My Favorite Easter Message! Resurrection day! The Day “Him” Became “It” and “It” Became “Him.” Notice in the four Gospels, before His death, that many, many times Jesus was referred to as “Him.” “They bound Him, led Him, delivered Him, betrayed Him, examined Him, stripped Him, clothed Him, worshiped Him, saluted Him, mocked Him, spit upon Him, smote Him, chastised Him, scourged Him, unclothed Him, and crucified Him.” Pilate cried, “Release Him… let Him go.” They led Him… to crucify Him, followed Him, offered Him vinegar, gave Him to drink, and finally crucified Him. As long as He was alive and His spirit was in His body, He was referred to as “Him.” When Jesus knew all things were fulfilled, He cried “It is finished!”
He had left nothing undone. God accepted Him as the last sacrifice for sin. He died! “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own tomb” (Matthew 27:59-60). Notice that immediately after His death, He was referred to as “it” not “Him.” “Him” (His body), became “it.”After death “Him” became “It.” But after the resurrection, “It” (His body) became “Him” again! The angel said, “He is risen; He is not here: But go your way and tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him (not “it”).
After His resurrection (pardon my grammar), “Him” got back in “It” and “It” became “Him” again. He is the risen Savior. On Friday “Him” became “It.” On Sunday “It” became “Him.” If“ Him” had not become “It” and “It” had not become “Him,” our hope and faith is in vain. “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain… And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15:13-14). No one is saved without the resurrection, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9). The resurrection validated and confirmed Christ as the risen Saviour. The resurrection was God’s “Amen” to Christ saying, “It is finished!” At birth He was the Son. On the cross He was our sacrifice. In the grave He was our substitute. In the resurrection He is our Saviour. Only Christianity has a risen Saviour! Good news! He is still changing lives and He can change you. He is risen – He is risen indeed! This is the true meaning of Easter.
Timely Thought: Jesus is God in a body – The Holy Spirit is God dwelling in believers – Scriptures are God in a book – TC