Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6
One of my favorite Easter stories is about Nikolai Bukharin, the Russian communist leader who was influential in making atheism a leading philosophy of Russian communism. He once gave an hour long presentation against Christianity, hurling insult and ridicule until he felt that faith had taken its last blow. He then looked smugly at the crowd and asked, “Are there any questions?” One man stood and walked to the podium. He looked slowly at the crowd and then finally shouted out the ancient Christian greeting, “Christ is risen!” The whole assembly rose and shouted back, “He is risen indeed!”
The central doctrine of Christian faith is that Jesus is risen. Without a risen Christ our faith has no power. But we know that God’s promises of eternal life are true because we know that His Son is risen.
Since the forming of the earth God has sought to be in relationship with us. Looking at the big picture of history, He has done everything to reach us even when we have abandoned Him. Jesus took the ultimate step to die for our sins and rise again that we might have that relationship that God has wanted all along. Our salvation comes in Christ. He alone is the source of our life eternal.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Challenge: When you think of your faith, what is central to your relationship with God? Thank God for the blessing of the risen Jesus.
Prayer Request: Pray that God will be glorified today in our Easter morning worship.
