Resurrection Sunday

He is risen… He is risen indeed!

For centuries, this triumphant greeting has echoed through the church, not just in English, but in many languages—“Christos Anesti” in Greece, “Cristo ha resucitado” in Spanish-speaking countries. It’s the same powerful declaration that reverberates across time. Two thousand years ago, on the first Easter morning, those same words rang out in Aramaic: Qemle maran, beshrara qemle—He is risen. He is risen indeed!

But why the word “indeed”?

Indeed is a strong word. It carries with it a sense of certainty, an undeniable fact. You wouldn’t say, “N’Sync was the best band of the ‘90s, indeed,” unless you were absolutely sure. But when we declare “He is risen indeed”, we’re not just making a casual remark. We’re affirming something with conviction—a historical reality, one with undeniable proof.

The gospel accounts that we remember this Resurrection Sunday give us a few key reasons why the church has made this declaration for 2,000 years.

Exhibit A: The Linens.
Picture the scene: Jesus’ body is gone, yet the burial linens remain, carefully folded. Grave robbers, if they had stolen the body, would hardly have bothered with neatness or a corpse; the linens were the product of value. This is no ordinary disappearance; it’s a deliberate act. Jesus didn’t just come back to life; He conquered death itself, and the linens are evidence of that victory. The mission was complete. Death was undone.

Exhibit B: The Women.
Mary Magdalene, a woman, is the first to discover the empty tomb and the first to see the risen Jesus. In ancient times, women’s testimonies weren’t even considered legally valid, yet the gospel writers included this detail. Why? Because truth doesn’t hide anything—it is what it is. Jesus’ choice to reveal Himself first to women speaks volumes about His regard for all people, regardless of societal norms.

Exhibit C: The Apostles.
The transformation of Jesus’ followers is one of the most powerful pieces of evidence. These were people who, just days earlier, were filled with fear and doubt, hiding from the authorities. But after encountering the risen Jesus, they became bold proclaimers of the resurrection, even in the face of persecution and death. They had seen with their own eyes—Jesus had risen, and they couldn’t deny it.

This Resurrection Sunday, I invite you to consider these facts. Do you believe that He is risen, indeed? The resurrection isn’t just about an escape from death—it’s about a whole new creation, a reality where death no longer holds the final word.

He is risen. He is risen indeed! And if that’s true, everything changes.

Will you believe today?

Pray: Risen Lord, I praise You for the empty tomb, the folded linens, the witness of the women, and the boldness of Your followers—all shouting the truth: You are risen indeed. Let this truth not just echo in my ears, but take root in my heart and reshape the way I live. Because You live, fear has lost its grip and death has lost its sting. Fill me with resurrection hope today, and every day, until I see You face to face.