He is Risen, He is Risen indeed! From pastel-colored cards to embroidered stuffed animals to home decorations and yard signs, we see this phrase often during this season. But, what is the significance? Why is this what we celebrate? And as we think of the song, Goodness of God by Bethel we hear the words..."His mercy never fails me, I am held in your hands, from the moment that I wake up until I lay my head, all my life you have been faithful, you have been good to me. You lead me through the fire, you are close like no other, I know you as a Father, I know you as a Friend, your goodness is running after me." Why can we sing this song? Would these words be true or mean the same if Jesus had not risen from the dead? Because of where we are in history, in the tapestry of grace that God has already woven, our faith would be in vain if the Resurrection had not occurred. We would be worshipping a God that had not fulfilled His promise, there would be no victory over death, and we would not be hoping for the eternal life that is ours when we trust Christ for it.

When I looked up "Resurrection," I noticed a comment on Wikipedia that said “it is the guarantee that all the Christian dead will be resurrected at Christ’s second coming.” A guarantee is defined as a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled. So, the unsealing of the tomb is the sealing of the promise from God that we too would rise again and live eternally.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

I Corinthians 15:13-19

So what does the resurrection accomplish?

1. It proves that Christ is who He said He was. The Word of God (the written guarantee) reveals the plan through prophecy and then the fulfillment through Christ.
2. It proves that He accomplished what He promised. God spoke of resurrection to the patriarchs and those that trusted in the future hope of Christ, the future resurrection. He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
3. It provides the fullness and completion of the sacrifice. Prior to Christ, sacrifices had to be repeated. Sacrificing was a continuous process of maintaining fellowship with God. God was fully satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son and raised Him up to sit at His right hand stamping the approval and sealing the deal.

And what does the resurrection mean to us daily?

1. That we can live with Resurrection faith. Our hope is in a God who saves, who promises, and does not dishonor his contract. Keeping the value of the resurrection at the forefront of our minds, leads us to live a life of honor to the one who promised and it leads us to live without fear of death. We have victory over death!
2. The Resurrection holds the current world in contrast to what is to come. As we trudge through the trials and tribulations of this world we can live with hope which encourages us and strengthens us here.

Because of the resurrection, we can celebrate the goodness of God that we will see in the land of the living, here on earth. The answered prayers, the redemptions of lives, the sweet moments of beauty, and the fellowship with our Creator God are all "goodness" that we celebrate here.

I would have despaired unless I had known that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD, Be strong, take heart, Yes! Wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:13-14

The hope, the waiting, the confidence we have in God’s goodness is because of the fulfilled promise of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By God’s kind intention He saved us. We have victory over sin and death and this is worth celebrating every moment of every day!

In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.The ultimate celebration of the Goodness of God is that He promises eternal life to those who believe Him for it through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:5-10