Mark 16:6 (ESV)

“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.’”

In the very early days of Christianity in Rome, a person of the faith would drop their usual salutations on Easter and greet one another with a hearty “He is risen” to which the other person would reply “He has Risen Indeed.” It was a joyful time for Christians throughout all Christendom. Today, Easter Sunday is the highlight of the Christian year. Our churches fill to overflowing capacity full of happy people and pastel colors.

This prompts a question: where do they go on all the other Sundays of the year? We have many professing Christians who attend church only on Christmas day and Easter. You might say we have people whose church experience consists of the days of Poinsettias and Easter Lilies. The question is, are these people given the opportunity to hear and experience the totality of what our Lord did for us on that day?

To realize and celebrate what Easter really means one must go to the Holy Scriptures and read of our Lord and Savior’s teachings, miracles, and ministry which culminated with an excruciating torture, a very dark day, a loud cry from the cross, a torn curtain and a burial. And then the crowning miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ happened. It became the most important day in the lives of mankind. For in that day, Jesus became victorious over death, rose from the dead and left an empty tomb. On that day, our Lord imparted to everyone who believes in Him the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

As we celebrate Easter, remind yourself and others to hold onto the message that God’s intense love for us is so great that He gave His only Son to go to the cross and bear all our sins past, present and future. Jesus’s resurrection made available to every person access to God. The words “He is risen!” remind us of the joyous news we celebrate. Jesus’ death was not in vain and He has the power to overcome death. Saying “He is risen!” allows us to share this incredible truth with each other. The resurrection of Christ gives us hope for salvation and for our own resurrection and eternal life. Yes friends, He is risen! He is risen indeed!

This week, pray about how you want to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you believe in that life-changing miracle, share it with others, so they may also experience the same joy.