Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Happy Easter!  We just completed Holy Week, the grandest week in the calendar because it is the ultimate demonstration of God's glory.  And Easter, our Lord's triumphant defeat of death.  We remember what God has done for us in His Son.  Jesus, The Good Shepherd, laid His life down for us and took it back up again.

At Jesus' victorious resurrection, He shows that He knows all of His sheep. Mary Magdalene walks to the tomb on the first day of the week, but notices that the body was "taken."  She shares this news with Peter and then both John and Peter race to the tomb to see that it is empty.  Mary also returns to the tomb and begins to weep.  But then Jesus appears.  Mary doesn't know it yet, but The Good Shepherd is standing right in front of her eyes.  But it's not until Jesus calls out her name: "Mary," that she recognizes her Lord.  Just as Jesus called out Mary's name, The Good Shepherd has called out your name in Baptism and will call you out of your tomb one day.  He hasn't lost one sheep, and Jesus won't lose you either!

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Blessings,

Pastor Noah