Text: Matthew 28:1-15, Luke 24:13-49, Psalm 16:9-11
Over the course of the past week, known as Holy Week, we have slowed our pace, walking in real-time through the events leading up to Easter Sunday. Today we come to the glorious pinnacle of our journey—Easter Sunday! Special thanks to our friend, Pastor Russ Ramsey, for leading us through this week’s text.
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He is risen!
Early on this Sunday morning during Holy Week, some of Jesus’ friends set out to His grave to anoint the body of their friend and teacher. But when they arrived, they were greeted by what one of the Gospel writers calls “a man dressed in lightning.” He told them Jesus was not there, as He said. He had risen (Matthew 28:1-6).
Every instance in Scripture where an angel meets with people involves a human response of fear. This encounter was certainly no different. This meeting Easter morning mirrors when the angel appeared to the shepherds outside Bethlehem to tell them that a Savior had been born unto them. To the shepherds, the angel came to announce that Jesus had come to them (Luke 2:8-20). To the women at the tomb, the angel came to tell them He had left them—but that He would appear again to them soon (Matthew 28:7).
Jesus’ resurrection opened a door between the fallen, groaning world into which He was born and the renewal of all things (Romans 8:22). That door was a stone rolled back by the very finger of God from the mouth of a grave outside of Jerusalem (Matthew 28:2).
Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, present at creation, came in the flesh to be the mediator between God and man. He lived the life of perfect righteousness that all people have failed to live. He died as a lamb led to the slaughter, offering Himself up as the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world, once and for all. He rose from the grave defeating death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54). Bearing all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18), He lives as the appointed heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2). Jesus rules over every corner of creation, putting every enemy under His feet, while making alive—by His grace through faith—those who were dead in their sins (Romans 6:11).
If Jesus has not risen, those who trust in Him are to be pitied because their hope extends no further than their wishful thinking. Their faith is futile, and they remain in their sins (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). But if Jesus has risen, then His disciples are born into a new hope—because just as death entered the world through one man, Adam, now resurrection has done the same through the incarnate Son of God, who has prevailed over the power of the curse (Romans 5:12-17).
The last enemy, death itself, has been destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).
No one took His life from Him. He laid it down (John 10:18). He laid His life down for His flock, His people. And He laid it down only to take it up again. The point of the cross was not to die, but to die and rise again, defeating the prowling wolves of sin and death themselves.
Jesus said, “I have authority to lay my life down, and I have authority to take it up again.” And this is just what He did. Easter says of Jesus, He meant it! He meant to lay down His life for you! And as sure as He has taken it up again, He knows you!
He is risen indeed!
Happy Easter.
written by Russ Ramsey
adapted from Behold the King of Glory
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73 thoughts on "Holy Week in Real Time: Easter Sunday"
Jesus paid it all
all to Him I owe
sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
These two songs stood out to me today. What a mighty God we serve. Have a blessed Easter SRT sisters :).
I love this…
“Easter says of Jesus, He meant it! He meant to lay down His life for you! And as sure as He has taken it up again, He knows you!”
I really really loved this, too! Thanks for sharing.
He is risen!! Happy Easter !!
He is RISEN, remembering Christians all over the world who suffer persecution and martyrdom for their faith
Happy Easter Sisters! Glory to God in the highest!
Happy Easter sisters!!!! ❤️
Christ is Risen. Alleluia!
He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
“Our Alleluia must be proclaimed loudly into the forces of darkness, decay and destruction” – Easter Sunday sermon at my church.
He is risen! I’m so grateful to be open hearted to God this time and receive a closer connection with Him than I have had in the past
This Easter I feel as though I have truly come back to life. Death has lost its sting, forever He is glorified! He is risen, He is alive!
He is Risen!!!
This has been the most personal Lenten experience I’ve ever had. Initially I vowed to “give up” alcohol and fast food, but just last week I realized I needed to give up more. While in a deep valley full of opposition and betrayal, my eyes focused too much on my own suffering. It wasn’t until I went to church on Good Friday that I gave up the selfishness and pride keeping me from the pain of my Savior. It wasn’t enough to read daily devotionals and Scripture; I had to give all of myself in repentance. This is what it means to give your life to Christ, taking the most gut-wrenching circumstances and believing in the hope of life everlasting. Forgiving the people who hurt you, and finding joy in challenges because they are helping us grow. While this world is full of tears, let us not dwell on the tears. Today is the day I know, fully, that whatever happens in my life going forward, is nothing I can’t handle because I (we) were were dying for. We are forgiven.
