Dear Members and Friends of our ELS:

Spring is a happy time. From the middle of the gray earth green begins to appear. Out of the decaying, life materializes. Out of the mulch, little shoots and sprouts peek out. Then, leaves break forth, yielding buds and flowers.

Long ago a powerful sermon was preached in a city that today is located in the Islamic country of Turkey. Though we are not told the theme of the sermon, it could well have been something like: From what looked like decay, there is life! Pisidian Antioch served as the site where the Apostle Paul delivered a potent message culminating in the point that through the resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee that there is forgiveness of sins in His name.

Recent anti-Christian allegations of an ossuary find that would dispute the resurrection of our Savior cannot detract from the clear testimony of the reliable word of God: “But the one whom God raised from dead did not see decay” (Acts 13:37). So certain was Paul in reporting the news of Christ’s rising on the third day that he attributes Christ’s resurrection as a necessary occurrence on the basis of Old Testament prophecy. Had not David in Psalm 16 clearly announced in reference to the Messiah, “You will not let your holy one see decay”? (Acts 13:35, Psalm 16:10).

Does life seem to be grey with spiritual doldrums? Does our soul need spring-time refreshing? The grass gets no greener than this: The one on whom our redemption from sin depends was so thoroughly resurrected after His atoning death at the cross that even King David foretold the body of this Redeemer would not be in the ground long enough to see decay. Yes, from what looked like decay, there is life!

But the happiness of our spiritual springtime does not stop there. Since Christ has risen, by faith in Him we have forgiveness of sin and we are forgiven of all our sins and we will ourselves enjoy the resurrection to life eternal in heaven! In Psalm 16 these words which directly apply to Jesus can, by extension, also be said of us believers as well: “Therefore my heart is glad and my heart rejoices; my body will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave” (Psalm 16:9, 10a).

May the buds that break forth with new life at this time of the year remind us of an even greater life. In Christ we sinners have new life and will one day enjoy it to the fullest—both in soul and body! Enjoy the Sunshine.