"YOU WON'T FIND HIM HERE!"

Good Friday has just passed with our recognition of that day Jesus Christ fullfilled His mission on earth! Yes, He died and paid in full the penalty that was due us because of our sin, disobedience and rebellion against God! He died the death we all deserve. Why is it called "Good Friday"? Isn't it so very SAD because of the horrible sufferings and death Jesus endured in our behalf? That terrible Friday is called "Good" because it celebrates Jesus' ultimate and final sacrifice for ALL humanity's sin. Nothing else is needed! "Good" Friday is as Tony Campolo used to say, "It's Friday, but Sunday is coming!" It is "Good" Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations, the most Holy Day of all days! In Old English usage, the word "good" can also mean "HOLY". So, we have "HOLY FRIDAY."

I have decided to refuse the term "Easter" to refer to this sacred day. It is rather Resurrection Day! I do not use the phrase "Easter Week" because it is Holy Week! I do not want to refer to these sacred days as "holidays" for they are indeed HOLY DAYS! Let me explain why.

Though the word "Easter" is tradionally used and is common place for referring to these sacred days, many do not realize the meaning and significance of the term "Easter." Easter was originally the pagan celebration of Ishtar, the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, and sex. Her symbols were and still are fertility and sex symbols. After Constantine decided to Christianize the Roman Empire, the celebration of Easter was changed to represent Jesus and His Resurrection. So the word "Easter" is of pagan origin! What does it have to do with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus? Absolutely nothing! Resurrection Day is far more than colored eggs and bunny rabbits! Let's concentrate on teaching our children about the real meaning and significance of Resurrection Day!

So, on this Resurrection Day, let's remember the words of the angels who said to those who visited the grave of Jesus early in the morning of the first day (Sunday) of the week following the crucifixion of the Lord, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? HE IS NOT HERE, but has risen." (Luke 24:5-6) Since these women got up very early to go to Jesus' tomb, should we not be committed to celebrate His Life?

During this past Holy Week, I hope sounds of joy, voices of praise, songs of worship and reverence, moments of quiet solemnity, expressions of love, prayers for forgiveness, and even joyful laughter within our inner spirit have penetrated our hearts and lives. It has been a time for strong and awesome reverence for the ONE who was dead and is alive forevermore! (Revelation 1:18)

I once wandered through a graveyard that obviously had been there for many decades. I observed with some interest the tombstones and monuments erected to the memories of loved ones who had passed away. One heading seemed to be prominent on most. It was "Here Lies" followed by the name, date of birth, date of death, and some words depicting the qualities of the deceased.

But how utterly different is the epitaph on the tomb where Jesus was buried! It was not inscribed in gold nor cut in the stone. Rather, it was spoken through the mouths of two angels, and it is exactly the

opposite of "Here Lies". The glorious declaration of these angels was "HE IS NOT HERE"! Let's then ponder the truth of His miraculous Resurrection as recorded in Luke, Chapter 24, verses 1-9.

This amazing announcement of the angels, "He Is Not Here" means He was not in grave clothes and He was not in the grave! "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices (for the anointing of His dead body) they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus," (Luke 24:1-3) The Gospel of John adds, "And stooping to look in (Peter and John) they saw the linen cloths (grave clothes) lying there . . .and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself." (John 20:5-7) Let me make two important observations here!

1) The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out, but to let people in, so they could look in and discover that Jesus was not there, but was risen from the dead and escaped from the grave.

2) When John saw the empty tomb, the linen cloths lying there and the facial cloth folded up and put in a place by itself in the tomb, "he saw and believed." (John 20:8) What will it take for you to believe that Jesus died and was resurrected? What do you require for you to receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? Be careful, for the Scripture says, "Now is the day of salvation!"

Because of His Resurrection, the Scripture teaches us that Jesus was no longer in the clutches of death! The angels at the empty tomb asked the visiting women, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Instead of being dead, He was Alive! He was not, therefore, chained by the shackles of sin and satan. "And He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised." (II Corinthians 5:15) "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin. . .But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," (II Corinthians 15:56-57) Our spiritual victory is ONLY in the Resurrected Christ who conquered sin, satan and the grave! The ultimate strength of satan is found in humanity's physical and spiritual death (eternal confinement in hell), but both were conquered by Jesus through His death and resurrection!

The Resurrected Christ is not confined by the tombstones of man. "They found the stone rolled away" and the tomb was EMPTY! (Luke 24:2) We, therefore, do not "seek the living among the dead!" We do remember the eternal words and teaching of Jesus that He said prior to His crucifixion. He spoke of His:

1) Impending Suffering. ". . .He began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. . . ." (Matthew 16:21)

2) Impending Death and Burial. ". . .they will kill him." (Matthew 17:22-23)

3) His Coming Resurrection. "The Son of Man will be killed and He will be raised on the third day." (Matthew 16:23) The Son of Man ". . .will be crucified and on the third day rise." (Luke 24:7)

