Today’s Reading: Matthew 27:57-66 (?)
Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17—14:9; Hebrews 7:1-22
O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! (From the Introit for Easter Day)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There's a saying, “You can't keep a good man down.” I guess it means that someone who is strong or noble or powerful or does good things can't be defeated, but can come back and triumph. Until he dies. Then a good man is kept down, because not even good men can beat death.
But, Jesus can beat death. He did beat death. He triumphed over death. He is true God. And He is true man. And He defeated death. And He defeated sin. He defeated the devil, and hell, and suffered God's wrath against sin and now He is alive!
St. Paul says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). That means Jesus dies, because He has sins. Not HIS sins, of course. He dies covered in OUR sins. But, on Easter He is alive. Why? Well, the obvious conclusion is: no more sins! They're done for. Taken care of. Blotted out. Cast away as far as the east is from the west.
When Jesus rose from the dead, His name is shown to be excellent. Ever since His birth, His name meant that the Lord would save us from sins. Now He's done it. It's finished. Accomplished. Jesus has done what His name means: He's saved us from our sins.
And that name IS excellent. It is the excellent name that is spoken over you in Holy Baptism. It is the excellent name in which the Absolution is spoken. It is the excellent Name we hear speaking of the forgiveness of sins through His Body and Blood. Excellent name! J-E-S-U-S. The Lord saves.
Lent has been all about Jesus suffering and dying for us. About forgetting ourselves and putting all of our hope and trust in Jesus. Lent was never about us. It was always about Jesus. Just as Easter tomorrow is all about Jesus alive from the dead for us. It just never stops being about Jesus, doing His saving work for you and delivering that salvation in His church. Dare we say it? They'll say it tonight at the Easter Vigil, so we'll go ahead and say it now, too: Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; Sing the ending of the fray. Now above the cross, the trophy, Sound the loud triumphant lay; Tell how Christ, the world's redeemer, As a victim won the day. (LSB #454, st.1).