“Firmly believe that Christ has taken upon himself your sin and death. For that is how the virtue of the resurrection is given to me and to you.
For if I do not make use of it in this way, I do my Lord Christ great injustice, I let his triumph and victory remain barren, for he wills that it shall bear great fruit, namely that in all affliction, sin and fear, I should see nothing but Christ triumphant rising from the dead.”
“For we are called Christians because we can look to Christ and say, “Dear Lord, you have taken upon yourself my sin and have become Martin, Peter and Paul, and have trodden my sin underfoot and consumed it! There I look for my sin as you have directed me. On Good Friday I still see my sin before my eyes, but on Easter Day a new person has been born.”
“This great victory we celebrate today. By being cast down, our Lord Christ was lifted up on high, and these three mighty foes, sin, the devil, and death, must lie low under His feet.”
“As the Lord Christ has conquered death, he has also conquered sin.”
“So if you see a Christian die and be buried, and before both your eyes and ears there is nothing but death, you will discern by faith in and beneath it all another picture instead of that picture of death. It will be as if you did not see a grave but unmixed life in a lovely summer garden or a green meadow in which there is nothing but new, lively, happy people.”
“For if it is true that Christ is risen from the dead, we already have the best and noblest part of our resurrection, so that the bodily rising of the flesh out of the grave must be counted insignificant in comparison.”
“No one will deny that the corpse of a dead man is a wretched thing. But I possess an understanding higher than the eyes can see, or the senses perceive, which faith teaches me. “He has been raised.” He is no longer in the grave and buried under the earth but has been raised from the dead, and this not for his own sake but for our sake, that his resurrection be made ours so that we too may rise in him and not remain in the grave and in death, but that our bodies may celebrate with him an everlasting Easter Day.”
Phil’s mom and dad were able to visit us this year over Holy Week and Easter Sunday. This made it possible for us to all go out to Phil’s other parish for Sunday morning Easter breakfast and service. Phil had to get back to town but the rest of us were able to stick around for the Egg Hunt there after church. There weren’t many places other than the little cemetery in which to have it, but I’ll say I really did like that idea.
Christ grant you all confidence, peace and comfort in His resurrection.
He is Risen! Blessed Easter!
*All quotes from my main man Martin Luther.
Love the concept of the photos (with the commentary) in the cemetery; very poignant. The children are all so beautiful! And the boys are especially handsome! Glad y’all had a lovely day to celebrate! 🙂
St. John’s had their Easter egg hunt in the cemetery after church. I thought it odd at first but then saw another side of it and decided it was probably very appropriate!
Also like the cemetery pics.