As the disciples preached in the earliest Christian sermons, \u201cThis Jesus God has raised up, of whom we are all witnesses . . . . Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ\u201d\u009d [Acts 2:32,36].<\/p>\n
The Resurrection was not a dawning awareness of Christ\u2019s continuing presence among the disciples, it was the literal, physical raising of Jesus\u2019 body from the dead. The Church is founded upon the resurrected Lord, who appeared among His disciples and was seen by hundreds of others.<\/p>\n
The Church does not have mere permission to celebrate the Resurrection, it has a mandate to proclaim the truth that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrected Lord gave the Church a sacred commission to take the gospel throughout the world. As Paul made clear, the resurrection of Christ also comes as a comfort to the believer, for His defeat of death is a foretaste and promise of our own resurrection by His power. \u201cFor this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality\u201d\u009d [1 Corinthians 15:53].<\/p>\n
So, as the Church gathers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we should look backward in thankfulness to that empty tomb and forward to the fulfillment of Christ\u2019s promises in us. For Resurrection Day is not merely a celebration\u201d\u201cit is truly preparation as well. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the promise of our resurrection from the dead, and of Christ\u2019s total victory over sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the very center of the Christian gospel. The empty tomb is full of power.<\/p>\n