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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Finding the Risen Christ

"Seek, and you will find" (Matt. 7:7).

As I write these words, it is the 25th day of Easter.  We are just halfway through the Easter Season.  The season's greeting continues to be, "Christ is risen!"  This is the happiest time of the year.

We still hear the words of the angel: "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He has risen" (Mark 16:6).  This is the heart of the very first Easter sermon.  (For the first Christmas sermon, see Luke 2:10-12.)  Sermons have gotten longer, but not better.

In just a few words, the angel preaches the suffering-death of Jesus, His most certain resurrection, and even reminds us of His conception by the Holy Spirit, since that took place in Nazareth.

But I want to draw attention to the word "seek."  It reminds me of that promise in Matthew 7:7: "Seek, and you will find."  What do I want to say?  Christians are people who continually seek Jesus.

And Christians are people who continually find Him in the Holy Gospel.  In Holy Communion.  In helping and serving each other.  And in the great Easter greeting, "Christ is risen!"

"He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!"