Christ Has Died! Christ Has Risen!
By Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Pastor of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church
Without the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross, we cannot be reconciled to the Father. During the season of Lent, we are thankful that Christ has been crucified for us. He died for our transgressions. He has won for us the forgiveness of all of our sins.
Without the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the tomb, we cannot have eternal life. During the season of Easter, we rejoice in the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
He was raised for our justification. Because of this event, we are declared to be righteous in God’s sight. He died for us and now He lives for us.
Christ has died and Christ has risen! Alleluia!
Jesus is both the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep and takes it up again.
This Shepherd becomes one of the sheep here in time in order to bring the sheep to Him in eternity.
Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd, but He does not leave it up to our own imaginations to decide what makes this shepherd “good.” No, He teaches us that to be the Good Shepherd it means that He gives up His life for His sheep.
This Shepherd dies in behalf of His sheep. He does not die because He is overpowered by the Evil One. Rather, He lays down His life willingly to save the sheep.
He has the authority and the ability to do just that. He came to die for the sheep. In His death, He defeats the Evil One.
The visible display of this victory over death and this victory over the Evil One is seen in the resurrection. This Good Shepherd, who died on behalf of the sheep, does not remain in the tomb.
No, the tomb remains empty, for death could not hold the Author of Life. He who has the authority and the ability to lay down His life has the authority and the ability to take His life back up again.
At the beginning of Lent, we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return. The human body that was originally created from the ground shall return to the ground at death.
There can be no resurrection of our bodies, without the death of the body of Jesus. Now at the beginning of Easter, we are reminded that those who believe in Jesus even though they die they shall live, because His body that was put to death for our offenses was raised to life for our absolution.
It is the Good Shepherd who makes Good Friday good.
This is Good News for all.
