Because Jesus has Risen...

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 ESV

On the first day of April, my godly mother-in-law passed from this earthly life into the presence of Jesus.  Over the years, I’ve witnessed many such passings from this existence into the next.  What I rarely witness, however, is such a powerful presence of Divine peace.  There are still the normal expressions of grief over losing such a beloved family member, but this time underlying them is an amazing Divine tranquility.  Why is that so?  It’s all because of the first Easter Sunday.

Because Jesus has risen, He now saves all who call upon him.  He saves them from sin and takes them to be with Him when they leave this world.  The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  My mother-in-law knew the Lord.

Because Jesus has risen, He is sovereign over all people and circumstances.  The people who come into our lives and are taken from our lives, and all the things we experience, are under the control of his tender, loving hand.  Romans 8:28 is one of the most popular verses in the Bible.  It’s popular because its truth is so potent.  It says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Because Jesus has risen, death is not the final chapter.  When Jesus went to visit Martha and Mary upon the death of their brother Lazarus, their hearts were broken.  To them it seemed to be the end.  Martha even blamed the Lord, saying if he had been there earlier, he wouldn’t have died.  Jesus however, said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Apart from Jesus, there is no hope in death. In Jesus, there is great hope.

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.  That’s the message of Easter.  That’s the source of peace and hope we have in the face of death.  Trusting in Jesus as our Savior from sin now gives great comfort to our loved ones later.  It also results in being reunited with family and friends who have preceded us in leaving this world and entering the next.

As this Easter Sunday approaches, is your confidence in the One who conquered sin and the grave? 

With a shepherd’s heart,

Pastor David