Matthew 28:5-7 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”
After what seemed like the greatest possible tragedy to Jesus – the Lord of glory – His horrible death on the Cross, came the greatest possible blessing. The Cross was no surprise to Jesus, as some suppose. Jesus Himself declared that His death was the very reason He came, according to John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.“
Although the apostles did not believe it when the women told them the tomb was empty – and an angel told them it was so, they did not even believe Jesus’ own words. Later He appeared to them in the Upper Room and proved that He was more than a ghost. Then they saw and believed.
Paul makes a powerful statement about why the resurrection is so important. In I Corinthians 15:16-18, he said: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”
Of course, Paul was saying that the resurrection is proof that our sins are forgiven. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then He is still paying for our sins – and we do not have salvation. His resurrection proves our sins are forgiven, which gives us a sure hope of a future in Heaven with God.
Just before Christ ascended into Heaven, Paul testified that there were more than 500 believers who saw Christ at the same time (I Corinthians 15:6). Just as His resurrection is a sure event, we can have confidence that He will return for us – probably very soon.
Yes, He lives. Praise God, He is alive!