He Is Risen! Christ Our Savior. Jesus the Beloved Son of God
He is risen. We sing Hallelujah! He is Risen!
The Old Rugged Cross.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.(Author: George Bennard, 1913)
Introduction. Easter Sunday. The blessed commemoration of the day Jesus rose victorious over death.
Scripture Reading: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:3–8, ESV)
Good Friday is the day our Lord died in our stead. On His wicked and cruel cross Jesus died for us.
Easter Sunday — Resurrection Sunday — This blessed Sunday. True and faithful Christians around the world. Commemorate the profound love Jesus showed toward all humanity. Who does Jesus love? You, me and all God’s people.
Sadly, every where we turn. Easter Sunday has been commercialised. Turned into a just another day. Just an excuse for a day off work. A day of chocolate Easter eggs and furry bunny rabbits. Unfortunately Easter Sunday church services are mostly empty. Church seats empty. Church organs fall silent. Shops filled with chocolate Easter eggs and furry bunnies. Where? Oh! Where is the commemoration of Christ’s victory over sin and death?
Easter Sunday’s message is not found in chocolate eggs or furry bunnies. Jesus Christ as He stepped alive from His empty tomb. Is the Person we worship. Jesus is the God we praise. We commemorate on this and every Easter Sunday. Jesus as our Lord. Our Savior is the One. We commemorate each and every Easter Sunday. Every moment of our path of faith. We praise and we worship Jesus.
As I write this article for you, my dear reader. On this most blessed of days in all Christendom. I appreciate the significance. Which this blessed day has for me. I kneel before Jesus. I pray to God the Father. I give God all my love and my humble thanksgiving. Almighty God sent Jesus to me. I accepted God’s beloved Son as my personal Savior when I was a young teenager. I have loved and served God ever since. Every moment of my life. Lived in awareness. Of the sacrificial cost Jesus paid for my salvation. Recognizing not a moment in eternity goes by. Is there in which Jesus my Lord does not love me.
You and I picture Jesus hanging on His wicked and His cruel cross. Bearing our pain. Accumulated from our disobedience and our sin. Our Lord suffering for the rebellion against the Father. For the entire world. We pay homage to the One who paid the ultimate price. Christ the pure and the innocent Lamb of God. Paid the price for humanity’s sin.
By faith. With unwavering love. We picture Jesus risen victorious. On the first Easter Sunday. Over two millennia ago.
Scripture Readings: And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. (Mark 16:6, ESV)
That He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:4, ESV)
Do you? As I. Picture the angel speaking to Mary Magdalene. As she timidly glimpsed into her Lord’s empty tomb. As she, with trembling hands. Held the perfume and other ceremonial tools. To cleanse the body of her Lord and her Teacher. Preparing to say her final good bye to her beloved Savior. Mary was sad and oh! so heartbroken.
Mary Magdalene was shocked to see the heavy stone. Moved aside from the tomb’s entrance. She was so very deeply distressed. Who? Who had took away her Lord’s precious and beloved body?
Scripture Reading: They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:2–3, ESV)
Mary Magdalene knelt heartbroken outside her Lord’s empty tomb. Mary wept bitter tears of grief and loss. Then a light caught Mary’s attention from within the tomb. There where her Lord’s body should have been. She saw two angels. Dressed in the purest of white.
They spoke to Mary Magdalene quietly. Asking why her tears of grief and despair?
Scripture Reading: They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” (John 20:13, ESV)
Mary turned around. There was her beloved Lord. There before her astonished eyes was the risen Jesus. Mary the first person in the entire world. To see the resurrected Jesus. Oh! If we could have been there. The wonder. The miracle. The love of Jesus.
Jesus addresses you and me by name …. “ “….” We take a while. We recognize. We fall at the feel of our resurrected Lord. Jesus exclaimed by us “Rabboni” our Teacher.
We are so very loved by Jesus our Savior. Christ addresses each of us personally. As Jesus addressed Mary Magdalene over two millennia ago. Jesus has risen victorious from His empty tomb. We proclaim. As did Mary Magdalene. We believe in our risen Lord. You and I proclaim Jesus as our risen Lord. To all who have open ears and the open hearts to hear.
Scripture Reading: He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. See, I have told you. (Matthew 28:6–7, ESV)
We, you and I hold an extra special place in the heart of Jesus. We are witnesses to the empty tomb of our risen Lord and our personal Savior. We proclaim this wonderful news. Not only on this blessed day — EASTER SUNDAY. We proclaim this news of Jesus’s love every person.
Conclusion. On this the most blessed of days — EASTER SUNDAY — RESURRECTION SUNDAY.
- Faithful Christians all around the world stop and thank Jesus.
- Resurrection Sunday commemorated throughout Christendom.
- Jesus our Lord rose victorious from His empty tomb.
- Mary Magdalene the first person who spoke to the risen Lord.
- We along with Mary Magdalene proclaim the news of the empty tomb.
- Jesus rose to lead all humanity back Home to God the Father.
Deb’s article is truly fitting for Easter, Diane.
If God touched your heart,
please highlight your favorite passages
and leave me a message.
Thank you.
