I mentioned last week that there is a form of glory-stealing taking place in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Jesus Christ took away the glory of death. Death’s glory is not the glory of God, but rather it was the glory of possessing something that did not belong. What did death possess? Death possessed the glory of being undefeated. To that point in history, death had the final laugh. The house of death was intact; unmoved and uncompromised, until the glory of the empty tomb. The tomb was empty because it could not contain the glory of Christ and His Kingdom.
When the tomb was empty, then the household of Satan was threatened; then the glory of death was threatened. Matthew 12 describes this scene when it speaks of Jesus coming to the strong man’s house and plundering his goods and binding the strong man. This is the imagery we must keep in mind of the resurrection: Jesus comes and plunders the glory of death. He takes away the possessions of death, and on the Third Day he says: there is a new victor in the world. Death does not have the final word. “O Death, where is your sting?” The answer is: It lost its appetite.
The Resurrection is the true glory; the resurrection is the final word, and death has been robbed. All authority and power belong to the Risen Lord. And it is by His power that we enter into His gates to worship on this most holy day. Come, let us worship our Risen King!
Prayer: Lord, God of strength, you gave your Son victory over death. Direct your Church’s fight against evil in the world. Clothe us with the weapons of light and unite us under the one banner of love, that we may rejoice in your victory of death and your triumph over the Evil One. Amen.
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