Dawn of Joy

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 LSB

–

Into the devastation of our world came the God-man Jesus Christ. A man who outrageously declared He was God and performed miracles to authenticate His claims. A man who confronted those who lived in self-righteous piety, and spoke with compassion and forgiveness to those who knew they were dead from the ravages of sin. A man who was nailed to the cross because of the debt of record of our sins that stood against us. A man who took upon Himself our punishment and the just wrath of God we deserved for our rebellion, dying in our place.

Christians know that our belief is in Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly man. He was born into this world, He died, and He rose again. Because of Him we know what it is to be brand-new, forgiven, and clean. Because of Him we know that death will not hold us, for through Him the hold death had on us by our sin is forever gone.

In the glimmering dawn of the first Easter, the women who came to minister to a dead man found instead an empty tomb.

And the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead…”

Matthew 28:5–7a LSB

–