Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Sinners know, our consciences tell us, our knee-jerk reaction to death reminds us – death is an enemy we can delay, but never beat. But we have a Savior, the Savior Jesus, who defeated our enemy death for us, proven by his own rising from the dead, and guaranteeing resurrection and eternal life for all who believe in him.
Jesus is risen! His resurrection dries our tears; he has risen for the poor and lowly, the weak and the undeserving, for you and for me! We celebrate with the means of grace – remembrance of our Baptisms, readings from the Word, and the Lord’s Supper.
All of human history hinges on this day. Humbling himself before the will of the Father and the blood-thirst of men, the Son of God is slaughtered. Even worse than an ignoble death, the Father must reject his own Son since he bears the sin of the world. But all this served God’s saving purpose, and so we call this Friday…Good.
