Quiet Moments: The joy of the resurrection

The joy that comes on Easter morning can be for every day, both morning and evening.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” —1 Peter 1:3–4 (EHV)

Perhaps the most memorable thing about Easter Sunday is the responsory verse that we use at the start of the service. This is when the pastor begins by saying, “He is risen!” and the jubilant congregation responds, “He is risen, indeed!”

This impression is memorable and priceless because it shows the bold confidence we can have. After all, the empty tomb is a picture of heaven’s gates open wide for you and me. Peter, in this passage, begins as joyously as our response on Easter morning, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

How can he be this joyous? Well, Peter demonstrates that his hope is because of Christ’s resurrection, which gives us all hope for our own resurrection “into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

Christ paid for all of your sins on the cross, and when He rose from the dead, it was God’s visible sign of approval that our Lord’s work was the all-sufficient sacrifice. Now, not even the gates of hell can prevail against you because God has called you righteous in His sight, all because of the gracious work He performed through the perfect life, death and resurrection of His dear Son.

Our faithful shepherd, the King of Love and Prince of Peace, has gone to prepare a place for you in His kingdom that you might enjoy for all eternity. So look up, dear child of God. He is risen. He is risen indeed, amen!