Risen Indeed!

Isaiah (53:10-12)

No need to prolong the story. Or complicate it. Or embellish it. Or try to explain it. Or defend it. Just declare it. The facts speak for themselves.

Jesus of Nazareth said He would be "in the heart of the earth" three days and nights, Matthew (12:40). Later, He said that He would "suffer be killed, and be raised up on the third day" Matthew (16:21).

Betrayed by Judas, He was seized, placed under arrest, pushed hurriedly through several trials (all of them illegal), and declared guilty first of blasphemy, next of treason Luke (22:70; (23:24).

Finally, "all the disciples left Him and fled" Matthew (26:56). Alone and forsaken, He endured the torture of scourging, the humiliation of insults and mockery, and the agony of that walk to Golgotha, Mark (15:15-22).

The horrors of crucifixion followed, leaving Him suspended for six excruciating hours, the last three of which were spent in eerie darkness that "fell over the whole land" Mark (15:33).

By three o'clock that afternoon He uttered His final words. "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" Luke (23:46).

Then 'He died, Matthew (27:50); Mark (15:37); Luke (23:46); John (19:30). Two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, took Him down from the cross, prepared the body for burial, and placed it "in the garden [in] a new tomb" John (19:38-41).

Because He had predicted, "After three days I am to rise again" Matthew (27:63), the chief priests and the Pharisees had the tomb secured by a large stone, a seal set on the stone, and a body of men sent to guard the site, Matthew (27:62-66).

Guarded and sealed, the tomb was silent as He remained lifeless, untouched, and unseen until the early hours of the morning on the first day of the week, Luke (24:1-2).

Before dawn a miracle occurred. Bodily, silently, victoriously, He arose from death. In resurrected form, He passed through the stone, leaving the mummy-like wrappings still intact, John (20:1-8).

When astonished people visited the site that morning, they found the stone rolled away and the body gone. Then they were asked by angels, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen" Luke (24:5-6).

There are many who still seek for Him among the dead. But they will never find Him there. Why? Because just as Jesus promised, He arose.

If you are among those who believe in miracles, if you find hope in Christ's resurrection, if you thrill at the sounds of "Christ the Lord is risen today! Hallelujah!" then say so.

He is risen! Christ is risen, indeed!