What a world of meaning is contained in the short sentence – “He is risen.” He has risen and has conquered death, hell, and the grave. Through His resurrection, we are “more than conquerors.” It is not to the grave that we go to find the Christ, but we seek the risen Christ who is at the right hand of God and through whom we have victory over all the powers of Satan.
Let us be glad and rejoice in this risen Christ. If only we would look at the risen Christ at all times, how easy it would be for us to conquer all the enemy’s power and with what victory we should triumph in every trial! The risen Christ means victory for us in every combat with the enemy, and the Holy Spirit within us is the seal of the power He gives us. Through the risen Christ, sufficient grace is pledged to us. Not only so, but through Him, no good thing is withheld from us. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). If God did not spare His own Son but gave Him to us, then surely He will not withhold from us the lesser things. Nothing else in all heaven or earth was so precious to God as His Son, and if He loved us so much as to give the very best and greatest gift, then He will not withhold the smaller blessings.
Let us look at our great and blessed privileges, then launch out and avail ourselves of all that God has provided for us. The blessings and privileges are ours if we only make proper use of them. Jesus Himself, by offering Himself on the cross, purchased them for us, and it pleases Him when we partake of and appreciate them. God gave Jesus; Jesus gave Himself. These were a WILLING sacrifice because God and His Son loved poor, lost humanity. Shall we, after such a dearly bought gift, not avail ourselves of the great benefits that are to be enjoyed by gladly appropriating it to ourselves? His great love to us should call out our love to Him and an appreciation for Him.
Many people today see only the dead Christ. They see no victory, no healing, no comfort, no peace, no present help in time of need, no burden-healer. The comfort He so desires to give is sought for in worldly things that fail to satisfy. Thus, the dear Lord is grieved because He so desires to help and yet is not sought for nor desired. How sad! All of these dearly bought blessings so precious and near at hand, yet not sought for or noticed!
If people would only seek more earnestly for the risen Christ, there would be the same angel to announce to them the glad tidings, and in like manner he would declare: “He is not here” – in the grave, a dead Christ – “He is risen!” The angel continued, “And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him” (Matthew 28:6-7). The angel was anxious for the followers of Jesus to know that Jesus had risen and had conquered the last enemy, not only for Himself but for them, and that He was now ready to impart all-conquering power to them. No wonder they went in haste to tell the glad news!
Ever since that great and glad event, the Lord is commissioning His ministers to go and tell the glad tidings of great joy that Jesus has risen and that through this risen Christ, we can triumph in this life. Praise God! Let us continue to tell the glad tidings of a triumphant Christ.
Today, the same risen Christ lives and reigns in all hearts who will receive Him, and He gives them the same power that He obtained through His death and triumphant resurrection. Let us believe this; let us live in it daily; let us tell others of the power and victory we can have by accepting the risen Christ. Jesus wants us to enjoy all that He has so dearly and so freely purchased for us.
Like the angel was for the women, we can be one of His messengers, to tell the glad tidings and to show the blessings – the comfort, the peace, the healing – to be obtained through this precious risen Christ. Let us hasten, for the time is short, and souls everywhere are in distress and affliction. Let this be the primary object of our lives; then God will be glorified both in us and in those to whom the message is sent. Praise God, “HE IS RISEN!”
Jenny M. Byers
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