He is risen; Happy Resurrection Day!

To Christians, there's no greater sentence than "He is risen," It means that Christ has defeated death. It means that Christ has paid the price for our sins. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, it says "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."

The apostle Paul wrote "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." When we accept Christ's shed blood as payment for our sins, something spectacular happens. This is what happenns: "Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

The first criminal didn't repent but the second criminal did. Jesus turned to the second criminal and said "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Imagine the joy that second criminal felt when Christ told him he'd be with Christ in Paradise that day!

After Christ died on that cruel cross at Calvary, He rose again 3 days later. Here's how the Gospel of Luke portrays Christ's Resurrection:

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

Proof that the Lord had risen

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was [e]seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?" Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?"

Jesus reveals Himself

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

Christ is risen indeed!