“I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:8-11

As we consider Jesus’ sufferings and death for the sins of the world and His glorious resurrection from the dead on the third day, it is fitting to consider what this historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection means for each of us as believers, and Psalm 16 is one of many passages of God’s Word to consider.

After Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of the world, His body was laid in the tomb. But, as the psalm states and Peter testified at the feast of Pentecost, and Paul at Pisidian Antioch, Jesus’ body was not left in the grave and did not see corruption and decay. Rather, His body was raised up to life on the third day, a glorious and heavenly body, and was received up to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, where there are “pleasures for evermore” (cf. Psalm 16, Acts 2:22ff.; 13:34ff.).

So also, because Christ has died for us and is risen again, we who believe have been raised up to spiritual life in Christ and have the LORD God at our right hand (cf. Eph. 2:4-7) to preserve and keep us — we shall not be moved. We have a glorious inheritance awaiting us in the promised land of heaven.

Because Christ has paid in full for all our sins and is risen again, our hearts, too, are glad; we trust in Him and rejoice in His mercy and forgiveness toward us.

When we die, our bodies rest in hope — looking forward to that day when the dead in Christ are raised up with glorified bodies and will be forever with the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 15:35ff.; 1 Thess. 4:13ff.). Because Christ’s body saw no corruption but was raised up again on the third day, we can be certain that we too will be raised up and we shall see, in our resurrected and glorified bodies, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ (cf. Job 19:25ff.; 1 Cor. 15:20ff.).

Because of Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of the world, and because He rose again in victory, we have the confidence that we will be raised up in Christ’s likeness and that we will enjoy the pleasures which are at God’s right hand forevermore! (cf. Psalm 17:15).

“Jesus lives! And now is death but the gate of life immortal; This shall calm my trembling breath when I pass its gloomy portal. Faith shall cry as fails each sense: Jesus is my confidence!” (Lutheran Service Book, Page 490, v. 5).

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay….” Matthew 28:5-6

It had been a painful week for the followers of Jesus. They followed Him as He rode into Jerusalem, hailed as Messiah and King of the Jews. They heard His words as He taught in the temple. They heard His laments and rebukes because of unbelief and heard of the judgments to come. They saw His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. They witnessed His trials, the horrors of His crucifixion and saw His lifeless body taken down from the cross and hastily laid in a nearby tomb before the Sabbath day began.

Now, all that remained was to complete His burial before returning home. Jesus was dead. All His teaching about forgiveness of sins, the kingdom of God and eternal life in God’s kingdom was buried with Him in that tomb.

The Gospel of Luke tells us of the women (Luke 23:55 – 24:2): “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre….”

For many today, Easter Sunday is a day to finish properly Jesus’ burial. Lent is over and we can now put Jesus’ sufferings and death behind us and move on to other things – at least for another year. It is a day to say His life and death have meaning and His legacy lives on in our hearts.

But Jesus wasn’t in the tomb! Instead, an angel was there and announced to the women: “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay….” And, as the women hurried to tell Jesus’ disciples the news, Jesus met them and greeted them. He was alive – not just in spirit, but bodily – they held his feet and worshiped Him.

His death was full payment for the sins of the world; God accepted the sacrifice of His Son and raised Him up, proving that all who trust in Him are justified and forgiven (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17-20). He truly is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26). He lives and we shall live also (John 14:19; Job 19:25-27;1 Thess. 4:13-18). All His words and teaching are indeed true! He shall reign forever and ever (Rev. 11:15) and we shall reign with Him in the new heavens and earth (Rev. 7:9-17; 21:1-7)!

We come today not to eulogize Him in death but to celebrate His victory over sin, death and the devil and to rejoice in the new and everlasting life He won for us!

O crucified and risen Lord Jesus, grant that we might see and believe the message of the angel and rejoice in Your triumph over sin and death that we might have the certain hope of life everlasting in You. Amen.

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay….” Matthew 28:5-6

It had been a painful week for the followers of Jesus. They followed Him as He rode into Jerusalem, hailed as Messiah and King of the Jews. They heard His words as He taught in the temple. They heard His laments and rebukes because of unbelief and heard of the judgments to come. They saw His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. They witnessed His trials, the horrors of His crucifixion and saw His lifeless body taken down from the cross and hastily laid in a nearby tomb before the Sabbath day began.

Now, all that remained was to complete His burial before returning home. Jesus was dead. All His teaching about forgiveness of sins, the kingdom of God and eternal life in God’s kingdom was buried with Him in that tomb.

The Gospel of Luke tells us of the women (Luke 23:55 – 24:2): “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre….”

For many today, Easter Sunday is a day to finish properly Jesus’ burial. Lent is over and we can now put Jesus’ sufferings and death behind us and move on to other things – at least for another year. It is a day to say His life and death have meaning and His legacy lives on in our hearts.

