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JOHN 20:11-18  …but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.  As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”  “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”  At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  “Woman,” he said, “Why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary.”  She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means teacher).  Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.'”  Mary of Magdala went to the disciples with the news:  “I have seen the Lord!”  And she told them that he had said these things to her.

We spent the Lenten season remembering that Jesus suffered and died for us, knowing all along that we would celebrate His Resurrection on Easter. We sometimes forget that Peter and John and Thomas and Mary Magdalene and the others did not have that constant reminder of the joy of Easter during Christ’s Passion.  When they went to that tomb on Easter morning, they were still mourning His death on the cross on Friday.  They did not expect to find Him alive–He had died–they had watched Him die–they had seen it with their own eyes. The women, knowing He was dead, were on their way to the tomb to make the final ritual preparations of the body for burial. Jesus was not alive.  They knew that with their minds, but they probably had not had enough time to fully comprehend it.

When someone close to you dies, you hurt, and you do not always think clearly. Jesus had told them that He would die and rise again, but His followers were not thinking about that now. All they felt was profound grief at His loss. He was dead! Their Master was in the tomb.

It is interesting that the enemies of Jesus took His claims seriously. They wanted the tomb sealed off so that no one would say that He rose from the dead, as He claimed He would. But Jesus made His enemies look foolish and ridiculous. There was no way they could keep Him in that grave. He burst forth from the tomb as the Lord of Life, the one who conquered death forever.

That Christ is Alive is your guarantee that He has made payment for your sins. It shows that God accepted His payment for sins as complete. It proves that He is the Son of God, and that all His teachings are true. And the Resurrection from death to life of Jesus means that you will also rise. Because He lives, you will live also! Can you imagine the joy that filled Mary’s heart when she realized that it was Jesus standing there talking to her?  You can almost hear it in her words–I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!

This is the confidence of those who have put their faith in Jesus as their Savior: “I have seen the Lord!” May we all continue to bask in the joy of Easter in the days ahead.

HE IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED. ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS ALIVE.

That is the message you expect to hear on Easter. That is the message I want to share with you today. But this means nothing to you if you don’t also know that Jesus was buried. To say that “Jesus is alive” provokes little reaction unless you realize that He was dead. To preach and proclaim the Easter message to people who have not heard what preceded the Resurrection is like telling the punch line of a joke without the previous set-up. A lot of people who go to church on Easter are like a theater-goer who arrives for the last five minutes of a movie, and then complains that the story doesn’t make sense. They don’t know and appreciate the whole story, so of course it doesn’t make sense. It is only by fully realizing the fact that Jesus was truly dead that we will ever experience the full joy of the statement CHRIST IS RISEN.

If you are going to be able to rejoice in the knowledge that CHRIST IS ALIVE, not only do you need to know that He was dead–You also need to understand why Jesus died.  The reason Jesus died has been proclaimed over and over again, but it will never be declared too often. 

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18). 

Through His perfect obedience to the will of His heavenly Father, through His suffering at the hands of the ones He came to save, through His agony and death on the cross, He made complete payment for the sins of every single person–once for all. The Biblical record sums up our situation very clearly: All people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death.  What could you do to make it up to God? Nothing! What has Jesus done to make it up to God for you? Everything! He did that by dying. His death paid your penalty. Jesus was dead. He was not alive. And then this happened.

Matthew 28:5–7 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 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.”

That is why we celebrate this day. Christ is Alive. Risen from the dead, assuring all who believe in Him of forgiveness and life everlasting with the Risen One.

Happy Easter!

On this full day that our Lord spent in the tomb, I share two different hymns that speak to my heart powerfully. One has been around for centuries, the other is fairly new. May they be a blessing to you as we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord tomorrow.

O sacred Head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, Thine only crown.
O sacred head, what glory What bliss till now was thine.
Yet, though Despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine!

What language shall I borrow To thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever! And should I fainting be,
Lord, let not me never, never, Outlive my love for Thee.

Be Thou my consolation, My shield, when I must die.
Remind me of Thy Passion, When my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfold Thee, Who dieth thus dies well.

The Lutheran Hymnal # 172, Stanzas 1, 8, 10

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The Lamb, the Lamb, O Father, where’s the sacrifice?
Faith sees, believes God will provide the Lamb of price!