Amen Joanna! This was also the most personal and life changing Lenten experience I’ve ever had to.
He is Risen!!! Blessed Easter sisters ❤️
He is Risen! He has overcome death and all the powers of darkness so we can live free in Him! I Praise you Jesus! The Holy one!
*IS
Getting baptized today♥️♥️♥️Praise God, He S Risen♥️♥️♥️
How exciting, Sheryl! Blessings to you on this special day!! I can’t imagine a more special or appropriate day on which to be baptized, either! Happy Easter!
He Is Risen Indeed! Happy Easter!
He is Risen Indeed!!
Praise him from whom all blessings flow!
YES! Amen, Churchmouse! Hallelujah!
Thank you SRT for providing a way to understand a new meaning for Holy Week. I have really enjoyed the study and even asked my pastor a question concerning Holy Week. He is even going to do an in depth study to answer my question more because he is curious. Happy Easter and God bless each of you today. Looking forward to the new study tomorrow.
What a beautiful study! Thank you all! May we all walk out our faith come Monday.
Don Francisco singing He is Alive. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPBVwOCYmM
Dallas Holmes singing Rise Again. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WkIJfLfzZ0w
Happy Easter ladies!
Easter looks different this year for me. Growing up Easter weekend was associated with so many great memories, my sisters and I got to pick out new Easter dresses, and we would spend the entire weekend with our church family setting up for the big day, Easter sunrise service. I grew up in Hawaii and we did this service at one of the prettiest beaches in the world. You can only imagine how magical Easter sunrise was. Easter weekend has always had so many amazing memories for me.
But this year is different. I sit alone in Turkey, unable to go to church because churches are targets today for terrorist and we have been strongly advised to take precautions. Doesn’t really feel like Easter, no Easter dinner plans, no one around me is celebrating, and part of me is struggling to celebrate that he is risen. It just feels like a blah day, but our GOD is an awesome God, and I will not allow the circumstances and or isolation around me to keep me from celebrating the most amazing event ever taken place in history. It may look different today, but what more do I need than God’s word and his presence?! Don’t let the circumstances that surround your life right now rob you of Easter and all that it has to offer. It may be a challenging day for you, but don’t allow anything to take away from the joy that we associate this beautiful day with. Christ saved you from your sins!!! No worry or problem should cloud what an amazing act he did for you and me on this very day. Celebrate today! Even if it’s not a spectacular church service, lavish meal, or surrounded by family and friends, there’s nothing somber that can take away from what he did for us on this day!! I will not allow it!
Happy Easter everyone! He is risen and I am so thankful that he came to die on the cross for all our sins. Have a wonderful day!!
Aloha and A Peace filled Easter to you Megan!!
Hi Megan,
I can’t imagine not being able to attend church. Maybe you could have church by yourself. Go outside if it’s not raining, and look at God’s creation. My best worship is outside in nature. Open his Word and ask Him to give you peace and comfort today as you go about the day. I will ask God to send you 1 person that you may fellowship with today, and you will know that he or she is from the Lord. Blessings on you today, sweet girl. Father God, I ask that you send Megan someone to fellowship with today that is a fellow believer. She is lonely, and a little scared. When this person comes up to her, she will know without a doubt, You sent them. I ask that you sustain Megan in her faith, and again I ask for peace on her behalf. We love you Lord, and thankful that you sent your son to die on the cross, but he rose again.
Blessings to you Megan
Thank you for your prayers! Day took a turn and I was blessed with the live sermon from back home via online.
Thank you for writing this comment today, Megan. Though my circumstances are far different from yours, your sentiment resonated with me deeply. I applaud you for choosing to celebrate the triumph in Christ’s resurrection today, regardless of what your present context is. For truly, “what more do we need than God’s word and His presence” indeed? Lifting up a prayer for you this morning, and asking the Lord to bless the Easter celebration in your heart and life this day. Hallelujah!
Thank you for your prayers I felt them!! Day turned around and it ended well!
Praying for you Megan. I admire your resolve, even on this day. you watch a mass online? Happy Easter, sending you lots of love from Milwaukee, WI. Jesus prevails <3
Thank you for your prayers definitely felt them today!!
I was able to watch the church service from back home online and it was awesome! Very thankful for technology!
