He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

It’s Holy Week. That’s not something that Baptists emphasize as much as other Christians do, but we recognize it for what it is.

Some 2000 years ago, in the early part of this week Jesus cleansed the Temple, clearing out those who were cheating others for their own profit. He ate a final meal with His disciples and took them with Him to a garden to pray.

It was in that garden that He was arrested, and by Friday of that week He was hanging on a cross. It seems odd that we call Friday of this week, “Good,” and yet we understand that the death of Jesus was for our good. He died for our sins, and that is good.

But all Christians would agree with this sentiment. The most important event in all of human history took place early on the first day of the next week. Jesus had died on the cross, and His body was placed in a borrowed tomb. His body lay there all day Saturday and into the next morning.

But sometime early on Sunday morning, Jesus walked out of the grave alive! I’ve been asked more than once if I truly believe that. Let me assure you that I do. There is nothing more important than this one thing. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then you are still dead in your trespasses and sins.” He also said that we are guilty of lying about God, and that we are the most miserable of all men if the Lord is not alive.

A little boy once described faith as, “believing in something you know isn’t true.” He could not have been more wrong. Faith is believing that something is true even when you cannot see the whole picture. Still, it is trusting that God has been true, and that He can be trusted at all times.

This Sunday, in churches around the world it will be said. “Jesus is risen. He is alive.” And because this is true, we all have hope for the future. You can live forever, too, because Jesus is alive!