“For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” (John 20:9)

Jesus rose from the dead “on the third day.” In the Hebrew scriptures, “the third day” was traditionally the day of deliverance, of reversal, of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat or death. (1) In Hosea: “God will revive us after two days; on the third day, he will raise us up to live in his presence.” (2) “On the third day,” as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, God told him to spare the life of his son. (3) Joseph freed his brothers from the Egyptian prison “on the third day.” (4) “On the third day,” God appeared to the wandering tribes on Sinai. (5) “On the third day,” David received the news that Saul had died. (6) Isaiah told Hezekiah that he would be healed from a grave illness “on the third day.” (7) “On the third day,” and when their situation seemed most hopeless, Esther initiated her plan for saving her fellow Jews. (8) Jonah freed from the belly of the great fish “on the third day.”

Today, “on the third day” after remembering Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, we are celebrating the divine reversal of that event in the faith that Christ’s resurrection stands as a sure pledge of what each of us will eventually share.

Because of Jesus’ dynamic and abiding presence, every day is “the third day.” Each day is marked by redemption from death. Therefore, ours should be an Easter morality. Only by sharing in the events of Jesus dying and rising, by confronting and confounding sin and death, by letting the mystery of the resurrection seize us and inform all our thoughts, words and actions, will we become truly Christian and true heirs of Easter glory.  

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to repent our sins, reflect on our vocation of dynamic Christian discipleship to live a holy life to fulfill God’s will and obtain our salvation.

How can we be resurrection people after “the third day,” live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly expecting the living presence of the resurrected Lord in all the events of our lives?

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.