Tag: Resurrection Day

Resurrection Day: An Easter Sunday Devotion

Scripture – But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that He had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell His eleven disciples-and everyone else-what had happened. (Luke 24:1-9)

Devotion – Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday as it’s often called, marks the joyous celebration of Jesus’ resurrection-the triumphant victory over sin and death. In Luke 24:1-9, we read about the women who went to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning, only to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. As they stood in confusion, two angels appeared and reminded them of Jesus’ promise that He would rise from the dead.

This announcement transformed their sorrow into joy, as they realized the fulfillment of Jesus’ words. His resurrection signifies the defeat of sin and the promise of eternal life. It is a day of hope, reminding us that no darkness is final and that life in Christ brings new beginnings. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, we are called to rejoice in the assurance that through Jesus, we have been granted victory over sin and a fresh start. The resurrection empowers us to live with purpose, courage, and joy, knowing that we are deeply loved and redeemed.

Reflection Questions:

  1. How does Jesus’ resurrection influence your understanding of victory over sin and the promise of eternal life?
  2. In what ways can you embrace and share the joy of the resurrection in your daily life?
  3. How does the assurance of new life in Christ inspire you to live with hope and purpose?

Prayer – Lord, thank You for the incredible gift of Jesus’ resurrection, which declares victory over sin and death. As I celebrate this joyous occasion, fill my heart with hope and gratitude. Help me to embrace the new life You offer and live in the light of Your love. Guide me to share this joy with others, reflecting Your transformative grace in all I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

Followup Worship Activity – Bring someone with you to an Easter service today so you can corporately rejoice in the joy of Jesus’ resurrection.

*This devotion was written as a part of the Holy Week devotional “The Week that Changed Everything” for Celebration Church NOLA. It is available at http://www.celebrationchurch.org/library.

**Image courtesy of Bruno van der Kraan

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Resurrection Day – Our Blessed Day of Hope

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember what I have told you.” The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” (Matthew 28:1-10).

Hope. We use that word a lot. We use it to express our preferences and dreams about the weather, our favorite sports team, our future vacation destinations, and what we will eat for lunch. Hope, in a typical conversation, expresses a wish or a desire while there is still uncertainty. While hope is a part of our daily vocabulary, it seems to be less often used in its biblical context. It’s been said that “Hope is the one thing that will get us through the darkest of times.”

Today we celebrate Easter, the day when Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection brings hope to us all. The late Emil Brunner once said, “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of human life.” As the human organism is dependent on a supply of oxygen, so humanity is dependent on its supply of hope. Yet today hopelessness and despair are everywhere. Peter, who himself was given to despair following his betrayal of the Lord, writes in a triumphant note, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

There is hope that mistakes and sins can be forgiven. There is hope that we can have joy, peace, assurance, and security in the midst of the despair of this age. There is hope that Jesus Christ is coming again soon – this is what is called in Scripture “the blessed hope.” There is hope that there will come a new heaven and a new earth, and that the Kingdom of God will reign and triumph. Our hope is not in our own ability, or in our goodness, or in our physical strength. Our hope is instilled in us by the resurrection of Christ.

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