Sunday, April 12, 2009

“复活节快乐!”

I love to hike, swim, and run. As an avid outdoors man one of the things I am most grateful for is my physical body.

I served a mission for my church in Taiwan, doing service and teaching about Christ. Two years ago today we rode our bikes around and told people "Happy Easter!". In chinese it is translated literally as "happy resurrection!" “复活节快乐!”

We told person after person happy easter, if they would stop and talk to us we would ask them, "Have you heard of Jesus?" They always replied "yes". When we asked "Did you know that after Jesus was crucified on the cross, three days later he was resurrected?" They all replied "no".

One of the blessings I am so grateful for on this Easter Sunday is a knowledge of the Resurrection. No matter how old we get in this life, all of us can hope for the Resurrection.



I'm reminded of a talk I recently read by Ezra Taft Benson . It reads as follows.

I bear witness to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world—the very Son of God...On the third day there was a great earthquake. The stone was rolled back from the door of the tomb. Some of the women, among the most devoted of his followers, came to the place with spices “and found not the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:3).

Angels appeared and said simply, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5–6).

There is nothing in history to equal that dramatic announcement: “He is not here, but is risen.”

The greatest events of history are those which affect the greatest number for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master. The eventual resurrection of every soul who has lived and died on earth is a scriptural certainty, and surely there is no event for which one should make more careful preparation. Nothing is more absolutely universal than the resurrection. Every living being will be resurrected. “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).


He is risen! He is risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days’ prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free.
Christ has won the victory.

(Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818–1895)

I know Christ is risen and every person that has lived or will live will be Resurrected. Happy Easter!

3 comments:

Andrew M. Wayment said...

Eric,

Thanks. It's good to remember the real reason that we celebrate Easter. Happy Ressurection!

Andy

Tim Spach said...

Happy Easter Eric!

Lisa said...

Amen brother!