. 8:31). And yet they struggled. They just didn’t get it. It took physical visitations by Jesus before they would accept the news. Before we belittle them for their lack of faith, consider that we may have acted the same way.
THEN WERE THE DISCIPLES GLAD
“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when He had so said, He shewed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord” (Jn. 20:19-20).
There’s a world of difference between hearing the good news about Jesus and experiencing that good news first hand. As the saints of old used to say, “It’s better felt then telt.” Experiencing God’s love, grace, and mercy is far better than merely hearing of it.
THE CHURCH TODAY REJOICES IN THE RESURRECTION
During Resurrection Sunday, all around the world, blood-bought saints rejoice in the announcement, “He is risen!” Added to the excitement of the resurrection is the hope of our own personal resurrection whether in the rapture or from the dead. As a result of the completed work of Calvary we have an assurance of a future resurrection. We have been co-crucified, co-buried, and co-risen with Christ.
Therefore, as believers we know we will be raised from the dead. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor. 15:20-22).
GOD’S SEAL OF APPROVAL
We have been falsely accused of not believing in the resurrection. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Message of the Cross encompasses the resurrection. It was the death of Christ that paid for the debt of sin, not the resurrection. The resurrection was God’s seal of approval on the blood that had been offered as full payment for sin! Jesus said on the Cross, “It is finished” (tetelestai), with the result it remains finished or paid in full (perfect tense). The resurrection did not pay our debt nor add to that payment. The resurrection did not overcome Satan. The blood of Jesus Christ did and still does (Rev. 12:11). We rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ because it is God’s seal of approval on the completed work of Calvary. Therefore, rejoice. He is risen!
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