ON THE VANGUARD

EASTER SUNDAY
“’He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay’”
Matthew 28:6

Saturday left the women and the disciples hopeless, while leaving the chief priests and Pharisees fearful. The Savior, the one who had come as a baby, the one who had healed so many, the one who had raised others from the dead, now lay dead and in His own tomb. Hope was gone. But was it? Didn’t Jesus say to His disciples that His death would result in resurrection? In Luke 18:31-33 Jesus spoke of His death. “Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’” Did the disciples forget all this? They had seen the mocking, heard the insults, watched the crowd spit on Him and flog Him. And just three days ago they watched their hope die on a cross. Was the belief that He would rise again gone as well?
The fullness of the events had not yet played out. As the dawn broke on the third day, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Mt 28:1). They were carrying their spices and questioning who would roll the stone away so that they could anoint Jesus (Mk 16:3). But as they were walking toward the tomb, a violent earthquake shook the ground. When the ladies approached the tomb, they found the stone already rolled away and an angel sitting upon it (Mt 28:2). They peered inside but found no one, living or dead. And then the angel spoke, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” (Mt 28:6). The women hurried away, and in Matthew’s account, were suddenly met by Jesus and fell in worship of Him, clasping His feet. At that moment, the One who had overcome death spoke to them, telling them to announce His return to the others.
He was alive! Though He suffered a violent death of hanging on a cross, a death worthy of only a cursed man (Deut 21:22-23), He now was alive and well. And His death paid our price. Galatians 3:13-14 reads, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” His death paid for my sin, and His rebirthing, His resurrection paved the way for my coming into His family and receiving the promised blessings.
I am no one special, for what Christ did for me He has also done for you. By hanging on the cross, He also paved the way for your redemption, buying you back from the enemy. And while hope seemed lost, He was completing his plan of salvation for your life. When the time was right, when the three days had passed, Christ raised from the dead victorious over the devil. Death could not hold Him down. But now, as with those who have gone before you, you must make a choice. Christ has paid the price, but have you made the decision to accept Him as your Lord and Savior? Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved. For in doing this we are justified and cleansed. No one can do this for you, but I urge you to do it if you have not. The time is getting shorter each day, and soon there will be no more chances. Let today be the day that you enter into a real relationship with Christ. It is not enough to know of Him, you must know Him.