Christ is Risen!
Death
is a fool. The most gullible dope there
ever was. He stared at Jesus, giddy as
could be that he would be able to devour the Son of God. Though he knew that it would be the death of
him, he couldn’t help himself but to sink his teeth in deep and swallow our
Lord. But Jesus was his end.
Let’s step back
for a moment. Death’s tyranny started
not long after God had completed His creation.
With one bite of forbidden fruit, God’s creation in which He made to be
perfect, without disease, pain, hurt, suffering, or death, became mortal;
subject to death’s cold sting – victims that he will pick off sooner or
later. But, today, we Christians
rejoice. The alleluias that were
silenced throughout Lent are sung loud and proud. Because death met his match when he faced off
with the God-Man Jesus Christ. In the
battle between death and life, death lost in the death and resurrection of
Jesus. And Jesus’ victory over sin,
death, and the grave is your victory.
Jesus
lives and death is dead.
The Son of God,
who was mocked, beaten, and crucified; God hung on the tree of the cross dead
as dead could be, yet burst forth from the tomb on the third day, not even
death could hold him. Death did his
worse, he couldn’t help himself, not only did he take a bite out of our Lord,
but in his excitement to consume Christ, he swallowed him whole and
choked. Death bit off more than he could
chew when he swallowed Jesus. Like Jonah
and the great fish, our Lord has went down into the belly of the earth but came
up from the depths of death to be spit back out onto the earth alive… Just as
He said.
And Jesus did it
for you. He journeyed to the cross for
you. He bore the pain and suffering for
you. He gave Himself into death for
you. And He was raised again for
you. Jesus died but Jesus lives. Sin and death have been defeated. Death turned into a temporary state.
And
because Jesus lives, death can no longer has a claim
on you. He’s been
defeated, defanged, declawed, his rough growl turned to a whimper. Death has lost his sting, the enemy
lies in defeat. For Jesus died and rose for you! Christ has made this our triumphant day!
The resurrection
of Jesus saves you from everything that Adam’s bite ushered in. Death been made into a pathetic joke. The grave is no longer a “final resting
place” but a bedroom where we and our loved ones rest for a time. Their souls are today with the Lord, but
their bodies sleep in their earthen bedroom to be awakened to new life. Death has been undone! He’s been defeated. He can snarl and scowl all it wants but his
teeth have been removed. Jesus lives and
death is dead.
That’s
the good news of Easter: that because Jesus lives, death’s dark grave has been
made a temporary resting place, just like Jesus’ tomb that was occupied and
then empty. For those who are in Christ,
death no longer has dominion. He
lost. So, you’ll have your Easter day
too.
The
same Jesus who was crucified, died, and raised, will return on the last day and
call you from your tomb. Like Jesus,
those who have died in the faith and rest in their earthen bedrooms will wake
up, rise from the ground, and be spit back out of the belly of the earth. Death has lost his grip.
Jesus
lives and death is dead. He doesn’t have
the final say. That belongs to our risen
Lord who will call you out of the grave.
When it will also be said of you, “He is risen, indeed!” “She is risen, indeed.”
That’s what He’s
done for you. He’s won for you
forgiveness and eternal life. Believe
it, it’s yours, it’s for you. Jesus
thought you worth it to suffer, to die, and to rise again. This, the day of resurrection, is our
triumphant day, when God gives to us that which we don’t deserve or
expect. But since He loves you with a
love that sends Jesus into and out of death for you, He gives His salvation to
you. He defeats death for you. He opens heaven’s gates wide open for
you. What
joy. Jesus lives and death is dead. A most blessed Eastertide to all of you. Amen.
Christ is Risen!
