Sunday is the day in our current calendar year on which we observe the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s resurrection- His being raised from the grave- confirmed His victory over the grave! The great hope for the Christ-follower is the FACT that when the women and the disciples went to the tomb, it was empty (Matt. 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10; 1 Cor. 15:1-11). Thus, Jesus became the “cornerstone” upon which Christendom stands (Ephesians 2:11-22; 1 Peter 2:4-8). He is alive! Christians then greet one another by saying “He is risen”, to which the other responds “He is risen indeed!”All of this was done “according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Our glorious Lord had announced in the midst of Adam and Eve’s sin (Gen. 3:15) that He would send a Savior. Throughout the Old Testament, the people were given more and more information concerning this “coming Christ”- this one who would save His people. When you read Isaiah 53, you wonder how could anyone miss it. This is Christ- the suffering servant; the sacrificial lamb; the substitute; the victorious Lord! It is Christ!

One rabbit trail please. Throughout the history of mankind, an individual can only be saved because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. There are not different gospels, different ways by which one can be saved. For example, in the Old testament days folks were saved one way and in the New Testament age folks are saved another way. There is only one gospel- salvation through Jesus Christ alone and we must receive Him by faith alone! The only difference is the OT believer, who lived before Calvary, trusted in the promise of Christ’s coming; the NT believer trusts in the fact that Jesus came. But guys- it is the same Jesus. Read John 2:13-22. Think about the elements in the temple. Each finds its fulfillment in Christ: the altar of burnt offering upon which the lamb was sacrificed- Christ is the lamb of God who sacrificed His life for us; the laver where the priest cleansed his hands- we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus; the candlestick which gave light to the Holy Place- who said “I am the light of the world”; the table of showbread- who said “I am the bread of life”; the ark of the covenant, which represented God’s presence with His people- when the angel spoke to Joseph concerning the birth of the child, he told him that he would call the child “Immanuel” which means God with us. All was fulfilled in Jesus! There is one Gospel.

Praise God He is alive! We have a “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3-9; Hebrews 10:19-25). We have a glorious future (John 14:1-4; Phil. 1:21). We experience a wonderful peace (John 14:27; 16:33). Our King reigns! And we live under His Lordship.

Let me leave you with these words from A. A. Hodge, a Presbyterian theologian. This was written in 1887.
“The allegiance we owe is not to a doctrine, but to a Person, the God-man, our mediatorial King. We are bound to obey the Bible in all our actions and relations as citizens as well as church-members, because it is the law He has promulgated as the rule of our action, and because He is our supreme Lord and Master. The foundation of His authority are the facts that He is absolutely perfect and worthy of absolute trust and obedience, and that He created us, continues to upholds us in being, supplies us with all that makes existence desirable, and that He redeemed us from the wrath of God by His blood. His authority does not depend upon our faith or profession. It binds the atheist and the infidel as much as the believer or the saint. No man can plead immunity because he is an unbeliever. Nor can we as believers be excused from the consistent ordering of our whole lives according to His revealed will because the majority of our fellow-citizens disagree with us. Let others do as they will; as for us and for our houses, we will serve the Lord.”

Remember this as you worship the risen Lord this Easter Sunday! But wait- isn’t every Sunday to be a celebration of His resurrection? Praise God! Christ is risen!
See ya!