He
Is Risen
Today is Easter
Sunday. I love reading the scriptures about our Savior’s last few days, how he
suffered for our sins and was crucified. But most of all I rejoice in the
scriptures that tell of his resurrection and the accounts of those that have
witnessed his resurrection. I love the comfort that words of the Hymn “He Is
Risen” give. The first verse says it all:
He is risen! He is risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice.
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Christ has won the victory.
Tell it out with joyful voice.
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Christ has won the victory.
(Hymn # 199)
I remember as a
youth attending the Methodist Church, we would attend sunrise services on
Easter morning and watch the sunrise as we read from the scriptures of that
first Easter morning when Mary and the others came and saw the empty tomb.
While the disciples ran to tell the others Mary stayed behind; it was then she
saw the risen Lord for herself:
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she
stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one
at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them,
Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She,
supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him
hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am
not yet ascended to
my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend
unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:11-17)
What a wonderful
witness for Mary, there was no doubt left for her. Later when the disciples
were talking about how the resurrected Lord had appeared to the Apostles,
Thomas said that the only way he could believe was if he could touch the nail
prints in the Lord’s hands and thrust his hand into his side. The Lord suddenly
appears again and speaks to Thomas:
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands;
and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou
hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:27-29)
Many today, like
Thomas, doubt that Christ lives and will only believe if they are able to
handle him and see. But we live by faith and must rely on the Holy Ghost, which
testifies of the Father and the Son. I am one who knows by the witness of the
Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ does live today. He has overcome death and because
he did, we will also. That is the promise that the scriptures give:
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of
them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians
15:19-22)
Thomas S.
Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the
Lord’s Prophet on the earth today, shares his testimony of that first Easter
morning:
At the last moment, the Master could have
turned back. But He did not. He passed beneath all things that He might save
all things. His lifeless body was hurriedly but gently placed in a borrowed
tomb.
No words in Christendom mean more to me than
those spoken by the angel to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
when, on the first day of the week, they approached the tomb to care for the
body of their Lord. Spoke the angel:
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Our Savior lived again. The most glorious,
comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the
victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped
away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been
reclaimed.
The empty tomb that first Easter morning was
the answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” To all
within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We
know, for we have the light of revealed truth.
“For since
by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
I have read—and I believe—the testimonies of
those who experienced the grief of Christ’s Crucifixion and the joy of His
Resurrection. I have read—and I believe—the testimonies of those in the New
World who were visited by the same risen Lord.
I believe the testimony of one who, in this
dispensation, spoke with the Father and the Son in a grove now called sacred
and who gave his life, sealing that testimony with his blood. Declared he:
“And now, after the many testimonies which
have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of
him: That he lives!
“For we
saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that
he is the Only Begotten of the Father.”
The
darkness of death can always be dispelled by the light of revealed truth. “I am
the resurrection, and the life,” spoke the Master. 15 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto
you.” {“He
Is Risen”, President Thomas S. Monson, General Conference April 2010).
I add my
testimony that I know that Jesus Christ, our Savior, suffered for our sins was
crucified, died and rose again after three days. I know that through his
atonement we can be forgiven of our sins and be clean. I know that because
Christ was resurrected all of Heavenly Father’s children will be resurrected.
It is a free gift to all men, women and children. What a glorious message of
hope Easter brings. I invite you to watch this 2-minute video of Easter and for
those who would like a real spiritual experience watch the second video of the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing Handle’s Messiah this past Friday (2 hours
and 36 minutes).
Your comments
and questions are welcome
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments will be reviewed prior to them being posted. I invite questions and comments, but will not post offensive or argumentative comments. Comments that are appropriate will be posted as soon as possible.