June 7
His Resurrection from the Dead
Daily BreadI am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die! John 11, 25. 26.
On that great Easter Sunday the angels said to the women who had come to anoint Christ's body: "Why seek ye the Living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen." The disciples, on hearing of the angel's message, would not believe it. In order to assure them of the fact, Christ showed Himself to them at different times and in various places, ate and drank and conversed at length with them; and all this He did for the space of forty days, appearing not only to one at a time, but also to two, to seven, to ten, to eleven, and once even to five hundred brethren. The disciples were to be witnesses to the world of His glorious resurrection.
Still, our faith in Christ's resurrection does not rest on the testimony of men, however trustworthy they and their testimony may be, but on the testimony of God in the Holy Scriptures. And, oh, the great comfort we derive from the divine assurance that Christ is risen!
Why is the resurrection of Christ so comforting? First, because it conclusively proves that Christ is the Son of God and that His doctrine is the truth. Christ Himself pointed to His resurrection as the greatest proof of His divinity. He spoke the truth when He said: "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." None but God could do this; Christ arose of His own power; He therefore is God. Further, Christ had fore-
told both His death and His resurrection. Both prophecies came true. Christ therefore is a true prophet; His doctrine is the truth. Finally, the resurrection of Jesus Christ does not only prove that Christ is the Son of God and that His doctrine is the truth, but also that God the Father has accepted the sacrifice of His Son for the reconciliation of the world and that all believers shall arise to eternal life. Christ was raised again for our justification. His suffering and death has been received by God the Father as payment in full, and if we believe in Him, His propitiatory sacrifice is imputed to us. We, too, shall live, live in eternity.
Prayer.
O Thou dear risen Savior, open Thou our eyes that we may see what Thy empty sepulcher means to us. Explain Thou to us the Scriptures that our hearts within us may burn. And then open Thou our mouths that we may proclaim the good tidings to every one that in Thee we have gained the victory and that through Thee forgiveness, peace, and heaven with all its ineffable bliss is ours. Thou hast given us the blessed promise: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give unto them eternal life." This means fulness of joy and pleasures forevermore. Grant that this blessedness be ours! Amen.
Hallelujah, see the tomb, Ye who o'er His death are pining; Dry your tears, to joy give room While the radiant Sun is shining. Hear the angels' "Gloria"; Jesus lives! Halleluja!