Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

— Matthew 28:9

Can an event that took place two thousand years ago benefit humanity today? When Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, his body lay in a stone-sealed tomb. And then . . . he took a breath; his body stirred; God raised him from the dead. And before some of his followers came to visit the tomb, an angel rolled away the stone so that they could see Jesus had risen.

What difference does that make for us today? Well, whatever I am doing today, I know that my Lord and Father will see me as his child clothed in the righteousness of the risen Christ. The Bible teaches us that, as God’s children, we have been crucified and have died with Christ, and we have been buried with him and have risen to new life with him. And we experience this new life in amazing ways as we grow in faith, serve the Lord, and meet with others in Jesus’ name—in our churches, neighborhoods, college campuses, workplaces, and more.

We are also assured that when Jesus returns, the bodies of all who have died believing in him will be raised to live with him. Just as Jesus left the tomb in his resurrected body, I will rise from the grave with mine!

Yes, an event that took place two thousand years ago offers us a world of comfort and joy!

Lord, even as we begin to enjoy new life in you today, we look forward to our own resurrection, when we can live, body and soul, with you! Amen.