He is Risen!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Matthew 28:6

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On the first Easter morning the women came to the grave looking for a dead man, and the angel is only too happy to tell them that Jesus isn’t in the grave anymore. He is risen! Jesus had predicted it, and Jesus always keeps His word.

‌‌It occurs to me though that many Christians still look for Jesus in the grave. He’s not there anymore. Jesus isn’t on the cross and He isn’t in the grave. He’s on the throne, at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

But that is much less comfortable for us. You see, everyone likes a dead Savior. Everyone likes a man who loved you enough to die for your sins so you could be forgiven. That makes us feel all warm and cuddly. That doesn’t pose a threat to us or our lifestyles in any way. You know why? Because a dead Savior makes no demands of us…none that He can enforce anyway. He loves us. He dies for us. He forgives us. But He can’t command us....not if we leave Him in the tomb of our minds.

We are much more comfortable with Jesus on the cross or Jesus in the tomb than we are with Jesus on the throne. But the message of Easter is undeniable. He is risen! Jesus is alive and He has been appointed “the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4)

The Apostle Peter put it this way in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. He said, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:36)

Jesus is both our Savior (the one who forgives our sins) and our Lord (the one who commands our obedience). And He can’t be your Savior without being your Lord, because He is risen. He is alive, and He has plans for your life. Submit right now not to love a dead Savior, but to obey a risen Lord!