The Empty Tomb
Why is Good Friday good?
Because it marks the ultimate victory of light over darkness, hope over despair, and life over death.
He has Risen: A special Easter message of truth, power, and hope
“He forgave us all our sins… triumphing over evil by the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-15
The Story of Good vs. Evil – A Cosmic Conflict
From the beginning, a cosmic battle has raged—not between equal forces but between a created being in rebellion and the eternal, sovereign God. This is no fantasy. It is the real story behind every struggle, fear, injustice, and pain in the human experience. Amidst this cosmic conflict, there is an enemy of humanity—one who lies, deceives, and destroys. The Bible calls him Satan, the devil, the adversary of God’s purposes and people. But in the midst of this battle, there is also a Savior—Jesus Christ—who came to forgive sin, conquer evil, and restore life. His life, death, and resurrection were not religious gestures—they were God’s military strikes against darkness.
This Easter, we invite you to witness the moment Jesus won the ultimate battle: the defeat of Satan, sin, and death. The story of Easter is not simply about religion, forgiveness, or springtime traditions—it is about war. A real and spiritual battle between good and evil, light and darkness, death and life, and at the center of that war stands a cross and an empty tomb.
The Enemy Enters – Evil’s First Strike
In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, a prophetic word was spoken—not only to humanity but to the serpent, Satan. God declared, “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” Genesis 3:15. In this moment, the first promise of redemption was spoken. A Deliverer would come—One who would crush the serpent’s head, though it would cost Him deeply.
But the serpent didn’t retreat. From that day forward, Satan has moved in shadows, distorting truth, manipulating hearts, destroying families, and spreading fear. Jesus later described his mission with unflinching clarity: “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy” John 10:10. The devil does not operate in the light of day but in the depths of confusion and unseen chaos. As the Apostle Paul revealed, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” Ephesians 6:12. This is not merely a struggle with the visible—it is a war against an ancient, invisible enemy.
Behind every injustice, every addiction, every lie, and every act of self-destruction is a spiritual force intent on keeping humanity bound in darkness. We are not just victims of circumstance—we are caught in a spiritual war.
The Weight of Sin – Satan’s Strongholds
The devil’s most destructive weapon is not brute force—it is deception. He rarely storms through the front door with violence. More often, he slips through the back window of doubt. His war is psychological. His strategy is subtle. His favorite battlefield is the human mind. Jesus called him “the father of lies” (John 8:44). From the beginning, Satan’s power has rested in one thing: convincing people that God cannot be trusted, that sin is harmless, and that shame is stronger than grace. He does not have to chain your hands if he can capture your thoughts. The Apostle Paul wrote, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). These strongholds are not made of stone. They are mental and spiritual prisons—systems of thought reinforced by fear, shame, unforgiveness, self-hatred, pride, and religious confusion. They are lies stacked brick by brick until they form a fortress around the heart, shaping identity and distorting reality.
Satan whispers, “You’ll never be enough.”
“God can’t forgive someone like you.”
“You’ll always struggle with this.”
“You were born broken, and no one could ever love the real you.”
These are not mere insecurities. They are demonic strongholds—dark structures built to blind you, bind you, and bury you. What begins as a thought becomes a belief. What becomes a belief becomes behavior. What becomes behavior becomes bondage. And in that bondage, Satan shames you with the very sin he lured you into.
But Jesus came to break the cycle. God has given us divine weapons—truth, light, and authority—to tear down every lie. His Word is not just inspirational—it is surgical. It cuts through deception and shines into the shadows where strongholds hide. This truth, light, and authority empower us to overcome every lie and deception. Freedom begins the moment the truth takes root in the soul.
The Mission of Christ – Born to Destroy the Destroyer
Jesus did not come into the world merely as a teacher, guru, or moral example. He came as a warrior on a mission of unparalleled power and purpose. “The Son of God appeared for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil” 1 John 3:8. Every healing, miracle, and moment of forgiveness was not just compassion—it was combat. Jesus confronted evil wherever it lurked—in sickness, spirits, lies, and legalism. His mission was clear, his purpose was unwavering, and his victory was absolute. But His greatest weapon was His own death.
The cross was no accident. It was the battlefield chosen before the foundation of the world. Hebrews 2:14–15 tells us, “That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery by the fear of death.” On the cross, Jesus bore our sins and endured the full wrath of God. But in doing so, He shattered the devil’s final weapon—death itself. This victory was a profound demonstration of God’s love and sacrifice for us.
He didn’t avoid death. He entered it. He descended into its depths and broke its chains from within. He took away sin’s penalty and Satan’s legal ground to accuse us. The cross was not defeat—it was the trap. And Satan walked straight into it.
The Turning Point – A Public Spectacle of Defeat
Nowhere is Satan’s defeat more vividly described than in Colossians 2:13-15. “When you were dead in your sins… God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins… and having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” This was no private victory. At the cross, Jesus didn’t simply cancel our sin—He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. The devil’s weapons were stripped from his hands. His rights were revoked. His accusations silenced. His claims against the children of God destroyed. What Satan meant for death became his humiliation. What the world saw as weakness became a spectacle of glory. Evil lost its grip. Death lost its sting. The enemy lost his voice. Jesus’s resurrection was not just a return—it was a coronation. The rightful King had conquered.
