Easter Wednesday

No Corruption

Acts 2:22–32 (ESV) Peter said, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses."

When Jesus asked for the tomb of Lazarus to be opened, Martha replied, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39). Jesus had not been in the tomb quite that long, but especially given the violent wounds that He had received, surely the women were expecting to find something similar at Jesus’ tomb.

Yet it was impossible for the body of Jesus to decay, even though He was truly dead and buried. In Peter's Pentecost Sunday sermon, he cites Psalm 16:8–11 to prove that Jesus’ body could not have decayed in the tomb and that it would be raised, since the Word of the Lord cannot be broken. Just as Psalm 22 had promised new life to the Forsaken One, so also Psalm 16 promised that the Holy One of God would not see corruption. In contrast with David, who was buried and whose tomb the Jews could see that very day, the tomb of Jesus was open, and the witnesses to the resurrection could attest to that glorious fact!

Here is what this all means for us: 1 Corinthians 15:51–58 (ESV) Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Prayer: Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Prayer requests: for the family of Jeri Gruetzner, who was laid to rest on April 13; for Bessie Mahaffey and Alma Gause, under hospice care.