He is Risen!

Happy Easter -- Resurrection Day!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade." -- 1 Peter 1:3,4


“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -- 2 Corinthians 5:21


"And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven..." -- Colossians 1:21-23


"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,..." -- 1 Cor 15:3, 4


"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." -- Philippians 2:5-11


Loved this from Noel Piper's blog --

The end is the beginning

Birth — She gave birth to her firstborn son . . .
Death —  Jesus cried out with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit

Wrapped — . . . and wrapped him in swaddling cloths . . .
Wrapped —  And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud . . .

Where no one had lain – . . . and laid him in a manger  . . .
Where no one had lain —  . . . and laid it in his own new tomb

He is King — Wise men came . . . saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?”
He is King — Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Light — The glory of the Lord shone around them.
Darkness — There was darkness over all the land.

Angels announce – “Unto you is born a Savior . . . ”
Angels announce — “He is not here, but has risen.”

He is God – “. . . A Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
He is God – The centurion and those who were with him . . . said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Spreading the Good News – All who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
Spreading the Good News – They departed quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell . . .