God is not dead, neither is he gone. In a time when some so-called theologians are saying God is dead, we need to declare the glorious truth with the same enthusiasm of those early disciples who discovered the empty tomb of Jesus on the first Easter morning: GOD IS NOT DEAD.
A god subject to the final power of death is no god. They tell the story in England of the way the news of the victory at Waterloo was received. The report was brought by ship to the coast of England and then relayed by signal flags to London. When the message reached Winchester, the signalman atop the cathedral began to send the message “Wellington defeated…” Just then the fog closed in, hiding the signal from view. That sad and incomplete message went to London and thousands bowed in mourning. “Wellington defeated!” How terrible! But after a while the fog lifted and the signalman continued his message, “Wellington defeated the enemy,” and there was great rejoicing all over the country. Some plunged into mourning too quickly. They had not waited for the whole message. It was like that on the memorable day when the disciples saw the Lord die. They didn’t wait for the complete message that came on Easter morning. It was not, “Christ defeated!” It was “Christ defeated the enemy!”
God is not dead, neither is he gone. The Jesus who arose from the grave walks with and lives within those who believe in him. He promised all believers that he would never forsake them or leave them. Through the resurrection this is a reality. Christ is with us today. He is no absentee God. This has practical value for us. It means that when you walk across a cemetery lot and peer into the freshly dug grave of a loved one, or when you are wheeled through the doors of the operating room of a hospital for surgery, or when you march across the blood-stained fields of battle, Christ will be with you, by your side to help you.
Rejoice, my friends. God is not dead, neither is he gone. Christ arose from the grave to live forever more. And because he lives we may live also.