Risen

12 April 2009, 12:17 pm by Giggles

While I am normally anything but a morning person, I can rise early to watch the sun rise in memory of the day that the Son of God rose from the tomb.

Both last year and this year I have risen before the sunrise and drove out to the edge of town where I can watch the sun rise over the mountains. While I am there I read the accounts of the resurrection found in the Gospels in the New Testament. In that quiet way I remember the atonement and resurrection that make peace, joy, and eternal life possible.

Yesterday was very rainy, sheets of raining falling throughout the day. There were still clouds all over the sky this morning when I went to watch the sun rise. But the sun did come through for the picture above.

It made me think even more of one aspect of my Savior’s atonement that I have been thinking about lately. Jesus not only suffered for our sins, He suffers with us in our trials and pains. Even when our life is dark and cloudy, the sun still rises. The sun is still there. And if we wait, the clouds do leave. The dark and cold morning turns into a warm and sunny afternoon.

I like to think of the angels at the tomb that first Easter morning. What a joyous assignment that must have been for them, to be the first to tell the world that He lives.

Matthew records the angels’ as saying:

Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. (Matthew 28: 5-8)

This morning it struck me how very similar the message of the angels at His resurrection to the women at the tomb was to the message of the angles at his birth to the shepherds.

Luke records their words at his birth:

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. … And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. (Luke 2: 10-14, 16-17)

In both cases, the angels instructed the people to not fear but to be at peace. They gave a sign of the truthfulness of their words – the empty tomb and babe in swaddling clothes. And those that heard the message hurried to find the truth of the message, and then shared the truth they had found with others.

We too need not fear. We can have peace. (Helaman 5:47, D&C 121:7)

We have many signs of the truthfulness of the message. All of the holy prophets, and even the earth and all that is on it, are a sign of the truthfulness of the message of the angels. (Alma 30:44)

Am I hurrying to learn more of the truthfulness of the Gospel? Am I hurrying to share that message with others?

I do know it is true. I know that my Savior lives. This knowledge brings me peace and joy. And this is why we celebrate Easter.

I encourage you to watch this video presentation of the talk “None were with Him,” given by Elder Holland at last week’s General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You can also read the text of the entire talk as well as listen to the audio of it. Video of the talk will be up in a few weeks time.