My friend, Susan, posted this image today and it captured the "Wow!" of this day. It is the most important holy day for Christians.
At Christmas, Jesus was born in human skin. It must have felt so strange. Perhaps, by his thirty-third year he was kind of used to it. He had certainly embraced living in a family, with friends, and in fellowship with others around him.
When he bore the cross, he experienced a human death. He chose it. He asked if the Father had a better idea, but in the end Jesus prayed, "Thy will be done." Then, He submitted to ridicule, humiliation, beatings, and execution on a cross.
I have enjoyed listening to Wes Huff (Apologetics Canada) and others talk about historical documentation on Jesus's death on a cross. When the ancient Romans crucified someone, they were dead when they were done! They removed a dead human body late that Friday and placed it in a stone tomb.
Saturday was full of stunned silence and shame for those who had betrayed even knowing Jesus. Then on Sunday, with the men still hiding, the women get up to go to the tomb to better prepare the body in death. They carried spices for the task, but when they arrived - the tomb was empty! A heavenly messenger announced that they would not find Him in the tomb. Jesus had risen... as he said he would.
"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay." -Matthew 28:6
Resurrection proves Jesus was fully God. Very dead, now fully alive, again. For 40 days Jesus would continue to appear and engage with people. The word spread like wildfire with so many eye witnesses. It must have been especially clear to those who had a front row seat at the cross, at the tomb, and in the forty days beyond the tomb.
Jesus accomplished his mission! Our sin debt was paid in full. Jesus declared, "It is finished." Then, he proceeded to conquer the grave so that we might only know death as a door. Our part? Believe, confess, repent, and receive the gift of salvation. Then, accept the invitation to walk with Him through all of our earthly days.
"Deal? Or, no deal?"
Today, I am grateful, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!"
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