He Is Risen! He Is Risen, Indeed!

From Trumpet & Torch Ministries

Last in a series [See — Cupbearer In The Service Of The King]

“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And go quickly and tell His disciples

that He is risen from the dead.”

~ Matthew 28:6, 7a

He is Risen! He is risen, indeed!

The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock!

Let the God of my salvation be exalted.”

(Psalm 18:46)

A glorious new day dawned that Sunday morning two thousand years ago – a day unlike any other in history. The women went to the tomb early after the Sabbath, intending to anoint the Lord’s body with the spices they had prepared, only to find something vastly different from what they had been seeking. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5b). The women came to the grave expecting to find the body of their Lord but found something infinitely better. The angels’ first words cast a dark shadow over their burdened and grief-stricken hearts: “He is not here.” However, his next words lifted the heavy cloak of despair: “He is risen!” The Sun of Righteousness had risen with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2a), and their sorrowful hearts were filled with a spirit of praise. “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation” (Psalm 118:19-21).

Their lives had been thoroughly shaken when Jesus was taken from them just days before. That morning, the sight of the Lord’s body was all that they were hoping for. Sadly, when our hearts are sorrowful, we are willing to settle for lesser things. But the Lord has purposed to give us immeasurably more than what is taken from us. “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21b). On that glorious Resurrection morning, the ground had been shaken, and the stone rolled away so that the way would be open to see the great things the Lord had done. “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it” (Matthew 28:2). God removes the obstacles that block our view of Him and hinders our receiving the riches of His grace. Whenever the Lord takes something away, He teaches us to depend more fully upon Him. When He empties us of ourselves, He purposes to make room for more of Himself. “Indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8a).

On this wondrous day, let us lift our glad voices in praise to our glorious, heavenly Father who has given us all things in the blessed gift of His Son Jesus Christ, that we may receive His forgiveness and have eternal life with Him (John 3:16, 17). “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). May the marvelous message of Resurrection morning fall afresh on our hearts as we pray for the multitudes of blind souls all over the world to have their eyes opened today to see the stone that has been rolled away and the empty tomb where our Savior laid, that they may put their trust in Jesus Christ and join the heavenly chorus and the angelic hosts in an anthem of unceasing praise! “Let the people praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You” (Psalm 67:3).

LIFT YOUR GLAD VOICES

Henry Ware (1794-1843)

Lift your glad voices in triumph on high,

for Jesus has risen, and man cannot die.

Vain were the terrors that gathered around Him,

and short the dominion of death and the grave;

He burst from the fetters of darkness that bound Him,

resplendent in glory, to live and to save.

Loud was the chorus of angels on high –

“The Savior hath risen, and man shall not die.”

Glory to God, in full anthems of joy;

the being He gave us, death cannot destroy.

Sad were the life we must part with tomorrow,

if tears were our birthright, and death were our end;

but Jesus hath cheered the dark valley of sorrow,

and bade us, immortal, to heaven ascend.

Lift, then, your voices in triumph on high

for Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die.

THE CUP THAT GLORIFIES – “I will take you as My people and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7a)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:6-13 (Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8)

The women arrived at the tomb early that morning carrying spices to anoint the Lord, but the preparations had already been made the week before through a precious act of worship poured out of an adoring heart. “Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany…Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (John 12:1a, 3). Some of the disciples were busy and distracted, occupied with various aspects of the Lord’s ministry and the role they would play, while others were looking for recognition and vying for position and power. Many followers wanted Jesus to become their king, while the growing crowds pressed in, waiting for a miracle or a morsel of bread, and longing for a healing touch. But there was one who sat lovingly at the Teacher’s feet, listening intently, drinking in His every word. Mary’s daily desire for the Lord’s presence enabled her to discern what the others had missed. His words were life to her; they nourished and satisfied her soul. “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16a). Even when He wasn’t speaking, she caught the unspoken message of the life He lived. She heard Him speak of His soon departure, and the horrifying words of death and dying. She waited for an opportunity to express her deep devotion and honor Him with her love.

“My heart leaped up when He spoke.

I sought Him, but I could not find Him;

I called Him, but He gave me no answer…

If you find my Beloved…tell Him I am lovesick!”

(Song of Solomon 5:4-6, 8b)

The others criticized Mary’s adoring act of worship as a waste of time and money. “But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor” (Matthew 26:9). While they condemned her, Jesus commended her. “But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:6-9). Mary poured out of her grateful heart all that she had upon her Master. She spared no expense to show the magnitude of her love. She gave Him the royal anointing worthy of the King of kings. She had taken what was entrusted to her and thought only of the best way to give it all back to the One who had given His all to her. Today, as we bask in the beauty and majesty of the love that has been poured out upon us, may our hearts be filled with a fervent desire to give back to our Well-beloved the very best that we have been entrusted with. Let us hold nothing back from the One who has given all to us. The One who wore the crown of thorns now wears the crown of glory. Let us live in a manner that brings glory and honor to our royal Head. He is worthy! “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13b).

“I have been crucified with Christ;

it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God;

who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

(Galatians 2:20)

“I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Do you believe this?”

(John 11:25, 26)

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!

Who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has been His counselor?

Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

To Him be glory forever! Amen.”

(Romans 11:33-36)

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely;

and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:23)