Would anyone be willing to share their favorite Easter song(s)/ songs to listen to on Easter? I really want flesh out a list. For me, Matt Maher- Christ is Risen, is the first one I listened to this morning.
I like the hymn that goes, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Allelujah.” As for contemporary music, our church sang Chris Tomlin’s “Glory in the Highest,” which we traditionally sing for Advent and Christmas. That is a beautiful song.
So many great ones!!!
“Christ the lord is risen today” -hymn
“Man of Sorrows” -Jill Phillips
Some old school ones:
“Was it a morning like this?” -Sandi Patti
“He’s Alive” -Dolly Parton
Kelly Mooney’s version of Hallelujah. You can find it on YouTube. Really good song!
I love “O praise the name (Anastasis)” for Easter as well as “Calvert covers it all”
Calvary rather
Happy Easter to you all xx
I’m going old school and saying Up From The Grave. We listened to it first thing this morning. I have enjoyed that song since I was in Elementary school.
Easter song by Keith Green
Forever Kari Jobe
I like “See what a morning” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qlc0UIRkBk
“The Old Rugged Cross” is a beautiful and traditional hymn for Holy Week.
Because He Lives by Chris Tomlin, Boldy I Approach by Rend Collective, and I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin. Really all Christian songs are “Easter” songs, but here are some that came to mind. :)
2 of the songs we sang at my church this morning are “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” and “Forever”
Beautiful!!! He is risen!!!! Happy Easter friends!!
I asked Jesus to open my mind during this period of lent and during Holy Week, this devotional has been fantastic at helping me become closer to my Heavenly Father and to understand the true meaning of the cross
Amen! Happy Easter!
HE. IS. RISEN!
Time to celebrate!
Colored eggs and chocolate bunnies just don’t cut it. Cute and sweet but…
A donkey and palm branches.
Weeping over Jerusalem.
Clearing out the Temple.
End times talk.
The broken alabaster jar.
Satan entering Judas.
The basin and the towel.
“Surely not I, Lord? ”
Drops of blood in the garden.
” Your will be done. ”
The kiss.
” Crucify him! ”
The Cross.
The veil split. Wide. Open.
The guarded tomb.
Silence.
(Wait for it. It’s. Coming.)
” HE IS NOT HERE! FOR HE HAS BEEN RESURRECTED, JUST AS HE SAID. ”
No, colored eggs and chocolate bunnies don’t just cut it.
” Go quickly and tell!! ”
” You will see Him! ”
AMEN! HALLELUJAH!
Amen!
Amen!!!
Beautifully written, churchmouse! Wishing you showers of blessings today.
Amen!!! Beautiful
yes! fabulous summary, churchmouse :)
Love, love this. Hallelujah is right!! Happy Easter all you beautiful ladies!
Amen…and AMEN! His is Risen!
He is RISEN! Thank you, of all the devotionals you have shared, this has been the best by far.
He is risen indeed! Amazing devotion and am already looking forward to walking through this experience the again next year! Hope all my sisters here have a blessed Easter Sunday today are surrounded by the love of God bles
He is risen indeed! Happy joyous Easter!
He is risen!
I always try to put myself in the shoes (or sandals!) of those that first saw the angel at the empty tomb and then were blessed to first see Jesus. Can you even imagine???!!! To witness the resurrection of their beloved Teacher from the grave, even though He had foretold it, must have been more than amazing. He walked with them, taught them, loved them and performed more miracles than they had ever seen in their lives and the best was yet to come. He would go on to tell them to wait for the promise of the Father, the infilling of His Spirit, where He would be IN them until He came the second time.
Our hope today is the very same hope they had! Our infilling today is the very same one they all experienced in the Upper Room! He is IN us, Christ, alive, risen and coming again. We are His hands and His feet and because He rose from the grave, death and hell are forever defeated.
This is a most glorious day. Blessed Easter all of you She’s who read Truth! ♥
This has been an amazing experience. I thank God I had the opportunity to be apart of this wonderful devotional. You have blessed me more than you know. God bless you all and have a fantastic Easter Sunday! Vacant
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1co.15.57.esv
Amen!!! Love that verse!!
Sunday is here. ..He is risen..
HE IS RISEN…INDEED.
HALLELUJAH.!!!
Happy Easter., Dear sisters…xxx
Hallelujah! Happy Easter to you all! Xxx
He is risen! Happy Easter, sisters!
He is risen!
He is risen indeed!!