Christ is risen. This is the heart of the Christian faith. Easter is not only the memory of an event in the past. It is the declaration that Jesus Christ has conquered sin, death, fear, and the grave. The cross was not the end. The tomb was not the end. God raised Jesus from the dead, and because he lives, hope lives.
In Luke 24:5, the angels ask the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” That question still speaks to us today. Many people still look for life in places of death: in power, in wealth, in pride, in bitterness, in empty religion, and in human strength. But true life is found only in the risen Christ. Easter calls us to lift our eyes from despair and to see the living Lord.
The resurrection tells us that God’s final word is not suffering, but victory; not darkness, but light; not despair, but hope. The disciples were broken, afraid, and confused after the crucifixion. But when they met the risen Jesus, fear gave way to courage, sorrow gave way to joy, and weakness gave way to witness. This is what Easter does. The risen Christ changes people. He gives peace to troubled hearts, forgiveness to guilty souls, and strength to weary believers.
Easter also reminds us that death does not have the last word. Because Christ rose, those who trust in him have the promise of eternal life. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:20, Christ has been raised from the dead, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” His resurrection is the beginning of the new creation.
So let us not live as people of the tomb. Let us live as people of the resurrection. Let us walk in faith, rejoice in hope, and bear witness with courage. The stone has been rolled away. Christ is alive. Therefore the church must not be silent. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia.
