"Encourage one another
daily"
(Hebrews 3:13).
A daily, Bible-based
perspective of
hope, encouragement and exhortation.
hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Monday, March 28, 2005
"Risen Indeed!"
"The Lord is risen indeed" (Luke 24:34).
A customary greeting in churches on resurrection morning is for the pastor to say, "He is risen" and the people to respond, "He is risen indeed!" We joyfully did so again yesterday as our pastor led us in this traditional greeting.
Following the church service we traveled up to have our family Easter meal with my brother and his family, who live about 100 miles away in eastern PA. This was a special time to get my Mom out after her knee surgery and lengthy rehab.
After we arrived and had our customary greetings, my brother said he had my sister on the phone and invited us all to sing "happy anniversary" together (my sister and her husband, who live in Miami, Florida, were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.)
We all began to sing heartily as we mentally pictured the two at the other side of the telephone connection. But as we got to the line where we personalize the song with their names they walked right into the room! We were totally surprised. With hands over her mouth Brooksyne screeched and after it sunk in my Mom (who had very damp eyes) hugged my sister over and over.
As I saw them come in I recall the way my mind worked as it assimilated the information. I conceptually had them in Miami and for a couple of seconds my brain circuits were all messed up. My surprised expression was not verbal, but my eyes bugged out as my mind adjusted to a reality so different than my assumption.
I believe some of this same dynamic is at work in the early resurrected appearances of the Lord. The disciples seemed so confused; they were startled and frightened. They doubted since it was too incredulous to believe and they thought they saw a ghost. *
Though there was a period of disbelief reality eventually sunk in. This actually ended after Jesus appeared in the midst of the disciples with Thomas who voiced what others were probably wondering. But they all came to believe and live out their lives proclaiming the risen Lord.
The phrase "He is risen indeed" is a tremendous statement of faith. It is actually the eye-witness testimony of the two disciples whom the Lord met on the road to Emmaus. (That wonderful story is found in Luke 24:13-35.)
We tend to use the traditional rendering, "The Lord is risen indeed." The word for "indeed" is translated "true" or "really" in many other versions. The actual underlying Greek word is "ontos" (any recalling a study of philosophy may recall the word "ontology", which is the study of existence and reality).
Today, I join hundreds of millions of fellow believers around the world in declaring, "He is risen indeed!"
I serve a risen Savior,
He's in the world today,
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Note from Brooksyne: After yesterday's experience I feel more personally how the disciples might have felt at seeing the resurrected Christ. Their last sight of Jesus was that of a brutally beaten, lifeless form being taken from the cross to be buried. Now they see a fully restored body. Defeat turned into victory - it was too good to be true! But, praise be to God, it is true!!
* I began to list the specific references where each of the expressions are found but there are so many I will just challenge the serious Berean Bible student to "examine the Scriptures."
A customary greeting in churches on resurrection morning is for the pastor to say, "He is risen" and the people to respond, "He is risen indeed!" We joyfully did so again yesterday as our pastor led us in this traditional greeting.
Following the church service we traveled up to have our family Easter meal with my brother and his family, who live about 100 miles away in eastern PA. This was a special time to get my Mom out after her knee surgery and lengthy rehab.
After we arrived and had our customary greetings, my brother said he had my sister on the phone and invited us all to sing "happy anniversary" together (my sister and her husband, who live in Miami, Florida, were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.)
We all began to sing heartily as we mentally pictured the two at the other side of the telephone connection. But as we got to the line where we personalize the song with their names they walked right into the room! We were totally surprised. With hands over her mouth Brooksyne screeched and after it sunk in my Mom (who had very damp eyes) hugged my sister over and over.
As I saw them come in I recall the way my mind worked as it assimilated the information. I conceptually had them in Miami and for a couple of seconds my brain circuits were all messed up. My surprised expression was not verbal, but my eyes bugged out as my mind adjusted to a reality so different than my assumption.
I believe some of this same dynamic is at work in the early resurrected appearances of the Lord. The disciples seemed so confused; they were startled and frightened. They doubted since it was too incredulous to believe and they thought they saw a ghost. *
Though there was a period of disbelief reality eventually sunk in. This actually ended after Jesus appeared in the midst of the disciples with Thomas who voiced what others were probably wondering. But they all came to believe and live out their lives proclaiming the risen Lord.
The phrase "He is risen indeed" is a tremendous statement of faith. It is actually the eye-witness testimony of the two disciples whom the Lord met on the road to Emmaus. (That wonderful story is found in Luke 24:13-35.)
We tend to use the traditional rendering, "The Lord is risen indeed." The word for "indeed" is translated "true" or "really" in many other versions. The actual underlying Greek word is "ontos" (any recalling a study of philosophy may recall the word "ontology", which is the study of existence and reality).
Today, I join hundreds of millions of fellow believers around the world in declaring, "He is risen indeed!"
I serve a risen Savior,
He's in the world today,
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Note from Brooksyne: After yesterday's experience I feel more personally how the disciples might have felt at seeing the resurrected Christ. Their last sight of Jesus was that of a brutally beaten, lifeless form being taken from the cross to be buried. Now they see a fully restored body. Defeat turned into victory - it was too good to be true! But, praise be to God, it is true!!
* I began to list the specific references where each of the expressions are found but there are so many I will just challenge the serious Berean Bible student to "examine the Scriptures."
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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