April 22, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 24:36-49

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:19-16:12; Hebrews 10:1-18

“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. In the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed, we confess that we believe in the resurrection of the dead. It is a confession that has deep implications in our lives as children of God. When we confess the resurrection of the dead, we are saying that death is conquered. We are saying that in our bodies, in our flesh, we will come from the dead. We will not be spirits, we will not be ghosts, we will not be angels— we will be human beings in the flesh.

In the resurrection of Christ, we are given what will happen to us in the resurrection. The language of the narratives from the Gospels give witness to what the disciples and followers of Jesus saw after His resurrection. They saw Jesus. They heard Jesus. They touched Jesus. Yes, touched Jesus. He was not a ghost or some anomaly from the proverbial spirit world. He was fully human. He was alive and breathing, eating and drinking as humans do every day. He completely rose from the dead.

Oftentimes, we hear about life everlasting in some existential context. Life everlasting is taught as something that is “way out there.” We cannot grasp it, so it is taught like fairytales and make-believe stories. Life everlasting becomes supernatural, where the dead end up as ghosts or angels. We are to believe that eternal life is really an experience in nirvana, where we do not have bodies and that we become one with the universe. 

All of these false teachings take us away from the Scriptures and what we confess in our creeds. We believe, teach, confess, and practice that on the Last Day, we will rise from the dead in our flesh. We will be able to see, taste, touch, smell, and hear. We will walk again upon a restored earth. No longer will there be death. In Christ’s resurrection is our resurrection.

In Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection. Death is conquered. Death is destroyed. Right now, you have eternal life. Jesus invites His followers to touch Him after the resurrection. He is in the flesh, resurrected from the dead. When you confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the dead.” you confess that you will rise from the dead as Christ rose from the dead. In the flesh. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty God, through the resurrection of Your Son You have secured peace for our troubled consciences. Grant us this peace evermore that trusting in the merit of Your Son we may come at last to the perfect peace of heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Easter Tuesday)

-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.