He’s Alive!

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone [a]from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. Matthew 28:1-8. NKJV.

He’s alive!  The implications of those words are huge.

Many families will tell of a loved one, barely alive, hanging on to life by a thread.  But, miraculously, they recover.  News quickly filters through that they’re alive!  The patient makes a full recovery and their loved ones enjoy life again in relationship with them.

Those families will never forget that event.  Life lived with their relative will never be the same.  Every day will seem a bonus, a gift.  The ‘resurrection’ of their loved one who was as good as dead, changes things.

The implications of the resurrection we celebrate at Easter are also huge.  But far far more so.

It’s central to our faith that He’s alive!  The resurrection of Jesus from the grave happened.  The tomb is empty.  He is now alive!  Those words, …He is risen, as He said…  (Matthew 28:6), gives us great hope and comfort.

All over the world, at Easter, but not just the Easter weekend, this confession will be made – He’s Alive!  Jesus Christ is alive.  And He is.

This truth changes things.  He said He would be crucified, and He was.  He said He would rise from the dead and He did.  He said He loves us, and He does.  He said He’d be with us, and He is.  The implications of those words He’s alive, are incredible.

Because He’s alive, as He said, we can trust Him.

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20. NKJV.

The reference point for the fulfillment of God’s promises, is in Christ.  He is the guarantee of their reality.  We can trust Him.  We can rely on Him.  As I’ve said before, when God says I will, then, He will!  It’s not I might, I hope, I could, I should, I would, I wonder but I will.  The full omnipotence of God is behind His I will.

He’s alive, so we can trust Him.  He’s alive so we can be sure that as the miracle of His resurrection took place as He said, the miracle we’ve been promised, the miracle we’re believing for, the miracle we know is just up ahead, will come!  As He said.

Because He’s alive, as He said, we can know Him.

… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection … Philippians 3:7-10. NKJV.

Paul’s passion was to know Him.  The Christian life involves two blessings.  One, is that we can know Him.  We can!  We can have a living relationship with Him.  We can talk with Him and He with us.  We can hear Him speak to us through His word, we can hear Him speak to us by the Holy Spirit.  Incredible.  We can know God, the creator of the universe.

The second blessing, is that not only can we know Him, but we can grow in knowing Him.  We pursue, hunger, and are passionate to know Him more.

So we both know Him, and are getting to know Him more and more.

What a privilege.  That we can know Him who is life, alive, risen from the dead, He who flung the stars into orbit, created the tiniest atom, and, who lives in me!

Because He’s alive, as He said, we can be known by Him.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1. NKJV.

Just as loving and wise parents know their children, so too does God know us.  He know us.  He knows all about us.  But He knows us in the sense that we’re one of His.  We are one of His children.  That is a wonderful thought.  Such is the place He has reserved for us, that He calls us children of God.  Wow!

Easter reminds me of these things.  It reminds me of the foundational truths of the Gospel, and of what I believe.  It is good for us from time to time, to refresh our memory of the foundations and basic truths of our faith.  When I do that I am caught up in wonder and worship again, at the immensity of the love of God, His faithfulness to me, and His presence with me every moment.

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.  1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4. NKJV

Easter is not just a holiday weekend, a few days off because of some distant religious event.  It is a celebration and remembrance of a real occasion.

Receiving the living Christ into our life changes everything.

Oh yes; He’s alive!

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