Refrain:
Worthy is the Lamb whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne

The Lamb, the Lamb, One perfect final offering.
The Lamb, the Lamb, Let earth join heav’n His praise to sing.

The Lamb, the Lamb, As wayward sheep their shepherd kill
So still, His will On our behalf the Law to fill.

He sighs, he dies, He takes my sin and wretchedness.
He lives, forgives, He gives me His own righteousness.

He rose, He rose, My heart with thanks now overflows.
His song prolong Til ev’ry heart to Him belong.

Lutheran Service Book #547 

If we had been with Jesus through the betrayal, arrest, trials, beatings, crucifixion and death, it would have been devastating. How could things change so quickly? Instead of the conquering King we lauded on Sunday we now have just another promising leader who was put to death.

You and I were not there. We have the advantage of hindsight. We know His horrible death paid for our sin and the sins of everyone else. We also know that Sunday is coming.

Good Friday is a reminder of the overwhelming price our sin demanded, and that Jesus went through all that cruel punishment for our sake. That should produce a profound sense of gratitude. And we anticipate the joyful celebration of His victory on Sunday, along with our entry into His presence one day because of His gracious love and mercy.

Go to dark Gethsemane, ye that feel the Tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away, Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment hall, View the Lord of life arraigned;
Oh, the wormwood and the gall!  Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss; Learn of Him to bear the cross

Calvary’s mournful mountain climb;  There adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear Him cry;  Learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom,–Who hath taken Him away?
Christ is risen, He meets our eyes!  Savior, teach us so to rise

The Lutheran Hymnal #159

On this day of Holy Week Jesus was celebrating and remembering the Passover, God’s deliverance of His people from their bondage in Egypt. At the memorial meal, Jesus instituted a new meal, a way for us to remember and share in the payment He made for the sins of everyone. We receive His body and blood with the bread and wine to assure us that His death for sin was our death for sin.

Although it may sound strange to “celebrate” a death, knowing what the death of Jesus did for us is truly worth celebrating.

The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
We celebrate with one accord;
It is our comfort in distress,
Our heart’s sweet joy and happiness.

He blotted out with His own blood
The judgment that against us stood;
He full atonement for us made,
And all our debt He fully paid.

That this is now and ever true
He gives an earnest ever new:
In this His holy Supper here
We taste His love so sweet, so near.

His Word proclaims, and we believe,
That in this Supper we receive
His very body, as He said,
His very blood for sinners shed.

A precious food is this indeed,
It never fails us in our need,
A heavenly manna for our soul
Until we safely reach our goal.

Oh, blest is each believing guest
Who in this promise finds his rest;
For Jesus will in love abide
With those who do in Him confide.

The guest that comes with true intent
To turn to God and to repent,
To live for Christ, to die to sin,
Will thus a holy life begin.

They who His Word do not believe\
This food unworthily receive,
Salvation here will never find,
May we this warning keep in mind!

Help us sincerely to believe
That we may worthily receive
Thy Supper and in Thee find rest.
Amen, he who believes is blest.

 The Lutheran Hymnal #163

Mark 14:1–11 Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.”  While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

After being welcomed to Jerusalem as a conquering hero, cleansing the Temple, and spending time teaching the people with parables, the Jewish leaders had it with Jesus. They wanted Him dead and gone.

On Wednesday, Jesus was in the home of Simon in Bethany. While at the supper table with His followers, one of the women named Mary anointed Jesus with very expensive perfume. The disciples thought it an unwise use of resources. Judas wanted the money for himself. It was on this day that Judas made arrangements to hand Jesus over to the Sanhedrin in exchange for money. He would carry out his plot the next day.

Do you see the irony that it was a sin that handed Jesus over to the Jewish leaders to be crucified so that He could pay for the sins of everyone? Jesus’ death paid for the sin of Judas’ betrayal as well!  He could have been forgiven for Jesus’ sake, just as everyone else in the world has the opportunity to be forgiven, no matter what their sin might be.

You and I need to rejoice in that good news today.

Alas, and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head,
For such a worm as I.

Was it for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut His glories in;
When Christ the mighty Maker died
For man, the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness
And melt mine eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
‘Tis all that I can do.

The Lutheran Hymnal #154

Mark 11:1–19 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city.