The Believer Empowered – Walking in Christ’s Victory
Now, that victory belongs to all who follow Christ. The blood that silenced Satan’s accusations still speaks on your behalf. Revelation 12:11 declares, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” You don’t fight for victory—you fight from it. Satan may still accuse you—but the blood of Jesus shuts him down. He may still try to oppress you—but your testimony declares, “I’ve been redeemed.” True victory begins with surrender. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). When a life is aligned with the will of God, the enemy has no authority left. And in Christ, we don’t just survive—we overcome. Jesus said, “Behold, I give you power… to tread on serpents and scorpions… and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). This is resurrection power—not just for eternity, but for today. You are not merely saved. You are sealed. You are not merely forgiven. You are equipped. You are not merely a believer. You are a warrior.
The Invitation – Step Into the Victory
This is not just the end of a story. It is the beginning of a new life. Would you like to exchange lies for the truth? Easter is not just about remembering what Jesus did—it’s about receiving what He won. The grave is empty. The throne is occupied. The serpent’s head is crushed. This victory can be yours. Not earned. Not inherited. But received by grace.
What is Easter?
Easter is a Christian religious holiday, also known as a feast day, that celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, as described in the New Testament of the Bible. It is considered the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church.
The exact date of Easter varies each year because it is based on the lunar calendar. It generally falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, which is around March 21. As a result, Easter can occur between March 22 and April 25.
In addition to its religious significance, Easter has also become associated with various secular traditions and customs. These include the Easter bunny, egg decorating, egg hunts, and the giving of Easter baskets filled with candy and gifts. These traditions are often observed by people of various religious and cultural backgrounds, making Easter a widely celebrated and recognized holiday in many parts of the world.
The Meaning of Easter
So what is Easter? And why do Christians place such a high importance on this holiday?
Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the death, occurring three days after His crucifixion. It fulfils the prophecy of the Jesus (Messiah) persecution, death for our sins, and resurrection, as foretold in Isaiah 53. According to the New Testament, Easter falls three days after Jesus’ crucifixion, on Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ death.
We remember the event that shook the whole world. That our Lord Jesus conquered death. The in Bible ( Old Testament) prophesied about this event hundreds of times, hundreds to thousands of years prior to the Resurrection. It’s not just a big deal. It’s the biggest deal in all of Christianity.
The Easter story, as recounted in all four Gospels of the New Testament, begins with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, His burial, and culminates in His resurrection from the dead. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus is crucified by the Roman authorities at the instigation of religious leaders. He is then buried in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. On the third day after His death, women visit the tomb and find it empty, with angels announcing Jesus’ resurrection. They encounter Jesus alive, who then appears to His disciples, providing them with evidence of His resurrection before ascending into heaven. This miraculous event confirms Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and the fulfilment of prophecies regarding the Messiah.
Easter is one of the most important holidays in the Christian calendar. It commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe was sent to Earth to offer salvation from sin.
For many, Easter is also a time to reflect on the meaning of life and the power of love and forgiveness. Through the symbolism of Easter, Christians are reminded that no matter how dark things may seem, there is always hope in the power of resurrection and new beginnings.
Why do Christians Celebrate Easter?
Easter marks the triumphant victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave, demonstrating His power to conquer sin and offer eternal life to all who believe in Him. We celebrate Easter because not only did our Lord conquer death, but without the Resurrection, we have no foundation for our faith.
In Bible book 1 Corinthians 15:13-15 says, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.”
In other words, Christianity has no point if the Resurrection didn’t happen. Christians would’ve been martyred for nothing and placed their faith in false hope.
Thankfully, the Resurrection did occur, and for those reasons, we have immense hope and assurance. It is through the Resurrection that we find assurance of our redemption and the promise of new life in Christ. Furthermore, the Resurrection validates Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and confirms His authority to grant forgiveness of sins and reconcile humanity with God. Therefore, Easter is not merely a celebration of an event in history, but a proclamation of the foundational truth that shapes our entire faith journey and offers hope for the future
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, the belief in God’s saving grace through Jesus is destroyed. When Jesus rose from the dead, he confirmed his identity as the Son of God and his work of atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and salvation. The Resurrection was a literal, physical raising of Jesus’ body from the dead.
Jesus was arrested, tried, and found guilty of claiming to be a king. His body was hung on a cross between two thieves. After his death, Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen cloth and placed in a tomb with a large stone rolled across the opening. On the third day, an early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another Mary came to the tomb and found it empty. Sitting on the rolled-away stone was an angel of the Lord who told them not to be afraid because Jesus had risen. As the women left to tell the disciples, Jesus Christ met them and showed them his nail-pierced hands.
The Old and the New Testaments speak of the truth of Jesus being raised from death – Jesus testified of his resurrection before He died on the cross, and his disciples witnessed his body after the resurrection. Below are the Bible verses and Scriptures that both prophesize the resurrection of Jesus and testify of the reality of the resurrected body of Christ.
Bible Passage of the Resurrection
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:1-10)
Old Testament Resurrection Prophecies
“Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19)
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)
An Invitation
If you are seeking deeper peace, joy, and the assurance of God’s love, we invite you to learn more about Jesus Christ, the true source of Prakash and Kirpa.
Join us at Punjabi Masihi Church (contact details below), or the church that presented this Easter card to you (their contact details in the card), for prayer, reflection, and discussions about the one Creator God who invites all people to know Him personally.
| Contact Us: Punjabi Masihi Church 14488 72nd Ave, Surrey BC, V3S 2E7 | Office Hours Tuesday to Friday 9:00AM to 3:00PM | Phone Number 604 590 2032 | [email protected] |
Further Reading
| LIGHT OF THE SATGURU: GOOD NEWS FOR SIKHS By Jasvir Singh Basi Paperback – Feb. 12, 2022 https://www.amazon.ca/Light-Satguru-Good-News-Sikhs/dp/1734662905 |  |