April 2010 Newsletter article..Pastor Mueller

Christ IS Risen!

Mark 16:5-8 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

The angel on that first glorious Easter was “sitting.” So what, you might say? When Christ was born, the angels hovered in the air and let themselves be seen as a heavenly host, while their Prince and ruler, Christ, still had to strive against the Devil and his entire kingdom. Here at the resurrection of Christ, however, the angel is seated. He shows that the battle has ended and the victory over all our enemies has been achieved through Christ-in the same way that a valiant hero and warrior usually stood tall as the slaughter raged on, but sat down and rested when the strife had ended and the enemy had been subdued.

The resurrection of Christ is a revealed testimony that He has powerfully conquered all our enemies. It is written about Him in Is. 42:13: The LORD will march out like a mighty man, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies. What sort of enemies of Christ are these? They are our enemies also because He became our Mediator and Brother. Specifically, these enemies are : Death, Sin, the Devil, and Hell. God’s inheritance in Paradise was trampled by these enemies: by sin with burning because it ignited God’s wrath, by death with murder, by the Devil with robbery and plunder, and by hell with tortuous devouring. These “brutes” trampled the entire human race.

But there is One who showed Himself our victorious Prince and Conqueror-Jesus Christ the Righteous One! Jesus is the One in Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. “Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” Since Christ’s victory is our victory we can joyfully say with St. Paul in 1 Cor. 15:55-57-"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christ, on our behalf, battled against the Devil and his grip, sin, death and Hell; and in this cause Christ gave up His spirit and laid Himself into the grave. Had He then remained in the grave and not risen again from the dead, we would always have to wonder whether He had been laid low and overcome by our enemies. But now, since He ripped Himself loose from their bonds and, just like the strong hero Samson, has broken through the gates of death (Judg. 16:3), it is clearly proven that He has retained the field and the victory. That is why we sing these words:

It was a strange war,

As death and life fiercely struggled.

Life retained the victory

As it gobbled up death.

The Scripture had prophesied this,

That as Life gulped down death,

Death would become a laughing stock.

Hallelujah. (Stanza 2 of Martin Luther’s Christ lag in Todebanden.)

So even now we follow this One from now on with joy and confidence because He gives us the final victory over these enemies! Hallelujah! Christ IS Risen!

Rejoice in the Resurrected LORD of all!

Blessed Easter!

Pastor Mueller

“For I resolved to know nothing while with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2)