On Palm Sunday, after being welcomed with palm branches and cries of “Hosanna,” Jesus returned to Bethany that evening. The next day, Holy Monday, He returned to Jerusalem without all the fanfare. It was on this day that He cleansed the Temple.

Matthew’s account (Chapter 21) could be understood to say that Jesus cleansed the Temple on Palm Sunday, but the language is not precise, and simply indicates that Jesus cleansed it after coming to Jerusalem. Mark’s account is very specific in stating it happened on Monday.  Either way, He did it. It was part of pointing out how far many of God’s people had wandered from Him, calling people to repentance, and carrying out His mission of fulfilling all righteousness for us.

The Jewish leaders and officials resolved to get rid of Him, which was also part of God’s plan to redeem the world through His promised Messiah. He came to be the sacrifice for sin, and would be the replacement for the Passover Lamb just a few days later, the embodiment of th prophetic words of John the Baptizer:  ^“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! “ (John 1:29)

Glory be to Jesus, Who in bitter pains
Poured for me the life-blood From His sacred veins!

Grace and life eternal In that blood I find
Blest be His compassion Infinitely kind!

 Blest through endless ages Be the precious stream
Which from endless torments Did the world redeem!

Abel’s blood for vengance Pleaded to the skies
But the blood of Jesus For our pardon cries

 Oft as earth exulting Wafts its praise on high,
Angel hosts rejoicing Make their glad reply.

 Lift we then our voices, Swell the mighty flood,
Louder still and louder Praise the precious blood.

Today we begin what has come to be known as Holy Week. About a quarter of the information we have about the life of Jesus here on earth has to do with the events of this week: His entry into Jerusalem, many of His parables, celebrating Passover with His disciples, the betrayal, the arrest, the trials, the beatings, the crucifixion and burial. All of this was part of the plan, the way He would pay for the sins of the world. We can remember all of this with a profound sense of awe and gratitude, and also with the joyful confidence that comes from knowing what happened on the third day. Jesus rose to conquer death not just for Himself, but for everyone who trusts in Him.

My devotional thoughts this week, just like the Sundays during Lent, will be guided by some of the great hymns of this season. I hope they will help you prepare to remember and rejoice as well.

Hosanna, loud hosanna, The little children sang;
Thro’ pillared court and Temple The lovely anthem rang.
To Jesus, Who had blessed them, Close folded to His breast,
The children sang their praises, The simplest and the best.

 From Olivet they followed Mid an exultant crowd,
The victor palm branch waving And chanting clear and loud.
The Lord of men and angels Rode on in lowly state
Nor scorned that little children Should on His bidding wait.

 “Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer, The Lord of heav’n our King.
Oh, may we ever praise Him With heart and life and voice
And in His blissful presence Eternally rejoice!

If you have ever moved, you know it can be a stressful time. One of my daughters and her family are in the process of relocating to Texas. They have a nine-year old son and a three-year-old daughter. They sold or gave away a lot of their belongings in order to downsize the amount of things they would have to move. They reserved a U-Haul that would accommodate the things they were going to take with them.

They made all the preparations, but when they went to get the truck, it was not the size they had wanted. There was a mix-up and all they had available were smaller trucks. It took a couple of hours to find a combination of truck and trailer that would be large enough. When they finally headed back to the house to start loading, the emergency brakes on the trailer locked up and the tires started smoking. Our son-in-law was sitting on the side of the road with a empty moving truck, a disabled trailer, and our daughter was right behind him in her car with the two kids. You might be able to imagine the frustration level was very high at this point.

My wife and I had received multiple phone calls as this situation developed. When things reached their worst, our daughter was crying as she called us. I reminded her that Jesus was in control. Because she was on speaker, our grandson heard what I said. He chimed in, “That’s right mom! If Jesus could rise from the dead, He can certainly take care of this!”

To say I was a proud and happy grandpa at that point would be a gross understatement. That young man continues to amaze me. He is by no means an angel or perfect child, but his faith is strong and genuine and sincere. And he is not shy about bringing it up.

He knows, as I hope you do, too, that Jesus is His Savior. He believes that Jesus lived for him, died to pay for all his sins, and rose to give him victory over sin and death and the grave. He lives with that confidence.

How much would your life improve if you would face each day and each situation with this confidence: “If Jesus could rise from the dead, He can certainly take care of this!”

Lord, give us such a faith as this.