Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus Christ, You who are risen from the dead, the offspring of David and our victorious Savior, grant that we may ever remember what you have done for us. When doubts arise, strengthen our faith; when fear of death troubles us, comfort us with your resurrection; and when we grow forgetful, call us again to your empty tomb. Fix our hearts on your gospel, that trusting in your finished work, we may live in the joy of forgiveness and the sure hope of eternal life; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel… The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;”

Grace and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Dear friends in Christ Jesus, when the women arrived at the tomb that early Sunday morning, the angels who greeted them did so with three unbelievable words of truth: He has risen. And then one of the angels told them that this miracle should come as no surprise. “Remember how He told you.”

Remember, remember, remember. How many times did Jesus say that to His followers during His earthly ministry? As many times as it was, it likely wasn’t enough—not enough for His followers who are described in the Bible as being slow to believe, afraid, and filled with doubt.

Paul, whose words we have before us this morning, also told that young pastor Timothy: “Remember.” These were some of the last words Paul ever wrote. He knew his work on earth for the Lord was nearing completion. He would soon suffer a martyr’s death at the hands of the Romans.

What does a person think about when they are about to die? Childhood joys, memories of teenage freedom, professional accomplishments, family bonds, friendships. But this is what was on Paul’s mind: Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David.

In contrast to what much of the religious world may think, the heart of the Christian faith is tied up in that one word: remember. It is much remembering. What will serve us best this morning is remembering what God has done for us. The main message God has for us is not “go and do,” but rather “come and see and believe.”

That’s what we remember this Easter morning—the great things our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, so that through faith in Him we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

We really can’t do anything else on this Easter morning. What better thing to do than to go to that empty tomb, to gaze inside, and to ponder with amazement what this all means for us? There is nothing better we can do. There is nothing else we need to do. God in His rich grace has done everything for us. He defeated sin and death and hell. He rose in victory—the guarantee that our sin is paid for, and the guarantee that by His power He will also raise from death all who trust in Him.

It is He, as St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

How could we possibly forget these things? Jesus has not changed over the centuries. And as a matter of fact, His followers have not changed much either. We have fears, we have doubts, we are slow to believe. All the more reason to listen to what God the Holy Spirit says through St. Paul this morning: Remember Jesus Christ.

If you took literature a class in high school, you probably studied Shakespeare. The question was posed: “What’s in a name?” And the answer is: quite a lot. A person’s name represents everything they are, everything they have done, everything they stand for. When that name is mentioned, images are formed in our minds.

Jesus Christ. God Himself gave that name to His Son—the name that means Savior. This is the name that Jesus took upon Himself when He entered, in the quietness of Christmas, on a violent mission. He came here to do battle with the forces of hell.

Throughout His earthly ministry, He undid what Satan and sin had done. He healed the sick. He drove out demons. He raised the dead. But it was on Good Friday that the battle reached its final decisive hour. It was, as Luther wrote in a hymn, a strange and dreadful strife when life and death contended.

Remember that writhing agony of the cross—God and Satan going head-to-head for the eternal possession of your soul. It was a struggle to the death. And by the end of that day, Jesus, the Son of God, lay dead in a tomb.

But as the hymn goes on, the victory remained with life. The reign of death was ended because He has risen. He is alive, and death is dead.

Remember that Jesus is the Christ. Christ means the Anointed One—the one God handpicked and announced to be our champion. He is the Messiah. The prophecy of all Scripture is fulfilled in Him. There is no mistake. This is the one and only One who has God’s full approval.

So why would doubts arise in our hearts and minds? Jesus is the Christ. This does not just mean that He was appointed to suffer and die—He is also the One appointed to rise and live forever. Jesus rose to ascend to the right hand of God, where He rules everything in heaven and earth. And if He has power to rule all things, He has power to save those who trust in Him.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.

If there is perhaps one word that creates more doubt and uncertainty and fear than any other, it is the word death. We know it is a part of this life. We know it is coming—to friends, to family, to spouses, to ourselves.

Fear is often caused by the unknown. But death is very well known—and still it fills us with fear. Why? Because the fear of death comes from the knowledge of sin. Deep down, we know there is a God. He is holy, good, and just. And we know we have failed to live as He requires.

Scripture draws the conclusion plainly: we die because we have sinned. That is what fills us with fear. Our sins bring God’s wrath and judgment. They separate us from Him, from His love and peace and joy. They leave us guilty, deserving of eternal death.

So what will we do?

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead. Out of the tomb has come the One who has paid for all your sins. He carried them to the cross. He left them in the grave. Your sins are gone. They are dead. They are buried.

Out of the tomb came a holy Lord Jesus Christ. On the cross He had been covered with your sins and the sins of the whole world, and He suffered death. But now He lives. That is proof that God has accepted His sacrifice.

Jesus’ resurrection is the very foundation of our faith. It is the reason we worship on Sunday. It is the resurrection day.

The resurrection of Jesus gives us certainty—certainty about forgiveness and about every promise God has made. You can trust Him with your life and your soul. Seeing Jesus Christ raised from the dead creates an unshakable faith and hope that is yours no matter what happens.

And so, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David.

Amen.

—Pastor Mike Gurath

Middleton, WI

---

Ministry by Mail is a weekly publication of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Sermon archives, and subscription and staff information may be found online at www.clclutheran.org/ministrybymail. Audio Sermons are available at: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ministrybymail

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.