Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia!

April 2021

Think of the most exciting thing you have ever seen or experienced, then multiply it by ten thousand, and still it will not come close to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead. Just imagine if you were there with the women at the tomb and saw the risen King; or with the disciples gathered behind closed doors when Jesus walked through the walls into their presence; or if you were with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus as Jesus joined them and made their hearts burn within them as He spoke the Word of God to them and broke bread with them, then disappeared out of their sight. How wonderful it would have been for us!

The Apostle Paul wrote, “He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve, after that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Of all the miracles in the Bible, I believe the two greatest ones are the virgin birth of Christ and His glorious resurrection. He turned their sorrow into joy; their fear into peace; and uncertainty into hope!

Little Philip, born with Down syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership Magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully. The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought L’eggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol of new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table. Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether a flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh.

Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, “That’s stupid. That’s not fair. Somebody didn’t do their assignment.” Philip spoke up, “That’s mine.” “Philip, you don’t ever do things right!” one student retorted. “There’s nothing there!” “I did so do it,” Philip insisted. It’s empty because the tomb was empty!” Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class. He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we all have hope that He will raise us up to be with Him forever and ever.