But Jesus wasn’t in the tomb! Instead, an angel was there and announced to the women: “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay….” And, as the women hurried to tell Jesus’ disciples the news, Jesus met them and greeted them. He was alive – not just in spirit, but bodily – they held his feet and worshiped Him.

His death was full payment for the sins of the world; God accepted the sacrifice of His Son and raised Him up, proving that all who trust in Him are justified and forgiven (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17-20). He truly is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26). He lives and we shall live also (John 14:19; Job 19:25-27;1 Thess. 4:13-18). All His words and teaching are indeed true! He shall reign forever and ever (Rev. 11:15) and we shall reign with Him in the new heavens and earth (Rev. 7:9-17; 21:1-7)!

We come today not to eulogize Him in death but to celebrate His victory over sin, death and the devil and to rejoice in the new and everlasting life He won for us!

O crucified and risen Lord Jesus, grant that we might see and believe the message of the angel and rejoice in Your triumph over sin and death that we might have the certain hope of life everlasting in You. Amen.

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” 1 Corinthians 15:20 (Read v. 1-20)

The apostle Paul wrote (v. 14-19): “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Did you get that? If Jesus did not rise bodily from the grave on the third day, the following is true:
1. Our preaching and faith is vain and useless.
2. We are false witnesses of God for preaching that Christ was raised from the dead if He was not.
3. Your faith is worthless and you are still dead in your sins.
4. Those who have died trusting in Christ are perished forever – they will not be raised up, nor will we.
5. If our hope and faith is only for this life, we are of all men most miserable.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

As we have heard, Christ Jesus died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, He was buried, He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

And Jesus was seen alive by Cephas (Peter), the twelve, more than 500 brethren at once (many still alive when Paul wrote), James, the apostle Paul (v. 5-8). And we can add to that the two on the road to Emmaus, Mary Magdalene and the other women (Mark 16; John 20-21; Matthew 28; Luke 24; Acts 1; Acts 9).

As the angels said, Jesus is alive. He has risen as He said. But what does this mean for you and for me?

Because He lives:
1. Our preaching and faith is true and should be heeded (Mark 16:15-16).
2. We tell the truth when we claim that Jesus rose from the dead and will return to judge the world (Acts 10:39-43).
3. Atonement has been made for all our sins and we have full pardon and forgiveness through faith in Christ Jesus (v.3-4; Romans 3:23-26; 4:25; Colossians 1:19-23; Ephesians 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; 1 John 1:7 – 2:2).
4. Those who died trusting in Jesus are safe in His arms and He will bring them with Him when He returns on the last day (Luke 16:19-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Psalm 16:8-11; Revelation 7:9-17).
5. We have the certain hope of life everlasting (cf. John 3:16; 5:24; 11:25-26; 14:1-6; Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 ; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 35-58; 1 Peter 1:3-9).

O dearest Jesus, we thank You for bearing upon the cross the full punishment for our sins and for rising again in victory that we, too, might have forgiveness of sins and life everlasting through faith in Your name. Amen.

[Scripture quotations from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:23-27

Have you ever thought about what words you would like to have inscribed on your tombstone? It may sound kind of morbid to speak about epitaphs on Easter Sunday but, in light of Jesus’ resurrection on the third day, it’s not morbid but a message of hope.

Whether or not it will happen, I don’t know, but I’ve always thought it would be nice to have the words of Job 19:25-27 etched into my headstone: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.”

Why, because death is not the end! You and I have hope! Because of the events of that first resurrection Sunday, we can be assured that we too will be raised up.

It is as St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23). Or consider Peter’s words: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5).

Because Jesus did not stay in the tomb, because He rose from the dead on the third day, after suffering and dying on the cross to pay the just punishment for the sins of the world, because the tomb was empty when the women arrived to anoint the body of Jesus, because He appeared to the women, to Peter, to two on the road to Emmaus, to the eleven in the upper room and even to more than 500 people at one time – most of whom were still alive at the time of Paul’s writing (cf. 1 Cor. 15; Mark 16) – we have hope and the certainty of our resurrection on the Last Day.

Jesus said, “Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Those words would mean little if Jesus did not rise from the dead. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the grave on the third day, we would still be dead in our sins and without hope (cf. 1 Cor. 15:17ff.). “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). Jesus was “delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He paid in full for our sins and was raised up, showing that we are indeed justified and forgiven through faith in Him and that we too will be raised up on the Last Day when Christ Jesus returns!

Therefore, we can say with Job: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” Though we die and decay in the grave, our risen Savior will raise up our bodies and we will see Him who died for our sins and rose again to give us life everlasting! Cf. 1 Thess. 4:13ff.; Psalm 16:11.

“I know that my Redeemer lives; what comfort this sweet sentence gives….”

O my risen Savior, grant that I live and die in the confidence which Your resurrection gives, and raise me up on the Last Day to the eternal joys of Your kingdom. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]