Bloghardt's Reflector

Alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead! He is risen indeed! Amen.

In the name of Jesus. Amen. The angel's announcement to uncertain, astonished, and fearful disciples rings forth the shock wave of the significance of what has happened:

“Don’t be afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”(St. Mark 16:6)

Jesus has done it. He's risen from the dead. He has conquered death. He has conquered sin. He is victorious. Alleluia! He has risen! He has risen indeed. He's done it!

And the reaction on that first Easter morning? Is it a hearty “Alleluia, Christ is risen from the dead?” He is risen indeed?

Not quite.... “They went out quickly and fled from the tomb for they were troubled and amazed and they didn't say anything to anyone because they were afraid.” (St. Mark 16:8)

Fear. Astonishment. Unbelief. They were astonished and afraid. They didn't believe. It was like nothing had changed. They ran away.

It just didn't make sense. People don't rise from the dead. Dead people stay dead. It's too much. That's what the women at the tomb thought.

That's what the world says today – as we are bombarded with “expert” after “expert” and best-selling author after best selling author who are on the television telling us how Jesus didn't really die or He certainly didn't really rise again.

If that isn't troubling enough, there is our lives. Your life – each day you live. Does the resurrection of Christ impact your life at all? Would you do the horrific things that you do – the sins of thought, word, and deed - if you remembered that Jesus actually did die and rise again for you?

We are so twisted that it's horrifying to look at ourselves. We despise our parents. We lust and obsess after things not given to us – whether people, money, or stuff. We have our secret sins that no one knows about. We steal – oh do we love to cheat. We covet. We gossip – even under the guise of Christian concern. We cover it all up with the evil idea that if we can get away with it, it must not be a sin.

How many days does it not cross our minds that He rose for us? Do whole days go by? Do hours? Do we pray? Our lives deny Him every day –just as crassly as Peter denied Him on the night Jesus was betrayed.

And so we live every day trembling and afraid... as if Jesus didn't rise from the dead.

Some shock wave, eh? If you look at our lives, the Resurrection of Jesus sounds more like a whimper....

Now it's only a whimper if it depends on you! If the certainty of the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth rests on you and how you feel, what you do, and what you think – then it is only as certain as you. Talk about fearful and troubling!

But.... if the certainty of your salvation is outside you, if it rests outside, if it's true and certain whether you feel it, know it, or believe it... then that's truly is a shock wave.

Outside of you is the shock wave that changes everything: Christ really did die on Good Friday for you. He really did suffer the bitter and horrific death that your sins have earned for you. But, He did not stay dead. Oh no. He actually did rise again on the third day.

And like a giant wave that washes everything away, so the resurrection of Christ overwhelms everything in its wake. It washes away all the false theology of the world. It announces the end of your sins, your death, and the power of the devil.

He has risen. The Devil got a whopping that he will never ever recover from. He's toast and He knows it.

The angels' words point us to Satan's defeat: Jesus of Nazareth and Crucified go together – once and for all time. That someone raises from the dead might be good for the person who rose, but it doesn't do us any good. And sooner or later, they might die again. That doesn't do anyone any good.

But, Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of the One who died on Good Friday for us and for our salvation - Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Crucified One.

Jesus suffered many things from the chief priests and teachers of the Law, was crucified, dead and buried. The devil thought He had won. Now, on the third day, the angel announces that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! He has risen indeed.

Shock wave! Sorry, devil, the Lamb of God slain for sinner is alive! Sorry, false teachers and best selling authors of the world, but Jesus has risen indeed.

Death has been completely demolished and destroyed from the inside out. You know the little stinger on a wasp or bee? That when you get stung, you pull it out and it hurts?

Death doesn't even have one of those stingers anymore! Death's sting is gone. You see, the sting of death is sin. Jesus has taken the sting of death – all your sins, all my sins, all the sins of the whole world - upon Himself on the Cross.

Death stung Jesus with all that it had. He died and was buried for three days. This morning, the news of His resurrection breaks into our world. Death has been swallowed up in victory – in the victory of the Risen Christ.

The strength of sin, which is the sting of death, is the Law. Jesus has fulfilled the Law in our place. Then, He took the Law's best shot – the shot that was aimed at you for all the times you failed the Law. He took it – even though it killed Him.

But Death couldn't hold the Son of God. He rose again and He will never die again. In the Son of God, death won't and cannot hold you. Just as He has raised from the dead, all who are baptized into Christ will rise.

All of it hinges on the historical, rock-solid fact that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified on Good Friday, has risen from the dead. It's that simple. It's as sure as the Word of God put into your ears this morning:

“See the place where they laid Him...but go, tell His disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you Galilee, there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

That's love and the greatest shock wave of Easter. No one is left out of the Easter joy. Go tell His disciples. Go tell Peter too.

Two little words restored St. Peter, the three times deny-er of Christ. Today, the Words of the Risen Christ bring you forgiveness and peace too:

All of your unbelief, despair, and despising – every terrible thing you have ever done – has been forgiven by the Crucified and now Risen Lord Jesus.

Christ died for you. Christ has risen from the dead for you. It's really that simple. And since He has risen, death cannot hold you. In Christ, you shall rise. That means - everything has changed!

Heaven is yours. Jesus' Father is your Father. His God is your God.

And when you die, when your little heart stops beating, you won't die, you'll just sleep. Then, at the sound of the trumpet, when the Lord returns – you shall rise again from the dead just as Jesus, who was crucified, rose.

In a flash, in the twinkle of an eye, we shall be changed from corruptible to incorruptible – from mortal to immortal. It's already happened – you have changed from incorruptible to incorruptible and from mortal to immortal. When the trumpet will sound, you see it with your own eyes. The dead shall rise first and we will meet them in the air.

Then, We will see our Redeemer with our own eyes at the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which shall have no end. Today, the Lord feeds us a foretaste of that Feast in His Body and Blood given for us to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins.

No more trembling. No more fear. Christ really and truly has risen from the dead for you.

Shockwave? You betcha! Beginning first in Jerusalem and going all the way to Conroe, TX. Happy news! Jesus Christ is Risen from the dead! He is risen indeed FOR YOU. Alleluia. In the name of Jesus. Amen.