He is Risen…Indeed!
Happy Easter! We made it!! It was a long and beautiful lenten season and I’m so grateful that you chose to observe it with me. Today, as you celebrate this Resurrection Sunday with family, friends and your church family, you may hear people say, “He is Risen!” The appropriate response is, “He is Risen indeed!” In case you are wondering where this ‘paschal greeting,’ also known as the Easter Acclamation originated, it comes from the Hebrew word, Pesach, which refers to the Jewish Passover. Those who live in Greece, will hear or say, “Christos anesti" (Christ is risen), and other Grecians will then respond "Alithos anesti" (truly, He has risen), this is known as the Paschal Greeting. These words are sometimes accompanied by the exchange of three kisses, alternating on each cheek.
In the Western culture of Christianity, when one person rejoices with, “He is Risen!” Others answer, “He is risen, Indeed.” Saying “He is risen!” allows us to share this extraordinary truth with each other. The resurrection of Jesus provides an outpouring of hope for our salvation and for our own resurrection and eternal life. This rejoicing of Jesus’ victory is also a victory for those whose lives now belong to Christ because all who believe in Him will have eternal life. His victory is now ours!
Read Luke 24:1-12
It is dawn on the first day of the week, and the third morning since Jesus died on the cross. Because of the rush to get His body buried before sundown and the beginning of Sabbath, there was not time to properly anoint His dead body. “The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” (23:55-56) However, as soon as the women were allowed to leave their homes, they gathered and hurriedly walked together to the tomb, perhaps wondering how they would get the stone moved that was covering the entrance to the tomb.
Remember reading back in Luke 7 of Simon, one of the Pharisees who, in his heart rejected the plan of God for redemption, but invited Jesus to eat with him at his home. Attempting to put Jesus in His place, he didn’t show any forms of honor or even hospitable decency to Jesus. He offered no water for Jesus to wash His feet, no kiss of greeting and welcome, no anointing Jesus’ head with oil, which was a common act of honor and hospitality at the time. Jesus and everyone else at the table noticed the slight, but Jesus did not mention it.
Pre-Anointed For Burial
But then a woman, a sinner, enters the courtyard where the group is eating, carrying a very expensive alabaster jar of perfume and approaches Jesus from behind, weeping. Without saying a word, this woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, humbly kissed His feet and anointed his feet with expensive perfume, perhaps her dowry. Jesus understood better than even the woman what great honor she was offering. Her extravagant gift of worship sparked a lesson about forgiveness at Simon’s table, but it also foreshadowed a second noble offering, which was fulfilled on Good Friday. Because He would die so close to the beginning of the Sabbath, there would be no time to prepare His body for burial, with spices and fragrant oils, at least by the women who loved Jesus, as they had to prepare their homes and the Shabbat meal for their families. Later, on the third morning, those same women would bring aromatic spices to the tomb where His body had been laid, in order to anoint it, but He would not be there. He was already risen! Therefore, this woman was preparing Jesus’ body for burial, on behalf of all the women who loved Him.
Imagine the women’s amazement that early morning, when they walked up on the tomb and took in the scene before them. The huge stone that would have covered the tomb was rolled away! They dared to peek inside and found it empty. Jesus’ body was gone! While they were processing what all this might mean - His body had been stolen or maybe they were at the wrong tomb? - two men appeared beside them in dazzling clothes! Of course, these men were angels and asked the women, “‘Why are you looking for the living among the dead?’ asked the men. ‘He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee,saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” (vv 5-7)
The women looked at the angels and one another knowingly, then ran back to where the apostles were gathered to tell them the amazing news of Jesus’ resurrection. The men thought the ladies must have been delirious from grief and seeing things, but something they said triggered a memory in Peter and he took off to the tomb and found it just as the women had told them. And just like that, so much of what Jesus had told him would happen began making sense!
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* As we conclude #LentenDaily2025, The Kingdom of God Drawn Near today, think on how this Easter Sunday means more to you?
* Can you describe how this lenten experience has grown your understanding and appreciation for all Jesus has done for you?
Pray, and thank Jesus for His passion for you, culminated in His sacrifice on your behalf on the cross. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross despising its shame.” (Heb. 12:2) Rising again wasn’t His joy. Providing the way for you to be adopted into the family of God, forgiven of all your sins and to live with Him in glory forever…that was His joy!
HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!
PS: If you are interested in continuing theses #LentenDaily The Kingdom of God Drawn Near devotions, I’m going to continue for a few more weeks, until early June, when Pentecost is celebrated. I thought it would be helpful to follow the last writings of Luke and then move on to Acts, also written by Luke. If you’re interested, look for those devotions to fall into your email inbox each Tuesday morning, starting this week.
Lastly, enjoy this version of Charles Wesley’s iconic Easter hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today:
NCC Worship - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today (He Is Not Dead) [Lyric Video]
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (He is Not Dead)
By NCC Worship (Original Hymn by Charles Wesley, 1789)
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing ye heavens and earth reply, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where O death is now thy sting, Alleluia!
Dying once He all doth save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory O grave, Alleluia!
-Chorus-
He is not dead
He is alive
We Have this hope
In Jesus Christ
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
-Chorus-
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
-Chorus-
Songwriters: Charles Wesley (1789) new chorus lyrics, Fred Bock
