Lesson for the Lord’s Day
He is not here, but is risen; remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee. Luke 24:6
Campbell Morgan once said that the resurrection is the most stupendous, supernatural miracle that the world has ever known. It supercedes everything else – because if He is not risen from the dead then everything else collapses! Dr. Morgan does not exaggerate or overstate the case. Without the resurrection, you or I would have no basis on which to place our faith, no eternal purpose to our beings. In fact, without the resurrection, you would not be reading this message today. The resurrection is the anchor that holds all of our hopes for eternity. On this day in which Christendom marks the victory of the Lord Jesus over death and the grave, we note the all important value of this occasion, and note that it was of the resurrection that the Lord Jesus taught, and that the apostles proclaimed.
In our text, the angel reminds the disciples that Jesus had told them that He would rise from the dead. During His ministry, as He preached and performed miracles in Galilee, He had declared that He would be put to death, and that He would rise again and meet with them in Galilee (Matthew 26:32). Initially, the disciples had heard only that He was to be put to death, and they were saddened at that prospect. But Jesus had clearly told them that He would rise again. The disciples missed that point. If they had heard it and understood it, they would have gathered expectantly at the sepulchre to await His coming forth. Initially, they missed so much by not believing, although they were eventually overwhelmed with joy and praise when His resurrection became fully known. We will also miss much by failing to accept unreservedly the words of the Lord Jesus in His promises to us.
But we have more than just the promise of the Lord Jesus concerning His resurrection. We also have the proof as declared by His apostles. He appeared to them on several occasions, spending time with them and, in the case of the sceptical such as Thomas, displaying to them the reality of his bodily resurrection. They were convinced, and had every reason to be so. And because they were convinced, they threw themselves unreservedly into the proclamation of His resurrection. As they went forth with the Gospel from Jerusalem and into the uttermost parts of the world, they carried with them the joyful news that Christ Jesus arose from the dead. It is part and parcel of the Gospel message that you and I have received. We know that He died on the cross. We also know that He rose from the dead. By faith we receive the guarantee that God is satisfied with the sacrifice, a guarantee confirmed by the resurrection.
He is risen. He said He would rise again. The apostles confirmed to us that He did. Today, we believe it with joy. -Jim MacIntosh