Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia. What a beautiful sound—what beautiful words those are.

We are in the Easter season, and it is truly a joy to know that Christ has indeed risen, that our sins have been forgiven, and that we are promised eternal life in Him.

In our chapel time at Love One Another Preschool yesterday, we entered into the sanctuary—the Lord’s house. Before we went in, I told the children, “You’re going to see something different than what is normally in here, and you’re going to smell something different as well.” As we came in, the children began to say, “There are flowers! There are flowers!” One little girl took a deep breath and said, “It smells like flowers.”

And that is exactly what we talked about in chapel—the Easter lilies: why we have them, what they mean, and what they remind us of. So today, in our time of devotion, we’re going to reflect on the Easter lily.

First, we notice that the Easter lilies are white. White represents purity—the purity that Christ alone possesses, as He walked this earth sinless and completely holy. Yet it also represents the purity that we have in Him, because He took all of our sin upon Himself. We are now clothed in the white robe of righteousness, given to us through His love and sacrifice, and received through the waters of baptism.

Next, notice the shape of the lily. It resembles a trumpet—a horn. In biblical times, announcements were often made by the blowing of a horn, drawing attention before a message was proclaimed. In the same way, the Easter lily, with its trumpet-like shape, seems to announce: “He is risen!” It is a visible proclamation of the good news.

And though you may not be able to smell them right now, these flowers have a wonderfully sweet aroma. That fragrance reminds us of the sweetness of life in Christ—the joy and blessing of the eternal life we have in Him.

In Scripture, I want to share from 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. When Christ died, His friends and family stood at the cross and wept. They were filled with sorrow. Their Jesus had died. But what joy they experienced on Easter morning.

We, too, experience sorrow when we lose someone. It is right to grieve. It is okay to be sad. But Scripture reminds us that we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Beginning in verse 14:

“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the  clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

When Christ comes again, there will be the sound of a trumpet. The announcement of His return will go forth—supernaturally heard and seen by all—as He descends among the clouds. And we will be gathered to Him—all who believe, all who love the Lord, all whom He has called to be His own.

We will be together in His presence forever.

We have this promise because it is a promise the Lord Himself has made to you and to me. And we know that this promise is true because it is secured in the blood of Jesus. We know His sacrifice was accepted because the tomb is empty.

The Easter lily is beautiful to look at. It has a sweet, wonderful fragrance. And it fills the Lord’s house with a sense of joy and life. But even more, it reminds us of the purity we have in Christ. It reminds us that we live in the sweetness of His life. And it reminds us that He will come again, calling us to be united with Him—and with all who believe—forever and ever.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Lord, we thank You. We thank You for the empty tomb. We thank You for the Easter joy that we live in—not only today, but for all eternity. We thank You that You have claimed us as Your own. We thank You that we are Yours, now and forever, and that Your promises are sure and true.

Thank You, thank You, thank You.

In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

He is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Pastor Malinak