"The Lamb the Sheep Has Ransomed"

Christ is risen. Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer your thankful praises!” On this morning, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead. We give thanks to God our Father, who has brought His Son, our Savior back from death to life. We offer our praises that the sheep who was led to slaughter has become the life of all the living. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has been slain and now is raised.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary, has died and now is raised, never to die again. Our great High Priest has offered up the sacrifice for sin once for all, and His flesh has been pierced for us. With His striped we have been healed. By His blood we are forgiven. The water and the blood have flowed from His pierced side and have washed us clean.

Now we see the risen Lord, whom the Father chose to send, whom He has now raised from the dead for our justification. He who just three days ago gave up the Spirit and was laid into the tomb has descended into hell to shatter the power of the devil and lead the captives free into heaven. He has now risen, showing forth to the world that the Father has accepted His sacrifice on behalf of all mankind.

“Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous.” Our sin brought death into this world, through the disobedience of our forefathers. Through our corrupted members, sin and death reigned throughout the cosmos. The whole of creation had been corrupted by our transgression and iniquity. We had been sentenced to death because of our sins.

But then came the Lord of Life. He strode forth from His kingly hall to take up our flesh and blood, to take up our battle for us. He took up His weapons and plunged into the fray. Christ, our champion took His stand in the fight, and He won. The powers of sin, death, and Satan could not disarm Him. The grave could not hold Him. Though the powers of darkness surrounded Him, the light shone forth in the darkness. The assaults of the devil could not topple the banner of the Lord. “The Prince of Life who died reigns immortal.”

“Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw when wayfaring.” When the women first, and then the disciples, went to the tomb, they saw it standing open and empty. They thought some gross travesty had occurred, and someone had stolen the body of the Lord. But then Jesus appeared to Mary. She saw Him in the flesh, living and active. She touched and held Him. She knew that her Lord and God had arisen from the dead. And she went into the city, proclaiming that she had seen the Lord.

Mary goes into the city and proclaims what was given to her: “My Lord, my hope is arisen; to Galilee He goes before you.” The risen Lord Jesus is no longer in the tomb among the dead, but He has risen from the dead, and now is in the land of the living. He goes back to the place where He first met His disciples. Where He first commissioned them as His disciples, He will now commission them as His apostles, His representatives to all the world.

But Jesus tells Mary, “Do not cling to me.” We, like her, may not cling to the risen Lord yet. Though His work of justification is finished on this day, He must still ascend to the Father to prepare our place there. Just like the disciples on the mount of transfiguration, we may not remain with the risen Lord on earth, because He must go to His Father, so that we also may one day ascend to His Father and our Father. Jesus must be seen by many, but then must ascend, so that one day He can be seen by all as He comes on the clouds in glory.

On this festive day of our Lord's resurrection, we join in the song of the saints in ages past, “Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!” We rejoice at the victory accomplished for us on the cross, now delivered to us through the empty tomb by the risen Lord Himself. “Now let our joy rise full and free – Christ our comfort true will be! Alleluia!”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Christ is risen. Alleluia!