April 1, 2026 — Pastor Christopher Warneke
As we celebrate Holy Week and Easter, this is the prayer: that your heart would be enlightened by the Word of God to see clearly what Jesus has done for you. In His suffering, death, and resurrection, Christ has accomplished everything necessary for your salvation. This is not wishful thinking or distant hope—it is a sure and certain promise given to you in His Word.
Jesus has taken your sins upon Himself on the cross and paid for them in full.
And He is risen from the dead.
Death has been crushed under His feet. The grave has been defeated. In Christ, you are given the promise of:
This is the heart of Easter. Not just that Jesus lives—but that because He lives, you also will live.
How do you receive this wonderful message of forgiveness and life? You receive it through the Word of God.
The Holy Scriptures are not merely human reflections or religious ideas. They are the very Words of God, written through the hands of men. Through them, God delivers to you the message of forgiveness and life.
In the Gospels, we are given eyewitness testimony of the risen Jesus. These were not vague visions or fleeting spiritual experiences. The risen Christ appeared many times:
These encounters were real, physical, and undeniable. Jesus proved that He had truly conquered death.
After appearing to His disciples, Jesus gave them a mission—to proclaim this victory to the world:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20).
The Apostles proclaim to you what they saw and heard. They bring you the message of salvation that they received from Christ Himself.
The certainty of the resurrection is beautifully captured in the words of John:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you” (1 John 1:1–3).
This is not secondhand speculation. This is firsthand testimony.
The Apostles saw Jesus alive. They touched Him. They spoke with Him. And they proclaimed this truth so that you, too, may have fellowship with God through Him.
Because Christ is risen, everything He promises is certain.
The Word of God does not waver. The testimony of the Apostles does not change. And the victory of Christ cannot be undone.
Christ is risen from the dead. All who believe in Him have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of resurrection in Him.
Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has won the victory over sin, death, and the devil!
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Take time this week to dwell in this truth. Read the resurrection accounts. Hear again the promises of God’s Word. Let them shape your confidence and your hope.
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