"He is risen!" In years past, Christians gladly greeted one another with these words, not to mark a holiday but to convey a daily outlook. The early church pulsed with the conviction that Jesus had been raised the third day by the power of God and lives forevermore. I'm not sure when that greeting fell out of use, set aside to be recited once a year. But I think I know why it's slow to make a comeback. Christians have a tendency to think less and less frequently of the reality of the empty tomb and its profound implications for us today. This weekend, the Scriptures will speak loudly to us of Jesus' empty tomb. May God give us grace to listen. Because He is risen, the grave is not the end. Jesus lives on, and so will we. Because He is risen, Christ's atonement for sin has been accepted by the Father. Because He is risen, evil is not going to triumph in the world: sin's penalty has been paid, sin's power is being defeated, and ultimately sin's very presence will be erased – forever. "He is risen, indeed!"
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Steve Massey is the pastor of Hayden Bible Church of Hayden, Idaho. He also writes about matters of faith for The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., where he previously worked as an editor and reporter. He and his wife, Pam, have two grown children, Jake and Sarah.