This is the ultimate Good News! Jesus is the RISEN KING who is supernaturally victorious over death, indeed recognized by His disciples, validated by Scripture, and now enthroned in heaven at the right hand of the Father. This truth changes our faith, theology (view of God) and life! The resurrection also changes our practical and daily living. The Resurrection of Jesus isn't just a doctrine to believe, debated or doubted, but it is a divine truth that should completely change our behavior, attitudes, goals, priorities and life-style. If we aren't in total awe of the Resurrection of Jesus and accept it as a genuine historical and personal life-changing event, we may only view it as a fairytale. The resurrection is scientifically im-possible, BUT, by the authority of God's Word, Jesus' teaching, the writings and witness of the Apostles, the countless testimonies of God's people throughout the ages and today, and through our personal relationship with Jesus, we KNOW the resurrection is absolutely true! His resurrection is history-making, earth-shaking, hell-quaking, life-transforming, and eternity-changing truth! We may believe it, and comprehend the theology behind it, but we may not have realized its life-changing dynamics in our heart, behavior and daily living!

Let's note some life-changes that result because of Jesus' Resurrection as found in Luke, Chapter 24.

1) Jesus' Resurrection Changes Our Conversation! (verses 13-24) Two of Jesus' disciples walked down a seven-mile stretch of road, having a conversation about the death and the reported resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem. Both shocked and sad, their conversation was interrupted by a "stranger" (Jesus Himself but unrecognized). They discussed who Jesus was supposed to be (reigning King), His life, His death and what it all meant.

The truth of the resurrection is just as shocking today as it was then. Let's not treat the resurrection as some cold event we have always heard about, or allow our understanding of, or our sharing of the Gospel to be about the death of Jesus alone. Let's allow His Resurrection to change our conversation, and let us speak of it often with enthusiasm, hope, and praise to Jesus!

2) Jesus' Resurrection Changes Our Study Of The Bible. (Luke 24:25-44) During the walk Jesus had with the two disciples, He turned the conversation to teaching them from the Old Testament and its prophecies of the coming Messiah. He walked them through a thorough study of how the Old Testament tells of Jesus in totality, pointing directly to His birth, life, suffering, sacrificial death, His Resurrection and glory to be revealed. (Luke 24:27 & 44) In our Bible Studies, let's focus on the truth of the Old Testament that points to Jesus' saving mission, for God loves to orchestrate scenes that point forward to the Resurrection of Jesus!

3) Jesus' Resurrection Changes Our Witness. (Luke 24:45-49) Jesus' presence at the table of the two disciples is where He opened their eyes to His true identity. There, He taught them about how their lives would change regarding their witness or proclamation of the Gospel (Good News about Jesus). "Repentance and forgiveness should be proclaimed in His name to all nations beginning with Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47) Repentance and forgiveness of sin should not be whispered, muttered or mumbled. Witnessing to spiritually lost people and seeing them repent of sin and turn to Jesus in saving faith is a real joy. This is Good News that people are dying to hear. ONLY JESUS and His death and Resurrection can save us from eternal residency in hell. We must share that Good News!

When religious leaders, who were at the Triumphal Entry of Jesus, demanded that He quiet His disciples when they shouted loudly His Praise, Jesus said, "if they were to be quiet, the rocks would cry out in praise" to Him. (Luke 19:40) When we know the truth and the power of His Resurrection, the rocks don't have to cry out; the followers of Jesus cannot be quieted! Our heart loves Him, our spirit adores Him, our life confesses Him, and our lips praise Him!

Though "HE IS NOT HERE" in the tomb, HE IS HERE abiding with and within us until He comes back to earth. ". . .I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Jesus also said, ". . .it is to your advantage that I go away. . .if I go away I will send the Helper (The Holy Spirit) to you. . . ." (John 16:7) "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." (John 14:16) Jesus is indeed HERE with and within us in the Person of His Holy Spirit and He abides here with us and because of this fact, we have love, joy, peace, comfort, divine help, faith, hope and eternal life! We have forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God by accepting Jesus as our Savior, and heaven to look forward to. Jesus is and forever will be the Lamb of God who died and rose up from the grave for our personal salvation. John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) And Jesus declared, "Because I live, you also will live" (eternally - John 14:19)

Jesus is NOT in the tomb, but He is Here with us; absolutely true because He is The Resurrected Christ! Gold City Quartet sings a powerful song fitting for this blog called "There Rose A Lamb". Here are the lyrics:

(Verse) "It was the third day since He died, and it was said He would arise, Then from the grave His plan came forth, Oh I have reason to rejoice.

(Verse) He chose the place, He chose the hour that He would rise by His own power, A sacrifice three days ago, and now praise God the Lamb arose!

(Verse) I wasn't there when Jesus died, I wasn't there to see Him rise, But I was there when He saved my soul, For within my heart His love arose.

(Chorus) There rose a lamb in Jerusalem, He was the Son of the great I AM, He proved to be my victory, There rose a lamb in Jerusalem.

He arose, He arose, Hallelujah, Christ arose, He arose, He arose, Hallelujah, Christ arose. He proved to me my victory, THERE ROSE A LAMB IN JERUSALEM!"

I urge you to listen to this song of praise on your smartphone or device capable of playing it!

It is my sincere hope and prayer that on this Resurrection Day, we are earnestly seeking Jesus, the Lamb of God, not at the tomb, but through His miraculous Resurrection! For it is true, "There Rose A Lamb In Jerusalem"!