"He Is Not Here; For He Is Risen"

From all over the world, long lines of visitors wait patiently day after day to visit Lenin’s Tomb and view his embalmed body. Although he died in 1924, the corpse of this Communist leader has relatively suffered no decomposition. In fact, it looks deceptively lifelike. And its appearance is indeed deceptive. Skillful artists monitor the preserved corpse, artificially coloring its face and using wax to fill in any lines or the smallest spot of decay.

There are also many people who regularly visit Jerusalem to see the place where Jesus died and was supposedly buried. But there’s a striking contrast — there’s no body of the crucified Christ anywhere to be found! (cf. Matthew 28:6). According to tradition, we can find a one rock-hewn tomb where the nail-scarred, spear-driven, thorn-crowned corpse of Christ was supposedly laid.

From the Scriptures, however, we know that our Savior was resurrected by the power of God (Acts 4:10; Acts 13:30-34; Romans 6:4 Romans 8:11; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 1:17-20; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:21), leaving His grave clothes behind when He emerged from the tomb (John 20:1-8; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Peter 1:3).

Jesus is now alive and is at God’s right hand (Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22). We can know Him as our loving and merciful Savior (Titus 3:4-6). Because of His atoning death and the empty tomb, we can have eternal life (Romans 5:6-11; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 1 John 2:24-25).

We need only to respond to the conditions of salvation our loving Savior has set forth in His New Testament (Hebrews 7:21-22; Hebrews 9:13-15). If we’ll willingly respond, He’ll not only give us an abundant life now (John 10:10), but one day, we’ll literally see Him and live with Him forever (Matthew 5:8; John 12:26; John 14:1-3; John 17:24; 1 John 3:2; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets