He is Risen, Indeed!

          In the early years of my life, the Resurrection Day had different memories.  One in particular come to mind which happened in 1951 and I was about 12 years old.  My parents had left my sister and myself home alone and had gone to a party about 10 miles away.  My sister was in bed and I made up my bed and went to sleep only to find Trixie my dog jumping on my chest around midnight.  When I opened my eyes, flames could be seen just breaking through my ceiling.  The house on fire.  The fire had caused a lot of damage and obviously, we got out but my "Easter" basked had a smokey taste to those marshmallow peanuts.  It would be years later that the emphasis would change from colored eggs, chocolate bunnies and jelly beans to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now, in my older years, I am so thankful for the resurrection as it gives me hope and guarantees my future.  First Corinthians 15:3-4 says, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;   And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"   
      The disciples didn't know fully what had happened and were expecting Him to be in the tomb and as the women came to that spot, they found the tomb to be empty and the stone already rolled away.  Not knowing what to do, Peter finally said, "Well, I'm going fishing."  John 21 tells of the account of the night of fishing, catching nothing and then hearing a voice from the shore, telling them to cast the net on the other side and then hauling in 153 fish.  Then came the breakfast on the shore and the probing discussion with Peter.  As Paul mentions the forty days afterwards and the numerous appearances of Christ with so many people and with the final words and the ascension as mentioned by Luke.  All of these things mount up together to give us a hope in this life that is far greater than the world will ever understand.  No one understands it until they come to the the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.  Then it become clear.  The world today however, still celebrates spring, hangs plastic eggs on trees, makes a lot of chocolate bunnies and sings songs abut Easter and never even thinks about Christ.  For the believer, this day lives on everyday because we continually exalt the Risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and we continually echo the words of the music, "Because He lives, I can fact tomorrow."  Praise God today for an empty tomb.  He is Risen.  He is Risen Indeed.