Paid, Buried, Risen: The Story Is Not Over
On Easter morning, we gather to declare what seems impossible but is eternally true: death has been defeated, and Jesus Christ is alive. These are more than just words we recite— “resurrection,” “empty tomb,” “victory”—they are the foundation of our hope.
Years ago, Benjamin Franklin wrote a poetic epitaph for himself—not one carved in stone but penned from his own thoughts. He imagined his body like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and its lettering worn away, lying still, “food for worms.” Yet, in the next breath, he declared belief in a new and better edition—corrected and amended by the Author. Franklin may not have understood the full depth of Christian hope, but he glimpsed a truth that Easter fully reveals: the grave is not the end of the story.
I recently held in my hands a tattered book of prayer—worn, fragile, and nearly forgotten. The cover was faded, the pages brittle. And yet, inside was a message. Imperfect, but precious. Broken, but not worthless. And at that moment, it mirrored something far more significant than itself. This is what Easter tells us: God takes what is broken, bruised, buried—and breathes life into it. God is not simply setting out to improve; He has set out to resurrect.
The Apostle Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57 that death has lost its sting, and the grave has lost its victory. Because of Jesus Christ, death does not have the final word. Christ has paid the price, was buried in a tomb, and has risen victorious. And because of Him, our story is not finished. A greater edition is coming—one written by the Author and Perfecter of Life Himself.
Jesus paid the price, died for us, and rose from the dead. This is not religious poetry—it is the Gospel.
First, we were paid for. The debt was real. God’s law was clear, and our sin brought shame, guilt, and separation. But the cross was never a symbol of failure, it was the payment. Jesus absorbed the wrath we deserved and satisfied the justice of a holy God. As Paul writes in Colossians 2:14, our record of wrongs was nailed to the cross, canceled, forgiven, erased. How do we know that payment was enough? Because the tomb is empty. The resurrection is God’s stamp of approval. The cross was not a tragedy—it was a transaction that paid for our lives.
And then He was buried. Jesus truly died. His body was wrapped, sealed in the tomb, and hope—for those who followed Him—seemed lost. But what looked like the end was not the end at all. Death seemed final, but it was not the end. In fact, it was the setup for the most glorious act in history. Isaiah foretold it—God’s servant would be crushed but also exalted. The grave was the doorway to resurrection.
We have all felt the sting of loss. We carry grief in quiet corners of our hearts. But here is the truth: Jesus entered the grave to redefine it—not as a destination, but as a passage to victory.
And on the third day, He rose. His resurrection was not symbolic, but physical, historical, and unstoppable. Christ did not stay dead. Death is defeated, and hope is alive. That changes everything. Because He lives, our hope is no longer a wish—it is a promise. As Psalm 16 declares, God will not abandon His Holy One to decay, and in His presence, there is fullness of joy.
This is Easter: the resurrection of Christ is hope for today, tomorrow, and eternity. Pain may endure for a time, but death no longer gets the final word.
So now the invitation is clear:
Come and See – the tomb is empty.
Come and Believe – death is defeated.
Come and Live – hope is alive in Christ.