The Power of the Resurrection

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10

It’s Holy Week. The week we celebrate our Savior. The week we remember his sacrifice on the cross for our sins. The week we remember his mighty triumph over sin and death.

With Easter upon us, I’ve been contemplating the resurrection.

The resurrection is central to Christianity. It sets us apart from other religions. Most every religion has a central figure, but only in Christianity do we find the power to conquer death, the power to live again.

And that is where we, as Christians, find hope.

We have hope for eternal life with our Savior. We have hope that we will one day be reunited with our loved ones who have passed from this temporal life into eternity. We have hope that one day every tear will be wiped away, there will be no more sadness nor sorrow. We have hope that one day we will be in the presence of the One who loves us enough to die for us.

But what about hope here on this earth? While I long for heaven and to be with my Savior… I long to embrace my grandparents who are in heaven waiting… I long for that place of eternal peace and love… But I don’t believe that my work on earth is finished. Does the resurrection offer hope to us while still here on this earth?

The dictionary definition of resurrect is to restore a dead person to life. Jesus himself declared, ”I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Jesus is the resurrection. Jesus is the life.

Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-power-of-the-resurrection.html