“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4; all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible).
“{F}or the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19).

The Bible tells us that several women, including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of our Lord, went to Jesus’ tomb on the Sunday following His resurrection. They were grieving. Shock and sadness filled their hearts as they went to complete the preparation of His body that began two days earlier.

Shock gave way to confusion as they found the tomb empty and two angels saying that Jesus had risen from the dead. For Mary Magdalene, confusion gave way to joy when she came face-to-face with her beloved rabbi, whom she had watched die just a few days earlier (Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:1-18).

Easter celebrates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on the third day following His crucifixion. In His death, He triumphed over our sins. Because of His atonement on the cross, we can freely receive forgiveness and everlasting life. By His resurrection, He triumphed over death. Death does not have dominion over Him. It also does not rule over us. Death is not the end of our existence.

Christ’s resurrection offers hope for all Christians. Because He lives, we also will live. His resurrection is the assurance that we will also rise again. We shall live forever!

Jesus’ resurrection also offers us comfort when we mourn those who have died in the faith. Those we love who placed their trust in Him will also live forever. Perhaps you have lost a loved one in the past year. He or she will live forever. If he or she knew the Lord, you will meet them again in heaven.

Let Easter be our special annual reminder to comfort one another with the assurance of resurrection and everlasting life.

“Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen” (Book of Common Prayer).

What do Easter and Christ’s resurrection mean to you? How can you find comfort and strength in the assurance of resurrection? Share your thoughts, experiences, or suggestions by clicking the “Leave a comment” link below.

Copyright © 2022 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.