The phrase "He is risen" is used by Christians during Easter to celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead. The response to the phrase “He is risen” is, “He’s risen indeed.”

Early on, Eastern and Byzantine liturgies used the greeting more frequently than Western ones. 

Tradition has it that Mary Magdalene popularized the phrase when she had a meeting with Emperor Tiberius in Rome, telling him that “Christ is risen” from the dead. 

Christ's resurrection by God served as final proof of God's approval and vindication of everything Jesus stood for. Jesus identified with the poor and disenfranchised, but most of all, those who had committed a multitude of sins. 

Christ also absorbed the hatred given to Him from religious and political powers without returning it. He was passionate about liberating the oppressed and teaching us true compassion. 

Because of the compassionate life Jesus led, God saved us from our sins.

“He is risen” is an important doctrinal truth we share on Easter and at other times with one another about the power of Christ's resurrection. We proclaim His power over death in the present tense since it is a continuing fact. We have continued hope in Christ's resurrection even thousands of years later. 

We can confidently proclaim that He is risen. He is risen, indeed, hallelujah!

The Old and New Testaments both speak of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 

Before His death on the cross, Jesus told His disciples of His resurrection, and His disciples saw the body of the risen Christ. 

In the days before Jesus rose from the dead, He was tried by a court and convicted for a false claim to be a king. 

Jesus' body was hung on a cross between two thieves, and His body was laid in a tomb after His death, wrapped in linen cloth and covered with a large stone. 

Mary Magdalene and another Mary traveled to the empty tomb early on a Sunday morning. An angel of the Lord sat on the rolled-away stone and told them not to be afraid, for Jesus had risen. 

“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here, for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you'll see him. See, I have told you’” (Matthew 28:5-7).

While the women were leaving to tell the disciples, Jesus Christ met them and showed them the nail-piercings in His hands.

Later, Peter’s message to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem was that God “raised up” this Jesus “whom you crucified” and “has made Him both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:32-36). 

According to Acts, the Bible verses were historically reflective of early Christian thought, which held that God approved of Jesus' resurrection, and He will always be a constant presence in the lives of His followers. 

The belief in God's saving grace and mercy, through Jesus our savior, is meaningless without the resurrection. He proved His divinity as the son of God, as well as His redeeming and saving work through rising from the dead.

The significance of Easter Sunday is that it represents the freedom we have to live a life of victory in God. Our sins are forgiven through the grace of God, and we can enjoy abundant joy from today onward. 

How better to honor the occasion than by reviewing the popular Easter Bible verses?

John 11:25-26

“Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Acts 4:33

“With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all.”

1 Peter 1:3

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Luke 24:6-7

“He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and, on the third day, be raised again.”

Mark 16:5-7

“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed."Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He isn't here. See the place where they laid Him. But go tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There, you'll see Him, just as He told you.'”

Acts 3:15

“You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead.”

Romans 8:34

“Who, then, is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

Jesus the Risen One acts as our great high priest. He is our ambassador into heaven. 

His suffering has enabled Him to empathize with our weakness. Knowing that we're nothing but dust, and to dust we shall return, He strengthens us accordingly. Because Jesus is a sympathetic, great high priest, we can draw near to Him in confidence.

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