Good morning and a most blessed Thursday to you. 

From the Gospel of Luke chapter 24…

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body.[a] 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women[b] were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men[c] said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! Alleluia! What good news those men in dazzling clothes had for the women, who expected to find their beloved Savior; their beloved rabbi’s body in the tomb. 

Last week during our Wednesday Night Alive ministry, we made a model of a tomb for the children to peer into, and experience that same excitement of seeing the empty tomb, and hearing that Jesus has risen.

He is risen indeed! Think about those women, peering into the tomb, and not finding Jesus, but were told that he is living, and not among the dead.  How exciting that must have been for them. The beauty, value and the purpose of God's word is that the news that was so exciting 2000 years ago is just as exciting today. Because Jesus is still not in the tomb. Jesus is still alive! That is the God we worship. We worship the Living God; the true God; the saving, loving and merciful God. 

Those men had more to tell the two women. They said… 

6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 

Jesus told them exactly what would happen. He told them he would go to the Cross. Jesus Christ went willingly to the Cross. By going to the cross and dying death under the law, Jesus was dying the death for you and for me, and for all the world. He knew that death would not have the final answer. That is what we celebrated this past Sunday, and that is what we celebrate every Sunday. The good news that Christ has risen is what we celebrate everyday. We are an Easter people. We are a people who live day in and day out in the freedom and the love of God. We live because Christ lives. He is no longer in the tomb. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! That was good news for the people 2000 years ago.  It is still good news for us today. It is good news for us to share with someone today.  

Let us pray. Lord, we are so thankful that you are a living God. You are almighty. You are sovereign. You knew exactly what you were doing when you went to the Cross, taking our sin upon yourself. We are so thankful that you have power over death. You conquered death, ensuring us new life and freedom in union with you.  Lord, we ask that this good news of your resurrection would be on our lips today and always, as we live as an Easter people. Thank you Lord for your goodness and mercy. Be with us today and always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christ is risen!  Go forth and share the good news. And I will look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. God bless!

Pastor Malinak