Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!

This traditional Christian greeting during the Easter season summarizes the heart and soul of our faith.

First and foremost, to say that "Christ is risen" is to acknowledge that Jesus of Nazareth is the messiah....the savior....our savior. To name Jesus as the Christ is to say that he is the Lord of your life. He is in charge. It is his word that rules our actions. A slave, Jesus says, can’t serve two masters. So if Jesus is Lord, then nothing or no one else can be.

And that is good news. If Jesus is Lord then I don’t have to be. I don’t have to worry about being in charge....about doing all the work....about making all the right decisions. All I need to do is listen and obey. The Lord will be responsible for the results.

Secondly, to say that "Christ is risen" is to remember that he did die. Jesus of Nazareth suffered at the hands of his enemies, was mocked and beaten and hung on a cross to die. And he endured that death for your sake and mine. He died because we so often want to be in charge, and forget that we are not God. He died for the forgiveness of our sins. But death could not contain him. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. Death no longer has the final word for Jesus.

And just as Jesus is risen, so too does God promise us a resurrection. Because of Jesus’ suffering and death, death will not have the final word for us either. As Jesus lives, so shall we. Through the cross of Christ God promises us a place in His eternal kingdom.

So, as we greet each other in worship "Christ is Risen!" remember that we are acknowledging Jesus as the Lord of our lives - that Christ is in charge - and that through the death and resurrection of Jesus we too will live a new life beyond the tomb.

"Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!" May that greeting be more than just a platitude, but rather a statement of faith that makes a difference in the way you live.

In Christ,

Pastor Knowles