Daily Devotions
Sunday, July 27, 2025
“We know that Christ is raised and dies no more. Embraced by death, He broke its fearful hold; And our despair He turned to blazing joy. Alleluia!
“We share by water in His saving death. Reborn, we share with Him an Easter life As living members of a living Christ. Alleluia!”
This is July. It has been quite a while since we shared the greeting, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” We are a few months removed from the joy of Easter morning. While that particular Sunday is behind us for this year, the resurrection of our Lord is never behind us. The resurrection of Jesus is a part of us. As our hymn declares, through Baptism we share by water in Jesus’ saving death. We have been born again and now we share with Jesus His Easter life. Just what, exactly, is an Easter life? What does it mean to live within the resurrection of our Lord?
During His earthly ministry, Jesus raised people from death—the widow’s son in Nain, Jairus’ daughter, and His friend Lazarus. Yet each of these people, once raised, lived out the rest of their lives and then died, hopefully with faith in the Lord who came to die for them and for us all. On the third day after His death and burial, Jesus was raised from death never to die again. “Embraced by death,” Jesus “broke its fearful hold.” He rose in triumph, and death no longer has dominion over Him. After His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days proving He was alive and teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God. Then He ascended to reign in glory at the Father’s right hand.
Through the water and the Word of God in Baptism, we were united to Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. Now we share Jesus’ resurrection life. We are living members of His body, the church. We are the compassionate eyes, heart, and hands of Jesus as we interact with the people we meet each day. We share the good news of the kingdom of God so that others will also come to confess Jesus as Lord. Jesus’ victory over death is our victory, too. God will, at the time He has appointed, call each of us home to Himself. We will fall asleep in death as our souls are received immediately into His presence. When Jesus returns on the Last Day, we will be raised bodily from death, soul and body reunited, to live with Him forever. Until then, we share with others the Good News of Jesus and the Easter life that we share with Him. Surprise someone today—even though Easter Sunday is long past—with the greeting that reflects our resurrection life: “Christ is risen!”
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, help me to live each day in the confidence and joy of Your resurrection. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “We Know That Christ Is Raised,” which is number 603 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
- Did your church greet you with “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” this Easter? Do they greet you with this saying on other occasions, too?
- What does it mean when the hymn above, speaking of Jesus, says that “Embraced by death, He broke its fearful hold; And our despair He turned to blazing joy”?
- Do you find your faith is challenged when your share the Gospel with others? Strengthened? Made clearer to you?
Today's Readings:
Psalms 99-100,102Acts 17:16-34