Resurrection Morning

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12 ESV). Before you go any further with today’s devotional go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uqj40-Ro-U and listen to Austin Stone as they do the wonderful old hymn, “Man of Sorrows.” It was originally written by Philip Bliss in 1875. Originally a Methodist, he became, about 1871, a choirman of the First Congregational Church, Chicago, and the Superintendent of its Sunday Schools. In 1874 he joined D. W. Whittle in evangelical work. To this cause he gave (although a poor man) the royalty of his Gospel Songs, which was worth some thirty thousand dollars. His death was sudden. It occurred in the railway disaster at Ashtabula, Ohio, Dec. 30, 1876. He had escaped from the car, but lost his life in trying to save his wife. The lyrics are inspired from Isaiah 53:3. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3 ESV). From this empty, dank tomb the despised “Man of Sorrows” is announced as the Savior of the world! That is the good news of our Gospel. The grace of God worked on our behalf in the most incredible of events in history. God’s beloved Son, perfect and innocent, willingly gave himself that we might have eternal life. Today is a day of real celebration. It is a day long hoped for by the faithful of the millennia and now realized for all those who are called of God into his grace. Hallelujah! What a Savior! May the blessing of God rest on your spirit this day and each day because of this great hope!