He is Risen
“Entering the tomb, they saw a
young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were
alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here…” (Mark 16:5-6)
We were touched by news reports about the Draper boys,
young twins who both were born with rare heart conditions. They are named Nick
and Nate and you are encouraged to pray for them. Each of them needed heart
transplants at birth and the stronger boy has already received one, a gift from
parents who lost their own little son, a four-month old baby in Florida. We
watched on television as the parents of Nick and Nate met the father and mother
of the boy who died. His little heart now beats in the chest of one of the
Draper children, giving life to someone other than himself. We saw the mother
who lost her own baby, walk to Mrs. Draper and hug her, who in turn gave the
other parents what appeared to be a silver dish shaped like a heart.
How sad, but it is also very beautiful. One couple lost
their boy, but LIFE out of his death was given to another, who now lives on
because of that gift. All three of those boys are innocent, quite unlike you and
me, but there is this similarity – ALL in the human race are dying from a disease
of the heart, which God calls “sin.” And in response to our need, Jesus Christ
gave His own heart, His own life, dying at the will of His Father, so that you
and I might live in the sight of God. The little Draper boy had to receive a new
heart in order to live, and when you and I receive Jesus Christ, we have HIS
life – forever.
This Sunday is what is called “Easter”
in much of the world. Some think of candy “Easter eggs”
at this time, but we instead REJOICE at the empty tomb of Jesus Christ! While
in Jerusalem a few years ago, we were taken into a tomb hewn out of solid rock,
which purportedly is the very place where Jesus was taken after His crucifixion.
That’s what our guide told us, and we could hear other groups nearby being told
the same thing. The tomb was indeed empty, just as they said. The fact is,
however, that nobody really knows whether it is the actual place or not. We have no witnesses
living today who saw what happened.
However, we do have something more important than a tomb in Jerusalem, empty though it
may be. We have the eye-witness testimony of those who went to that rocky tomb,
2000 years ago, and saw with their own eyes that it was EMPTY! Jesus was no
longer dead. As the “young man,” the angel said to
the women at the tomb, “He is RISEN, He is not here.” The
Lord who paid for our sins is RISEN from the dead!
Our emphasis in Christianity has always been the cross
of Christ, and well it should be, for without the cross, nobody on earth has any
hope at all. Our earthly “good” works, no matter how sincere, do not somehow
“convince” God to accept us as His own. As Isaiah the Prophet said so eloquently
about our actions, religious or not: “We are ALL like an
unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags” (Isaiah
64:6). Paul the Apostle was very religious and strove to keep the Law of God,
but then he was literally struck down by the risen Christ (Acts 9:1 & forward).
Here’s how he came to view our attempts to please God by our works: “ALL
have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are
sinners who need the cross of Christ, and except for what He did for us,
humanity would be lost forever. With the Lord’s work on that cross, we have –
everything!
We must see even more than just the cross. We
need to recognize that the tomb where they placed Jesus, wherever it is; if it
even still exists on earth, is truly – empty! As the angel said to the women at
the tomb, “He is risen! He is not here…” (Mark
16:5-6). The fact that He is no longer dead is vitally important. As
Paul the Apostle observed, “If Christ is not risen, then
our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14).
Paul continued, “Yes and we are found false witnesses of
God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not
raise up – if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then
Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are
still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:15-17).
Do you see it? We need to recognize and be eternally
grateful for BOTH the cross AND the resurrection. The one is complete in
relation to the other. Without the cross, we are still in our sins and even though we
have existence after death we’re in deep trouble, for, as the author of the Book
of Hebrews put it: “It is appointed for men to die ONCE,
but after this the JUDGMENT” (Hebrews 9:17). There is no comfort at all
in the opinions presented by the various religions and philosophies of this
world. The idea of “reincarnation” offers cruel
irony because, YES it is true that we will live after physical death, but NO, we
will NOT come back and get another chance.
It’s also NOT true that mere human effort, religious or
otherwise, can make us “right” with God. Just like that
little Draper twin received LIFE in the form of a new heart from the four
month-old baby who died in Florida, you and I need a new heart as well. Every
one of us has that fatal illness the Great Physician calls "sin."
The Cure is Jesus Christ, and to receive Him is to be healed – forever.
But how do we KNOW the Cure will work? The best way, of
course, is to take the Medicine and see! But many will not try, and here is
something that may help you in your decision, in your judgment about the Lord: it’s
the empty tomb we spoke about earlier. The proof that He died and gives us life,
is that He is risen from the dead!
Paul the Apostle met the risen Christ and his life was
revolutionized as a result. You are indeed the judge of all this in relation to
yourself, and here are Paul’s words: “I delivered to you
first of all that which I also received; 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, and that He was SEEN by Cephas (Aramaic for
“Peter”), then by the twelve (apostles).
After that He was seen by OVER FIVE HUNDRED brethren all at once, of whom the
greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep (died).
After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He
was seen by me also, as one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
– Christ on the cross offers healing from our sin. The risen Christ, seen by
hundreds of eye witnesses, authenticates that His death on the cross actually
does
save us when we trust in Him. Will you pray right now?
Lord Jesus, I recognize my need. I believe that You
died for my sins and I believe You rose from the dead. Forgive my sins and fill
my heart with Your love. And Lord, help the Drapers and all who suffer loss.
Give us Your peace. In Jesus Name. Amen.
