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"HE IS NOT HERE: FOR HE IS RISEN" "And the angel answered and said unto the women, 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." (Matthew 28:5-7) In these three verses, I see four great truths: First, the Method of Christ's death, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was CRUCIFIED." (v.5) Second, the Message of Christ's body, "He is not HERE:" (v'6) Third, the Miracle of Christ's resurrection,"...for he is RISEN," (v.6), and "...he is RISEN from the dead," (v,7) Fourth, the Mission to tell others," And go quickly, and TELL his disciples", (v.7) (all 5 caps mine)Many is the time when I read this portion of Scripture, I can almost hear that angel calmly declaring to those women during that early morning hour as they drew nigh to the tomb and heard those words, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus." And then I think to myself, yes dear women, ye seek Jesus Who was BEATEN. Yes dear women, ye seek Jesus Who was BATTERED. Yes dear women, ye seek Jesus Who was BLOODIED. Yes dear women, ye seek Jesus Who was BURIED. But dear women, this same Jesus ye are seeking is no longer BOUND...FOR HE IS RISEN!The enemies of God did all they could. They sealed the tomb, they set a watch, they bribed some soldiers who pulled guard duty and secured the whole area to ensure that His body would not be stolen. But that which they purposely thought to do was no match for what the Power of Almighty God triumphantly did, "But God raised him from the dead:" (Acts 13 30) Followers of false religions and cults go with their heads hanging in despair to some graveyard and sadly confess, "There is the mausoleum where the body of our great teacher is kept", or "There is the crypt where the form of our founding father is held", or "There is that dirt covered hole in the ground where the remains of our leader now rots."Make no mistake about it, Jesus Christ DID in fact die, but we, as Children of the Living God, can now confidently point to an EMPTY TOMB and lovingly look to Heaven with hearts filled with joy and by faith see Him seated at the right hand of the Father in Glory and say, "My Lord and my Saviour is ALIVE FOREVERMORE!"What a comforting assurance it is to our souls to know that all the combined forces of Hell could not destroy the Lord Jesus, nor could Joseph of Arimathea's own new tomb hold Him. He was indeed victorious over death.Friends, proclaim it loud and clear, "HE IS NOT HERE: FOR HE IS RISEN.